Sihanoukville: The provincial administration of Preah Sihanouk is studying the possibilities of expansion of underwater tourism in the region, set to attract scuba diving travelers.

The scuba diving activity has been gaining more supporters in the Kingdom as well as around the globe.

Deputy Provincial Governor Long Dimanche has stated that coral reefs are gradually becoming a new tourism attraction in the province.

According to Long Dimanche, such interest has led the provincial administration to do more research on areas where tourists can dive to see the corals and how to keep the tourists safe.

As indicated by the Ministry of Environment, Preah Sihanouk has the largest coral area in the Kingdom of more than 1,100 hectares, while Kampot province has 950 hectares, Koh Kong province 600 hectares, and Kep around 50 hectares.

Preah Sihanouk provincial administration will increase the coast guard and provide weather information, as well as emergency response team.

The Deputy Provincial Governor expects that in 2022, Preah Sihanouk province will be able to receive about 1.3 million tourists. Of those, 250,000 are expected to be foreign visitors.