bolueeleh wrote:tie up with "resorts" on the island, tickets are "inclusive" in room price, tout the boat ferries as "free service" provided by the resorts, see those idiots try to cover loop one after another, these idiots are killing tourism not helping it, market forces should drive prices not government policies, when will these idiots ever learn?

wait.... maybe the only operator left next time will the one run by the navy chief's son

Latest in the market as well as most connected.
Despite his manager making regretful comments about this new set of rules, I can't help but wonder if he didn't draft them himself.

Barang_doa_slae wrote:

bolueeleh wrote:tie up with "resorts" on the island, tickets are "inclusive" in room price, tout the boat ferries as "free service" provided by the resorts, see those idiots try to cover loop one after another, these idiots are killing tourism not helping it, market forces should drive prices not government policies, when will these idiots ever learn?

wait.... maybe the only operator left next time will the one run by the navy chief's son

Latest in the market as well as most connected.
Despite his manager making regretful comments about this new set of rules, I can't help but wonder if he didn't draft them himself.

It thought this as well initially but it's hard to draw conclusions unless you're in the business. And even then!
His comments regarding having to drop their price to attract more costumers was false. Fact is they began their service while still in the low season (late sept) and immediately offered the r/t for 12$ and afterwards SFC dropped their prices to 10$. Add in Buva and ISF and it becomes a tight market. GTVC originally started with private charter trips and also has the deepest pockets so could wait this out the longest, but their capacity for scheduled trips is too low compared to the others if they're trying to take over the market. There's a lot of Generals and governor and partner Turks involved, most of them have lots of land on the Islands, but at these prices they're all losing cash and if it continues the ones with the least will fold soon enough, and that wouldn't be Vichet.

Tea Vichet was the first to respond on cambodia daily's fb article: "hopeless". My impression is that he would rather keep the prices low to force some of the other who are currently in worse financial positions to fold. There's bragging rights at play here too!

Officially tickets to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem are now all minimum $10 each way, but shop around. This is from facebook two days ago...

Cheapest Speed Ferry to KR Samloem right now? Thanks

CEOCambodiaNews wrote:Officially tickets to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem are now all minimum $10 each way, but shop around. This is from facebook two days ago...

Cheapest Speed Ferry to KR Samloem right now? Thanks

They are all $5 one way, apart from the naval officer's son's boat, which is $6. I did get charged $8 a couple of weeks ago, coming back on the TBC/Cambodia Island ferry boat, for some reason. Presumably the cops had come round and they asked for the $3.

Barang_doa_slae wrote:

bolueeleh wrote:tie up with "resorts" on the island, tickets are "inclusive" in room price, tout the boat ferries as "free service" provided by the resorts, see those idiots try to cover loop one after another, these idiots are killing tourism not helping it, market forces should drive prices not government policies, when will these idiots ever learn?

wait.... maybe the only operator left next time will the one run by the navy chief's son

Latest in the market as well as most connected.
Despite his manager making regretful comments about this new set of rules, I can't help but wonder if he didn't draft them himself.

Most have raised their prices this week but GTVC is still at 12$ r/t. Deep pockets...

Finally the authorities and operators have settled on a $2 tax on ferry tickets, starting tomorrow.
Tourist boats add tax on to tickets
9 August 2017
Preah Sihanouk provincial authorities have ordered all tourist boat operators ferrying passengers to islands to add an additional $2 to each ticket for state coffers to help develop the coastlands and protect the environment.

The new tax on ferry boat tickets will be implemented Thursday, following a meeting on Monday between provincial governor Yon Min and 39 boat company owners.

The provincial authorities last year attempted to levy a $3 tax on each ticket, but the plan was met with strong objection from tour boat operators and was later dropped. This time around, both sides agreed to the $2 levy.

“The $2 charge per ticket for tourist boats will go to the state to maintain public order, good hygiene, environment, security, and safety for tourists who travel to islands,” Governor Min said on his Facebook page.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5077283/tou ... x-tickets/

someone wrote on FB yesterday even at this time of year over all the companies 1000 people are going to the islands daily he also wrote even the sunboat passengers that dont visit islands have to pay the charge...

Local people in particular are not happy with this new "service charge".

Backlash over island ferry fee in Sihanoukville
22 August 2017
Private sector tourism operators claimed yesterday that a new government mandate that charges travellers an additional $2 fee to use ferry services to reach the islands off the coast near Sihanoukville has sparked a furious backlash from domestic tourists.

The Sihanoukville Provincial Tourism Department began enforcing the $2 fee on all passengers destined primarily for the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem, as well as private destinations, on August 10, according to department head Taing Socheat Kroesna. He said the revenue generated by the new fee would be used to help Sihanoukville and the islands clean up the environment and improve public facilities.

However, Suy Sreymom, CEO of Island Speed Ferry Cambodia, which operates a ferry service to the coastal islands, said local tourists had voiced bitterness over the new fee.

She said Cambodians find the new fee objectionable as they regard the islands to be public land that should be freely accessible to all citizens. Many have drawn comparisons to the famed temples of Angkor Wat, which carry a steep entry cost for foreigners while Cambodian citizens can visit for free...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/b ... anoukville

PHNOM PENH, 24 August 2017: Sihanoukville authorities confirmed, this week, they will introduce a new tax on tourists claiming it will help to protect the environment.

Resort development is speeding up at numerous islands near the coastal port town, a trend that worries conservation agencies. Tourists rarely complain about taxes that are designated for environmental projects, or defray the cost of beach clean-ups, but there should be transparency.
There is very little clarity on how these kind of taxes actually protect the environment, or what percentage of the tax goes directly to efforts to restore, or conserve nature.

The Cambodian government issued a short statement, saying the tax would be used to maintain the environment at tourism destinations off the Sihanoukville coast.

The fee will be collected from tourists who have booked overnight accommodation on one of the islands and those who have booked full-day excursions. Tourists on short sightseeing trips would be excluded.

The tax is due to come into effect 1 October.
http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2017/08/c ... arine-tax/