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  ACADEMICIAN THONG KHON PROMISES TO PLACE BATTAMBANG AND KRATIE ON WORLD TOURISM LIST

  Feb 24, 2019

  Academician Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of Kingdom of Cambodia recently unveiled plans to turn the Kratie province’s capital into a “prime tourism destination” and a “heritage city”.

   

  Prime destinations are important attractions in the Kingodm of Camodia but are not rated s crucial to the tourism sector as the country’s main tourist draws – the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap and the coastal areas.

   

   

  ECTT Academician Minister Thong Khon said the decision to turn Kratie into a priority destination and a heritage site was based on the city’s many tourist attractions, particularly the dolphins that can be spotted in the Mekong River.

   

  “If there are dolphins in the Mekong River, there are tourists; however, no dolphins, no tourists,” Mr Khon said.

   

  Other noteworthy products and sites in the province with great tourism potential include the Koh Trong pomelo, colonial buildings, stunning river beaches, and a slew of eco-tourism sites, the minister said.

   

  He reminded the city’s authorities of their responsibility to boost the quality of these products and sites to meet and exceed tourists’ expectations.

   

  “We must continue improving the quality of services and products in the province and create new tourism products,” he said. “We must work hard to develop Kratie province into a prime destination and a heritage site, organise new events on the beach and in the river, keep the city and the province clean, improve hygiene in public toilets, and protect the environment,” Academician Khon Thong said.

   

   

   

  “Tourism officials must also strive to improve tourist boats so that they offer a quality service, and drivers must wear proper uniforms,” he added.

   

  Academician Thong Khon told Kratie’s provincial tourism department to focus on revamping infrastructure like tourist booths, parking areas, and public toilets while improving services and products at stores, tourist boats, restaurants, and food courts.

   

  Officials in the Ministry of Tourism, informed that the government also wants to turn Battambang and Kampot into heritage sites.

  He said the ministry is working with global tourism institutions  to register these cities as national heritage sites first, and world heritage sites at a later stage.

   

  “We are also working to register Kratie city as a heritage site, together with Battambang and Kampot. These three cities boast beautiful French buildings,” Mr Chumnor said.

   

  Academician Mircea Constantinescu, Director of European Tourism Institution congratulated the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism for these initiatives to register as capitals of culture and tourism cities like Battambang and Kratie and remarked that: the priority destination scheme is a strategy that aims to increase opportunities for socioeconomic development through tourism investment and development.

   

   

  “Battambang, Kampot, and Kratie could become world capitals of culture and tourism sites, which will draw public attention to them and help develop them in a sustainable manner while preserving their urban and natural heritage,” Academician Mircea Constantinescu said.

  Tags: cambodia, European Council on Tourism and Trade, European Tourism Academy, World Capital of Culture and Tourism, Battambang, Kratie, Academician Thong Khon, Siem Reap, Minister Thong Khon, Mekong, Academician Mircea Constantinescu, Mircea Constantinescu

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