SIHANOUKVILLE: The Ministry of Tourism held a training course on improving the quality of tourism services and street food vendors during the 2023 SEA Games and the concurrent "Visit Cambodia in 2023" campaign.

The training was led by Director of Tourism Accommodation, and Food & Beverage Management and Deputy Secretary General of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Kim Sereiroath on May 2, 2023. State and provincial administrations and Departments of Tourism, along with tour operators, street vendors and other relevant parties were encouraged to promote their businesses with reverence to the culture, traditions and customs of the Khmer people. They also received training in maintaining food quality through hygiene practices.

Sereiroath added that services should be listed in three languages, including Khmer, English and any third language specified in ordinance No. 052 dated March 23, 2017 from the Ministry of Tourism. He reiterated that tourism businesses cannot increase service fees without a clear reason.

He informed businesses of the regulations required by the Ministry of Tourism signed on April 12, 2023 meant to enhance the quality of tourism and hospitality. The document, posted on their Facebook page on May 1, lists a number of requirements including: maintaining beauty and cleanliness, implementing outlined safety measures such as respecting maximum capacity requirements, adhering to transportation schedules, hygienic waste management, respecting Cambodian public toilet standards, and clearly displaying services and prices.

The ministry’s goal in implementing such measures is to provide satisfactory and welcoming experiences to national and international tourists. They ultimately want to improve tourism quality by ensuring hygiene and maintaining public order and security for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia.