Surging tourism arrivals can’t save the tourism minister
PHNOM PENH – Tourist arrivals to Cambodia rose 20% in the first four months compared to the same period last year, but that healthy increase wasn’t enough to save the job of the country’s tourism minister.
The National Assembly last week confirmed the sacking of minister of tourism Lay Prohas, who was replaced by Thong Kon, 56, a one-time deputy chairman of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea, and a high-ranking Ministry of Tourism official since 1993.
It is being suggested that Prohas’ sudden dismissal was caused by his inability to get along with party rulers.
Prohas was appointed as tourism minister in 2004. The number of foreign tourists to the kingdom grew to 1.7 million in 2006, a 20% rise over 2005.
Some 710,000 arrivals were recorded between January and April this year, boosted by an increase in travellers from neighbours Thailand and Vietnam.
Vietnamese arrivals jumped 70%, while the number of Thais visiting Cambodia went up 38%, according to latest official figures.
Thong Khon told reporters that he is determined to strengthen the tourism industry by enhancing cooperation with the private sector.
Visitors from South Korea and Japan make up the largest number of foreign tourists to Cambodia.
Cambodia has recently increased the number of direct flights to the country and last week inked a deal with Yangon to begin air links from Bagan and Mandalay, Myanmar’s top tourist stops, to Cambodia’s Angkor temple town, Siem Reap
Ian Jarrett
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