Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Cambodian Minister of Tourism, Hua Ha, announced at the 4th National Ecotourism Forum in Siem Reap on November 25th that the 12th Cambodian Marine Festival, originally scheduled to be held this year in Koh Kong Province, will be postponed.
Minister Hua Ha stated that the cancellation of the Marine Festival is related to the "conflict triggered by Thailand."
At the forum, Minister Hua Ha emphasized Cambodia's rich and diverse tourism resources, including numerous historical sites, tourist resorts, and distinctive ecotourism areas such as Aola Mountain, Kirirom, and Phnom Kulen.
He pointed out that during the COVID-19 pandemic, ecotourism and community tourism have become popular among domestic tourists, effectively boosting local residents' income and highlighting their importance in the national tourism industry. Therefore, he called on tourism departments at all levels to increase their efforts in promoting ecotourism.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Vice-Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Community Tourism and Ecotourism Management and Development, Deng Dina, proposed at the forum that agricultural diversification is another important way to attract tourists.
He believes that agricultural production should not solely focus on exports, but should produce diversified agricultural products for tourists to purchase directly, thereby realizing the concept of "local exports" and further integrating agriculture with tourism.
The National Ecotourism Forum is an important annual exchange platform in Cambodia's ecotourism sector. This year's forum brought together representatives from the public and private sectors, domestic and international organizations, development partners, and tourism communities across the country.
The main objectives of this forum were to showcase the achievements of community tourism and ecotourism; analyze current challenges; and explore solutions and future development strategies through multi-stakeholder participation and shared responsibility.
A community tourism and ecotourism exhibition was also held concurrently with the forum, providing participants with opportunities to gain in-depth understanding of industry trends and exchange experiences.
