Cambodia tourism push

By Shaun Inguanzo
CAMBODIA has shrugged years of war-torn hardship to become a growing tourist destination.
That was the focus of a special dinner last weekend at the Springvale International reception centre which was attended by many from Greater Dandenong’s Cambodian community, United Nations officials and Cambodia’s Tourism Minister Lay Prohas.
The evening, organised by the Cambodian Association of Victoria, was awash with Cambodian cuisine, cultural dances, contemporary music and presentations on the state of the country’s tourist activity.
Mr Prohas said tourism had surged in Cambodia with 1.42 million tourists visiting each year.
Within five years, Mr Prohas said the country was anticipating about 5 million per year.
“We are an emerging market,” he said.
“We have many attractions on offer.”
Among those are ancient temples and ruins of lost civilisations, Mr Prohas said.
In addition to the ruins, Mr Prohas said the country had a tropical coastline of white sand beaches stretching 430 kilometres.
“It is very tropical…the water is always warm.”
And despite years of civil war and suffering, Mr Prohas said Cambodia had moved forward and was very tourist friendly.
“Cambodia is not like it was in the past, it is now 100 per cent peaceful, stable and safe,” he said.
“It has much to offer for Australians.”