Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of ASEAN 2022, received in Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk province this morning a delegation of ASEAN tourism ministers and senior officials, led by H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, ASEAN Secretary-General, on the sidelines of the 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum 2022 (ATF 2022).

H.E. Kao Kim Hourn, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, told reporters that in the meeting, Samdech Techo Hun Sen briefed the delegation on the COVID-19 situation in Cambodia and the national vaccination programme, tourism potentials, as well as the commitment for ASEAN connectivity, post-COVID-19 tourism recovery, and so on.

For his part, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for his high presence at the opening ceremony of the ATF 2022 and at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers' Meeting.

H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi congratulated Cambodia on hosting the first ASEAN Tourism Forum after the tourism sector has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the past two years.

“H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi said what Cambodia has done is a success and a good example to promote the tourism sector, and the reopening of the ASEAN Tourism Forum also means the reopening of ASEAN tourism,” H.E. Kao Kim Hourn pointed out.

Before COVID-19 pandemic, tourism sector accounted for 14.3 percent of the total GDP of ASEAN, while the employment rate in ASEAN accounted for more than 13 percent. Tourism is very important for supporting micro, small and medium enterprises in ASEAN and shares an important part of the economic growth in ASEAN.

H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi reiterated that the meeting of ASEAN tourism ministers in Sihanoukville sends a very important message on the reopening of ASEAN tourism.

The ASEAN secretary-genegral reaffirmed to continue working closely with all ASEAN members to revitalise the tourism sector and, most importantly, what Samdech Techo asked ASEAN to do is to prepare for the opening of ASEAN Travel Corridor.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press