SIHANOUKVILLE: The three-day Sea Festival in Sihanoukville from 9-11 December 2022, attracted a total of more than 710,000 tourists, an increase of 29 percent compared to the Sea Festival in 2017. This is according to the Sihanoukville Provincial Administration's report.

According to a report by the Ministry of Tourism, the number of tourists visiting the Sea Festival this year is less than the number visiting the Sea Festival held in Kampot province in 2019, which reached 900,000 tourists.

This year's Sea Festival is held under the theme "Beach of Peace, Beach of Hope" with an exhibition of 300 Cambodian and foreign products, food and drinks festival at the TECHOSEN HALL, as well as events including running, cycling, Khmer boxing, sailing performances, and other fun activities.

During the three days of the Sea Festival, visitors were welcomed with traditional dances and traditional music, performed by national and international artists in a big concert along the coast.

The Sea Festival was first held in 2011 in Sihanoukville after Cambodia became a member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World at the club's General Assembly on 22 January 2011, in Cargèse, France.

The Sea Festival aims to promote the tourism potential of Cambodia's coastal areas and encourage citizens and relevant authorities to work together to preserve the natural and cultural resources of Cambodia's coastal areas.

This sea festival is held only in coastal provinces such as Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, Kampot, and Kep, and these provinces will host the festival alternately each year. The Sea Festival has been canceled for two years, 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.