Cambodia is celebrating the Khmer Traditional New Year on April 13-16 with positive expectation of both national and international tourists travelling across the country during this long holiday, said officials and key insiders.

Main tourism destinations including Siem Reap province, home to the UNESCO-listed famed Angkor Archeological Park, the coastal provinces, and the ecotourism landscapes in the country’s northeastern part are expected to see a high record of tourists in the four-day holiday, said Mrs. Chhay Sivlin, President of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents.

‘Living standard improvement, infrastructure connection facilitating the travel, and new attractive tourism products are factors to push domestic tourism movement in the long holiday like the Khmer New Year,’ she added.

‘People’s travel during the holiday will contribute to the tourism sector domestically, particularly to community-based businesses because when people travel, they need services such as transport, accommodation, food a
nd other services,’ she explained.

The traditional Khmer New Year takes place this year from April 13 to 16. During the four-day celebration, businesses and government offices are closed allowing government officials, people, students, private companies’ staff and factory workers to return to their homeland to celebrate the traditional festival with their family members.

To welcome the Khmer New Year, known locally as Bon Chol Chnam Thmey, Phnom Penh capital and the provinces have been decorated with national flags, flowers, posters, star-shaped lights, giving roads and every corner of cities a touch of colour and bringing joy to local people.

Sankranta events are held throughout the country to cheer the Khmer New Year as well as to attract local people and national and international tourists.

Kampot province, one of the coastal provinces, is ready to see an increase in the influx of tourists during the holiday.

‘With new tourism products created, many attractive tourism resorts, and infrastructure conne
ction, Kampot province is ready to welcome arrivals of both local and foreign visitors,’ Mr. Soy Sinol, Director of Kampot Provincial Tourism Department, said on Thursday.

Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, has called on people celebrate Sankranta in the traditional Khmer New Year with joy and mutual respect.

‘I encourage all citizens, especially the youth, to fully embrace the spirit of the Khmer New Year celebration by participating in traditional games. We have organised numerous traditional games for everyone to enjoy,’ Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said while presiding over the inauguration ceremony of Kirisu Dairy Farm in Takeo province on April 11, 2024.

Last year, as many as 13 million people traveled during the three-day long (April 14-16) Khmer New Year holiday, of which 55,691 were foreigners.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse