Siem Reap, Battambang & Preah Vihear

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In order to increase income and many of the tourists who will come to Cambodia. MINISTRY of Tourism officials plan to ask the private tourism service providers in the province of Siem Reap to lower the price and service package tour in a bid to bolster tourism during the low season, which runs through September.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said Monday that the request was in response to the new data shows 14 percent decline in foreign tourists to the province during the first four months in 2009.

Figures from the Apsara Authority, which manages Angkor Wat, to a decrease of 22.38 percent during the same period. National, foreign tourism declined by only 2 percent.

Officials will start talking ideas at a meeting with hotel and guesthouse operators, restaurant owners and service providers of transportation during the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Thong Khon said.

Thong Khon said he believes the price of package tours, especially should be reduced significantly.

"I think we can at least cut the price by 20 percent, and then we will try to advertise with lower prices to attract more tourists," he said.

Khon Thorng called to the print and electronic media companies - including television and radio stations - to offer a discount on ads placed by tourism service providers.

Ho Vandy, together with the Chairman of the Government of Private Working Group on Tourism, said the request to lower the price of 20 percent can be accepted for service providers to receive assistance from the department.

"In line with the discount, we need support from the government, and we want to know how the government can help the private sector," he said.

For example the potential for support, said Ho Vandy, the government should consider lowering the price for electricity tourism service providers, such as "power is required for tourists when they are in Indonesia."

He said, "If the price of electricity remains the same, how can we lower the price this much? Price reduction should start from the government and then carry over to the private sector."

Some tour providers say they will not be averse to the decline in prices.

The decline in prices should start from the government and force.


Lach Lei, an independent French-language tour, he says he will lower the price if all the tour guide agreed to do so.
Panha, owner Are Guesthouse in Siem Reap, said he was lowering the price of 20 percent in May because of the decline in tourists.

Pok Samnang, president of khmer Angkor Tour Guides Association in Siem Reap, said the association does not have time to consider the request but noted that the tour guides' rates are often negotiated with the hotel.

"Sometimes, they agreed to U.S. $ 10 to $ 15 per day, but usually English-language tour guides are paid $ 20 per day," he said.

According to ministry figures April 2009, Cambodia saw 622,288 tourists in the first quarter of the year, a decrease of 3.4 percent. Number of tourists in April increased 2.3 percent compared to April 2008.