PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen will attend the opening of the 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum on Tuesday evening (18 January), which will be an important event in the official re-opening of tourism destinations in the ASEAN region after the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted the tourism industry for over two years. This international event will also help to promote Cambodia as a safe tourist destination in the ASEAN region.

ASEAN Tourism Ministers and senior officials from all 10 ASEAN member countries will be attending the ASEAN Tourism Forum and other related meetings, with a confirmed attendance of 123 participants. Part of the forum is the TRAVEX trade fair, which will feature a total of 187 vendors, 40 buyer-companies and 20 media institutions, and a total of 322 guests from 27 countries.

Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration has announced that traffic will be temporarily closed off on Techo Street from the intersection of Preah Skong Trong Kngok, (near the tail of the dragon, Sokha Beach) to the end of Street 502 (Tourist Boat Port 502) between 16-22 January 2022 for the 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum.

In addition to the meeting of national tourism institutions, the ASEAN Tourism Ministerial Meeting, the ASEAN Plus Three Meeting (Japan, South Korea and China), the ASEAN Plus One Meeting (ASEAN-India), the ASEAN-Russia Meeting, meetings with relevant partner organizations, and meetings with the private sector and the International Tourism Fair, there will also be tree planting, golf programs, and island visits for the ASEAN tourism ministers. The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration has said that this program will be a big step forward in showing the readiness of Cambodia and ASEAN to reopen international tourism.

The 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2022) will be held in Sihanoukville, Cambodia from 16-22 January 2022. The official opening ceremony of the tourism forum will be presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 18 January 2022.