Bomb ripples reach Cambodia

PHNOM PENH Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism says international tourist arrivals to the country, via Thailand’s border checkpoints, declined after the the deadly bomb attack at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine, 17 August.
Posted on the tourism ministry website, Monday, Tourism Minister Thong Khon updated local media on the impact of the bomb explosion in Bangkok.
“Around 40% of tourists entering Cambodia travel via Thailand, by air or overland. During the course of the present turmoil in Thailand, linked to the bomb explosion in Bangkok, there has been a remarkable drop.”
He added: “According to statistics from overland international border checkpoints, international tourist entering Cambodia from Thailand decreased around 10%. There are nine flights per day from Bangkok to Siem Reap; and about seven flights per day from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and on every flight traffic has dropped.”

inside no 4He noted travel via other gateway destinations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Korea remained steady. The only problem we face is with Thailand.
The ministry reported that during the first seven months of the year the country attracted 2.6 million international travellers up 5% over the same period last year.
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports said, last week, that tourist arrivals declined 7% due to the bombing.
Comparisons are made with August 2014, which was a poor month due to the impact of the May 2014 military coup and a dip in travel from European markets due to an economic downturn.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is confident that Thailand tourism industry will still stay on track to achieve 28.8 million visits and generate THB2.2 trillion by year end.
Last year, Thailand attracted 24.80 million visits down 6.54% from 26.54 in 2013. Tourism revenue generated THB1.17 trillion, last year, a decline of 2.85% from THB1.20 trillion in 2013. The May 2014 military coup was blamed for the poor performance in 2014.

sourced:ttrweekly.com