Joint M'sia-Cambodia Promotion To Boost Tourism Industry

From Linda Khoo

PHNOM PENH, May 1 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Ministry will work closely with the Cambodian government to promote the "one destination, two countries" tourism package to woo more tourists from Europe and Middle East to the two countries.

Under the joint promotion, tourist attractions in Malaysia and Cambodia would be promoted as a single tourism package to lure more tourists, Deputy Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said today.

"Good friends (Malaysia and Cambodia) should work together to strengthen co-operation and relations between the two countries to promote tourism," he said.

A joint committee should be set up to work out the details to vigorously promote the "one destination, two countries" package for the two Asean member states to enjoy a higher growth rate in tourism," he told reporters after meeting Cambodian Tourism Minister Lay Prohas.

Cambodia is the last stop in Lim's tour of Indo-Chinese countries under the Visit Malaysia Year follow-up promotional programme to attract more tourists to Malaysia. Earlier, he visited Vietnam and Laos. Lim is scheduled to return home today.

Lim said Malaysia-Cambodia bilateral relations must be further enhanced to realise the target of wooing 20,000 Cambodian tourists to Malaysia this year.

He said Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and budget carrier AirAsia operate 27 direct flights a week on the Phnom Penh-Kuala Lumpur and Siem Reap-Kuala Lumpur routes, enabling Malaysia to receive 14,694 Cambodian tourists last year, up 47.6 per cent, compared with 9,957 in 2005.

A total of 3,043 Cambodian tourists came to Malaysia in January and February, an increase of 1,042 visitors compared with the same period last year.

"The Cambodian market has high potential and growth prospects. Two-way co-operation can yield lucrative income for the two countries," he said.

Lim said co-operation to promote "one destination, two countries" tourism product has been established with Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam which have tourism products that can woo foreign tourists from throughout the world.

"This will help transform Asean into a must-visit tourism region," he said, adding that Asean countries had many tourist attractions for global tourists.

Last year, 82,931 Indo-Chinese tourist arrivals were recorded, up 28.68 per cent compared with 64,444 visitors in 2005.

Of the total, 63,866 were Vietnamese, Cambodians (14,694) and Laotians (4,371).

Meanwhile, Lay Prohas wants to emulate Malaysia in promoting his country's tourism industry to the region.

He expressed interest in seeking Malaysia's co-operation and sharing experience to promote tourism products in his country that are attracting international tourists.

He also wants Malaysia to provide advisory service to train human capital in the tourism industry.

"We can identify the areas for further co-operation in promoting our tourism industry. We can work out the details," he added.

-- BERNAMA