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Officials Say Cruise
Stopover Good Omen
The
arrival of the first luxury cruise ship in Cambodia in 30 years
bodes well for the growth of more lucrative tourism in the country,
officials said this week.
The 200-meter cruiser docked at Sihanoukville this month carrying
more than 200 tourists, most of them from the US, said Tui Rutten,
managing director of First Travel Cambodia, the Thai operator that
organized the tour.
The tourists split into three groups, some visiting Phnom Penh,
others Siem Reap, and others the beaches of Sihanoukville, before
rejoining the ship in Bangkok, Tui Rutten said.
Transportation, tickets and visas for the 24-hour stopover cost each
tourist about $300, said Sok Chamroeun, First Travel's operations
manager. The tour also included stops in The Philippinese, Vietnam
and Thailand.
Ma Sun Huot, deputy director of the port, said he welcomed the
arrival of both the cruise ships and the big-spending tourists who
travel on them.
He added that he hoped the development would help boost the port's
in come. Tour First paid a fee of more than $10,000 to dock at the
port, he said.
"The port hopes to make money better, "he said.
But Tui Rutten said the port also needs to improve facilities.
First Travel hopes to run more cruises to Cambodia in 'the future,
but not without assurances that the country will so what it can to
attract tourists, she said.
"The Cambodia government should develop Sihanouk Port faster,
improve air and road transport, build an entertainment resort for
tourists and generally improve service," she said.
She also suggested visas in advance to big groups in order to cut
delays at immigration when ships arrive.
The government will work to fulfill those requests and look for ways
to make customs and immigration easier for people arriving by ship,
said Pak Sokhom, director of marketing and promotion at the Ministry
of Tourism.
The port plans to double its capacity in the next few years, Ma Sun
Huot said, accommodating up to four cruise ships at a time.
by
Kay Kimsong |
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