By Sok Lak
“The tourism industry has significantly contributed to the development of the green economy in Cambodia while it generated 300,000 jobs and US$ 1.7 billion income, representing about 14 percent of GDP. In the first 9 months of 2011, Cambodia received 2.1 million inbound tourists, showing a growth of 15.6 percent compared to the same period of 2010,” H.E. Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ministry of Economy and Finance said at the national workshop on Tourism Strategic Development Plan 2011-2020 and National Eco-Tourism Policy on November 16 in Phnom Penh.
“The tourism sector’s growth is largely attributed to socio-economic development, especially the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals through the creation and improvement of employment opportunities,” the minister said, adding that it also enhanced direct and indirect incomes for people, promoted on-the-spot export and economic growth, increased national revenues, accelerated poverty reduction and reduced the sources of global warming, in other words, a response to climate change.
He mentioned that tourism not only helps conserve the environment and natural resources, but it counters growing demographic pressures faced by the world, in helping reduce the source of global warming and irresponsible activities that have been causing loss and damage of biodiversity.
In particular, it also protects cultural assets, traditions, and customs of local communities. “It helps conservation schemes and in return these schemes underpin development that will bring about benefits to the economy, society, and environment. “In the future, the development of the tourism sector will require attention and participation from all stakeholders including public sector, private sector, citizens, local communities and tourists, including all development partners and national and international organizations,” Keat Chhon highlighted.
H.E. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, said that tourism plays an important role as a mainstay of activity in human lifestyle quality and economic growth. “It is a source of economic growth around 5 percent of GDP and 30 percent of world exportation service, which is one in twelve jobs that exist in the world’s employment and development.
According to tourism projection, Cambodia is estimated to receive approximately 4.5 million visitors in 2015, and approximately 7 million or over in 2020, generating national revenue of approximately of 5,000 million US dollars in 2020, contributing to around 10 percent of GDP and creating around 80 thousand to 1 million jobs.
In 2010, 940 million international tourists travelled across international border check-points, which generates revenue of one trillion US dollars in exportation revenue while inbound travelers were recorded at 4 billion. During the first 6 months of 2011, 400 million international tourists travelled around the world with a 5 percent increase. About 43 million international tourists will surge their visitation habits in the upcoming two decades year-after-year. Meanwhile, Cambodia received domestic tourists of 7,562,623 about a 7.7 percent increase and it also received international tourists totaling 2.5 million, a 16 percent increase. In the first 9 months of 2011, Cambodia received international tourists of 2.1 million, a 15.6 percent increase.
The Tourism Development Strategic Plan 2010-2020 and National Ecotourism Policy prepared by the Ministry of Tourism are truly in conformity with the National Economic Strategy Plan and certainly responds to the 2nd Phase Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia in line with the ASEAN Tourist Strategic Plan 2010-2015, Would Tourism Development Outlook 2020-2030 and the Millennium Development Goals of the relevant United Nation’s Organization.
Source: http://thesoutheastasiaweekly.com/?p=2610
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