Cambodia goes to polls July

PHNOM PENH, 13 May 2013: Cambodia’s tourist arrival growth rate could slow in the lead up to national elections this July a negative trend that was evident during previous elections.

Tourism Minister, Thong Khon, said there was always the slight possibility of political unrest and that could deter some visits, but he believed elections would be completed smoothly without risk to visitors.

“Tourists often postpone visits to a country during elections because they fear there could be political unrest, but election time is also something to witness in the capital,” the minister explained.

The government-private sector working group on tourism co-chair, Ho Vandy said there had been a decline in the growth rate prior to the general election in 2008, but subsequent election years had little or no impact.

He added: “The tourism private sector is in touch with overseas partners to inform clients of the situation and there is no evidence that elections will be disruptive.”

Statistics show that tourist arrivals dipped 10.9 during the 2003 general election. In 2008 another election year, tourism arrivals increased, but at a much slower pace than previous years, slowing from 18.5% in 2007 to just 5.5% in 2008.

Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Cambodia chapter chairman, Sinan Thourn, said any drop in tourism in July would be caused by the rainy season not politics.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Cambodia, 28 July. The National Election Committee (NEC) announced that some 9.67 million Cambodians will be eligible to cast their ballots to elect the 123-seat parliament. Incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen will seek his fourth term.

He is  competing against Sam Rainsy, a former MP of Kampong Cham and Norodom Arunrasmey, leader of the royalist Funcinpec Party and ambassador to Malaysia since 2005.

Sourced: ttrweekly