Tourism strategy

The number of tourists, international as well as national, visiting Angkor each year is dramatically increasing and could soon reach 1 million. This phenomenon is quite recent, but it raises questions which require urgent answers. What are the effects of tourism on the country? How can Cambodia truly benefit from tourism?

Tourist development has become an important priority for national authorities. To truly benefit the country, tourism must be of high quality, covering a large range of services and leisure activities while respecting the environment. The focus on tourist development should not disguise the necessity to continue and increase the protection and safeguarding efforts, at the risk of destroying the very source of tourism. To implement these objectives, the following have been put in place:

Legal framework

To give itself the means to operate effectively in the field, the Department of Tourism has seen to the drafting and introduction of a number of regulations on such issues as free entrance tickets and film shooting. More are in preparation on such issues as traffic, tour operators and use of the name and corporate image of Angkor.

Staff

The Department of Tourism currently works with a staff of about 40 people, some of which are young graduates who receive on-the-job training.

Structure

The Department of Tourism is made up of a commercial office, in charge of such tasks as promotion, welcoming official visits and development of cultural events and other products, and a technical office, in charge of such tasks as site presentation, management of tour guides, and supervision of the concessions (ticket sales, shops, transportation, etc).