Cambodia Considers sea shore incentive

PHNOM PENH, 12 December 2014: Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism may relax regulations for foreign visitors to boost tourist arrivals and encourage investment particularly along Cambodia’s coastline. The Phnom Penh Post quoted Tourism Minister Thong as saying that visa requirements and rules governing property ownership at Cambodia’s beach areas are under review. …

“To attract more tourists, the options include reducing tourist visas fees, or providing visa-free stays for tourists, who enter Cambodia through Sihanoukville’s sea port, or its international airport.”
Sihanoukville’s deep-sea port serves as the main entry point for cruises passengers. A USD18-million ferry terminal at Kampot should be completed in 2019.
inside no 1The minister said plans were under way to add a restaurant, a customs office and a shopping mall to Sihanoukville’s port to make it more convenient for passengers disembarking from ships. A visa-free stay would make it easier for cruises to organise shore trips.
“More than 30 cruise ships carrying a maximum of 1,800 foreign tourists each, visited Cambodia through Sihanoukville last year, but we do not have a proper terminal to welcome them yet.”
To step ashore passengers need a visa-on-arrival that adds to the cost of the shore sighting trips offered by tour operators working with the cruise lines.
The review of regulations will also look at the possibility of allowing tourists to purchase holiday homes in Cambodia, he said.
“Now we are studying this regulation and we want to bring it to another level where foreigners can buy and own property as their second home within a yet-to -be designated tourism enclave. However, the policy would first need government approval to change land regulations.”
The Government-Private Sector Working Group co-chair, Ho Vandy, advised that a monitoring group was needed to check new development projects in Cambodia’s coastal areas.
“There have been incentives for developers in the past. More than 20 islands have been given to investors to develop, but only six of those development projects are actually up and running,” he said.
The recommendation to give tourists visa-free entry at Sihanoukville, is based on similar incentives introduced by Vietnam to boost travel to Phu Quoc Island.
Effective in March this year, visitors to Phu Quoc can stay visa-free for 30 days, differentiating it from all other destinations in Vietnam.
Phu Quoc Airport, which opened for its first domestic flights last December, is located just 50 km from Sihanoukville.
Cambodia’s tourism is mainly heritage related, linked to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, while its beach resorts play a very marginal role.