[PHNOM PENH POST]
CAMBODIA’S precious coastal areas would boost local and international
visitor numbers, as well as attract still more private investment, Prime
Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.
In May, the Kingdom’s beaches were officially recognised as a member of the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World.
Now
Hun Sen, who was speaking at a celebration of the Kingdom’s admission
to the club at the Independence Hotel in Sihanoukville, anticipates a
jump in visitors to the region, thereby acting as a catalyst for
Cambodia’s economic growth.
“Coastal areas play a very import-ant
role, and they rank just behind Phnom Penh and cultural sites like
Angkor Wat in terms of attracting investors and driving the national
economy,” he said.
Hun Sen said there were 117 private investment
projects worth US$10.7 billion taking place along the country’s
450-kilometre coastline, amounting to 42 per cent of all investments
nationwide.
“We appeal to all private investors who want to
invest in the area: do not destroy the environment, and protect and
conserve our natural resources, our cultural heritage and history in our
beaches,” he said.
To become a member of the Club of the Most
Beautiful Bays of the World, a country must fulfil specific
requirements, including having projects in place that protect the
country’s natural resources.
The beaches must also exemplify natural beauty and have the potential for economic development.
The club, established in Berlin in 1997, has certified 33 beaches in 27 member countries so far.
The
number of international tourists visiting Sihanoukville increased by
7.5 per cent to 90,000 visitors during the first five months of 2011,
compared with the same period last year.
Hun Sen said the country was aiming to double that number by the end of the year.
Galip
Gur, president-elect of the club, yesterday praised Cambodia’s beaches,
saying he expected them to draw the same kind of attention the prime
minister had called for.
“Cambodia’s beaches have a lot of
potential. I hope they will attract more and more international visitors
to come here,” Gur said.
“As part of the membership, we are
sharing our experience to help and develop Cambodia’s coastal areas and
boost the tourism sector in the Kingdom.”
Kong Sangvar, managing
director at Orchestra Travel and Tours in Phnom Penh, said he hoped the
membership would help promote Cambodia as a top tourism destination.
“I hope that membership of the club offers the potential to develop our national economy,” he said.
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