Tourists continue to visit Cambodia despite political impasse

Cambodia registered steady growth in foreign tourist arrivals in the first nine months of the year despite dispute between the ruling and opposition parties over the July election results.

Tith Chantha, secretary of state at the Ministry of Tourism, said the country attracted more than 3 million foreign tourists from January to September, up 19 percent year-on-year.

A majority of tourists came from Vietnam, South Korea, China, Laos and Thailand, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We expect to receive 4.2 million tourists in the whole of this year," Chantha said.

Kong Sopheareak, head of the ministry's Planning and Statistics Department, said political troubles in recent months had a slight impact on the tourism industry.

"Growth is steadily up even in the election month in July and post-poll conflict. Foreign tourists have full trust in our security and political stability," he said.

Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said he did not see any decline in tourist arrivals as a result of the country's political crisis.

"Foreign visitors have been coming to Cambodia as usual in the past few months, there were no any trip cancellations, some Vietnamese called off their trips in August after the election due to security concerns," said Ang.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) led by opposition leader Sam Rainsy has refused to recognise the July 28 poll results that saw Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) win 68 seats compared to 55 for the opposition.

The CNRP had launched a series of mass demonstrations in the capital city to protest the results.

On Sept 24, the Cambodian parliament formed by the ruling party's 68 lawmakers voted for the formation of a new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Sourced: Cambodia News