Koh Kong’s tourism suffers

PHNOM PENH, 10 April 2014: Tourism authorities in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province have called for better road and transport infrastructure to attract more tourists.
Koh Kong provincial tourism department vice administrator, Chhun Samkhit, told local media that the long journey by road from Phnom Penh when combined with poor driving conditions made it very difficult to enjoy a visit to the destination. The Cardamom Mountains are attractive to visitors, but travel will not grow unless roads are improved, the provincial official argued.
“Koh Kong is a long road trip away for most tourists and this is likely to be the main reason why numbers are dropping,” he said.
During January to March this year, there were about 28,300 tourists who visited the seaside province, a decrease of 18% over the same period last year, according to the Koh Kong provincial Department of Tourism.
Cambodia of Association of Travel and Agent president, Ang Kim Eang, was quoted as saying there was a lack of reliable transport and two-lane highways were in poor condition.
Ministry of Public Works and Transport general director, Kim Borey, said road issues were the single problem that made it difficult to promote tourism to Koh Kong province.
The most southwest province in Cambodia, Koh Kong is blessed with beaches and the forested mountains of the Cardamom range. It is home to Cambodia’s largest national park Botum Sakor National Park and a section of the Kirirom National Park.
However, its main tourist attraction is its casino, while the local economy depends on an export industrial zone, a port and trading with bordering Thailand.
The province is the gateway to Cambodia when travelling from the town of Hat Lek in eastern Thailand. The border is located at Cham Yeam, about 14 km from Koh Kong. The border is a 12-hour drive from Bangkok by air-conditioned bus.
Koh Kong has the longest bridge in Cambodia at 1,900 metres connecting the provincial town of Koh Kong to Koh Kong Resort and the international check point.
In 2007, a new sealed road (National Route 48) was completed from the town to Sre Ambel on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville highway, including four bridges crossing rivers. The bridges were opened May 2008 mainly financed by Thailand.

Sourced: ttrweekly