Cambodia, Sri Lanka to Promote Tourism Cooperation

Cambodia and Sri Lanka on 10 May signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation, paving the way for the two sides to promote direct flights and tourism exchanges.

Speaking before the signing ceremony, Cambodia's Tourism Minister Thong Khon said that under the MoU, both sides will try to promote direct flights or charter flights. Currently there are no direct flights operating between the two countries and air passengers have to take a transit flight in Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore before arriving in Cambodia.

"Both sides have agreed to organize Buddhist tourism events in the future," he said, adding that the two sides have also agreed to further explore the potential for their tourism cooperation.

Khon said Cambodia is ready to welcome tourists from all over the world. The kingdom has reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine since last November and reinstated the visa on arrival scheme for all international travelers since March after most of the country's population have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Cambodia has so far provided at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to almost 15 million people, or 93.7% of its 16 million population, said the health ministry, adding that 14.23 million people, or 89% of the population, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots.

Most of the COVID-19 vaccines used in Southeast Asian countries have been China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines.

Cambodia has reported no new COVID-19 cases since last 7 May and currently there are still 22 active cases recorded in the country, said the health ministry.

Since the pandemic hit Cambodia in January 2020, it has registered a total of 136,262 confirmed cases with 133,184 recoveries and 3,056 deaths, the ministry added.