Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism and local tour operators are organizing heavily discounted luxury tour packages to once-popular tourist destinations such as the Angkor Archeological Park in northwest Siem Reap province, local media reported on Tuesday.
Chhun Makara, director of the department of travel agency, transport and tourism guide at the Ministry of Tourism, said the packages will create value and new experiences for domestic tourists while also ensuring their health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the upcoming holiday in late August, the Khmer Times reported.
Packages will include five-star service and travelers will be staying in five-star hotels at the "best ever prices" particularly in the great cultural and historical tourist destinations such as Siem Reap province, he said.
Makara added the tours will be around two to three days and aimed at Cambodia's low-income and middle-income earners.
The Ministry of Tourism has also called on businesses to set fair pricing and safety measures because of COVID-19, he said.
Ho Vandy, managing director of World Express Tour and Travel, appreciated what the Ministry of Tourism was doing to release these packages and boost domestic tourism because both the government and the private sector have discussed hygiene and safety for tourists.
"We need to save the tourism sector in Siem Reap province. With these package tours, the direct advantages are transportation companies, food venues and accommodation," Vandy was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
"The packages will focus on four- and five-star hotels because they currently have big discounts for a five-day stay. The tour package can range from 80 to 165 U.S. dollars for two days and three days for Siem Reap," he said.
According to Vandy, besides Siem Reap, domestic tourists are also looking at the kingdom's northern provinces and coastal areas as popular attractions for locals.
"However, since Siem Reap has no customers, we call on the people to turn their way back to Siem Reap to give the breath to the service providers in Siem Reap to survive," he said.
Siem Reap is the home to famed Angkor Archeological Park, which is the kingdom's most popular tourist destination.
The park attracted a total of 389,630 foreign visitors during the first seven months of 2020, down 72 percent over the same period of last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official report.