Phnom Penh: Members of the 54th ASEAN National Tourism Organisation are currently evaluating the possibility of re-opening regional tourism by the end of the year. Cambodia’s Director General of Tourism Development and International Cooperation, Mr. Thong Rathasak, chaired the virtual discussion on Wednesday afternoon. Cambodia is the incoming chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The meeting focused on the evaluation of preparations for the re-opening of tourism in the ASEAN region, while securing the hygiene and safety of workers and tourists. Cambodia is eyeing the possibility of allowing fully-vaccinated tourists to visit certain parts of the country by the end of the year, given its highly-successful vaccine rollout.

Thailand’s controversial “Phuket Sandbox” project started on 1 July, but has already run into problems. A tourist from Dubai has now tested positive on the island, forcing the 14-day quarantine of 13 other passengers on his flight. The “Phuket Sandbox” is being viewed as a possible model for other ASEAN nations to follow – allowing fully-vaccinated international tourists to holiday in a specific geographic location while undergoing swab tests for Covid-19 during their stay.