VIENTIANE, March 11 (Laotian Times): Officials from Laos and Cambodia met last week to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, aimed to increase tourism between the two countries.
A meeting between key civil aviation authorities was held to increase cooperation and encourage the launch of more direct flights between Laos and Cambodia.
Mao Havanall, State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) in Cambodia, and authorities from the Department of Civil Aviation of Laos (DCAL) also signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed to increase flights between Laos and Cambodia and strengthen cooperation in civil aviation space.
To further increase bilateral trade and increased tourism, Cambodia is mulling at least one high-speed train to Laos, which also connects it to other countries in the region.
Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia Chapter chairman Thourn Sinan commented on the issue saying that any transport links between the two countries would be highly beneficial, despite the small scale of Laos’ economy and the limited number of Lao tourists visiting Cambodia, reported the Vientiane Times.
In 2022, Laos saw almost 1.3 million tourists enter the country, while Cambodia saw 2.2 million tourists, with only 4.07 percent (92,609) of all tourists coming from Laos, less than that Thailand and Vietnam. Similarly, the number of Cambodian tourists visiting Laos is not that high either although both countries share a land border.
Thong Khon, Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism has encouraged representatives to urge tour operators in Laos to offer tour packages for Laotians and Chinese tourists to visit Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and coastal provinces of Cambodia, the Khmer Times reported.
