The tourism industry is eagerly anticipating the reopening date.

[ASEAN NOW]

 

Travel agents, tourism experts, airport operators, and airlines have all stated that they are prepared to safely and efficiently handle an inflow of international visitors. All they need is for the Cambodian government to set a date for the reopening.

 

Industry representatives applauded Prime Minister Hun Sen's remarks last week that Cambodia should consider a seven-day quarantine for fully-vaccinated visitors, or even a "sandbox" where they may leave their hotels and visit surrounding attractions during their first week in Cambodia.

 

While rumors of a November opening have circulated, officials in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have prolonged restrictions on entertainment venues and restricted alcohol sales for another two weeks, raising questions about the future of government policy in dealing with Covid-19.

 

“What happens in the next few days or weeks will be very crucial for the country and for our industry,” said Alain Brun, CEO of Cambodia Airports, which manages the country's three international airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville.

 

Despite the cautious stance of city authorities, the country is second only to Singapore in Southeast Asia in terms of vaccinations, and Phnom Penh is one of the world's most-vaccinated cities in terms of population.

 

“We are quite fortunate to be in Cambodia. For the past year, the country has done an outstanding job with its immunization effort, and we are now protected. The announcement made by the Prime Minister last week is encouraging. Things appear to be moving in the right direction, and it's a significant step forward,” he said.

 

According to Brun, Cambodia Airports has put in place all necessary safety measures and can accommodate thousands of guests overnight, up from the current 200 to 300 people per day.

 

Although the airports are ready, flights between Cambodia and China are limited, with many ASEAN residents having to transit through Singapore. Cathay Pacific, based in Hong Kong, is offering direct flights and says it will add more if foreign demand increases.

 

Cathay Pacific Country Manager Hamish Snow remarked, "We took a brief sabbatical in Cambodia but we've been back since July this year." “This isn't our first crisis or health problem. We've come out stronger in the past, and we're optimistic we'll do so again,” he said.

 

Many local firms and workers left the industry, according to the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), but Chhay Sivlin believes they will return with the guests.

 

“The reopening of tourism can assist enterprises in the travel and hospitality sectors, allowing individuals employed in other areas to return to work,” she said. “We don't anticipate a large number of visitors. We have adequate time to prepare the essential stakeholders who have been out of the profession for over two years. They may return in stages. Individuals went to work in other industries, and while the 190,000 people employed in this industry will not be able to fully resume their jobs, they will be able to readapt themselves to this sector and earn a living step by step,” Sivlin added.

 

In the tourist and allied industries, there have been numerous firm closures. Out of roughly 9,500 enterprises examined, more than 500 closed and nearly 3,400 suspended operations in the first seven months of the year, according to a Tourism Ministry spokesman. Karaoke bars, hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, land transportation firms, bars, beer gardens, tour operators, and travel agencies were among those listed.

 

According to Arnaud Darc, President of the Cambodia Restaurant Association and founder of the Thalias Hospitality Group, adjusting to the new normal and resuming companies will necessitate strict adherence to the Tourism Ministry's standard operating procedure (SOP). He claims that lifting the current alcohol prohibition will provide eateries with additional money, which might make the difference between remaining afloat and going out of business.

 

Others argue that even a week of quarantine will not be enough to resuscitate the sector.

“Don't use the word 'q.' Quarantine and tourism do not get along, according to Nick Ray, a consultant with Cambodia Destination Management Co. (CamDmc). “The average stay was 4.5 days prior to the pandemic. “Do the math: There are 60 nations that are entirely open without quarantine,” Ray, who also publishes the Lonely Planet Cambodia travel book, explained.

 

Cambodia has vaccinated more than two-thirds of its population and is now immunizing children and providing booster doses to adults. Vietnam and Laos, for example, have been compelled to close their capitals due to low immunization rates. According to CATA's Sivlin, the Kingdom has a chance.

 

“Cambodia has never been marketed as a destination in its own right. “It's usually mixed together with other things,” she explained. “It used to be a secondary destination, but now that our neighbors are closed, we may take advantage of the opportunity to become the primary destination.”

 

The average stay before the pandemic was 4.5 days, according to speakers at a tourism sector news conference in Phnom Penh. They believe that once Cambodia reopens, it will be able to demonstrate that it has much more to offer than Angkor Wat.

 

According to Arnaud Darc, president of the Cambodia Restaurant Association and founder of the Thalias Hospitality Group, adjusting to the new normal and resuming companies will necessitate strict adherence to the Tourism Ministry's standard operating procedure (SOP).

 

“However, the industry would like to bring the attention of the RGC [Royal Government of Cambodia] to the present temporary prohibition on the sale of alcohol, which has been imposed as one of the policy measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” Darc added. “We remain concerned about the unintended effects of continuing to prohibit the sale of alcohol, and respectfully suggest that the Authorities consider alternate policy measures as they draft a policy on safe reopening.

 

We specifically suggest that the RGC consider lifting the present temporary restriction in favor of the following actions.

 

Implementing a specialized training program on safe alcohol service in restaurants and food shops as part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

 

Also, only restaurants and food stores that have been verified as complying to the SOPs are allowed to serve alcohol.