Cambodian tourism players have welcomed plans for a boat link between Thailand’s Trat and Cambodia’s Kep and Kampot as well as Vietnam’s Phu Quoc, claiming it will boost regional tourism and help lure more visitors to the Kingdom’s coastal areas.
Sinan Thourn, chairman of PATA Cambodia, said the PATA Cambodia chapter has been collaborating with counterparts in Thailand and Vietnam through the Cambodia-Vietnam-Thailand Economic Corridor (CVTEC) platform for many years to promote waterway travel.
“We’re optimistic about the project’s official launch soon,” he said, adding that during the inaugural Cambodia Travel Match held in Kampot in December 2024, PATA initiated a new route from Thailand, bringing Thai and Indian DMCs through the Koh Kong port to the new Kampot International Tourism Port, which held its soft opening in the same month.
“This initiative will provide a firsthand experience of the waterway and showcase the Cambodia tourism map,” he said, noting that efforts are also underway to streamline visa processes to facilitate travel across the three regions.
Steve Lidgey, general manager of Travel Asia a la Carte, welcomed the cooperation, calling for a “simple and seamless” process for crossing the borders.
He added that the route may also appeal to repeat travellers who have already visited Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and are seeking new experiences.
“With a new route, it might be possible to avoid Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, for example,” said Lidgey, adding that domestic travellers in the three countries can explore places closer to home.
Sivlin Chhay, president of Cambodia Travel Association (CATA), said the proposed boat link has the potential to enhance regional tourism by creating a “vibrant regional tourism circuit” while improving accessibility between the three destinations”.
“The opening of the new Kampot port will significantly enhance accessibility to the Kep/Kampot region, attracting more domestic and international tourists, and generate economic growth for local communities by creating jobs in the tourism sector,” said Chhay.
“However, careful planning and consideration of environmental and social impacts are crucial for the successful implementation of this project,” she added.
