A customised visa scheme that can cater to a diverse market and objectives, where visa fee is relaxed for those living in ASEAN during high season or tiered promotions during low seasons could increase visitors to Cambodia and raise national income.

AirAsia Cambodia, which plans to take off with domestic routes soon, and a gradual expansion to international routes later, has made some robust recommendations and financial simulations to spruce up Cambodia's travel and tourism sector.

Using Europe's Schengen model, it suggested a relaxation in the $30 visa fees for specific nationalities who reside in ASEAN during high season, the budget airlines said in a report on Cambodia’s tourism situation.

Assuming the visa fee for expatriates, individuals with work permits or residence visas within ASEAN travelling to Cambodia from a neighbouring country, is waived, this could bring up tourist numbers by 10 percent. In fact, a zero visa fee might “encourage visitors to spend an additional $15 per day”, which AirAsia said is a “more favourable trade-off for the total national income”.

When contacted, Cambodia Association of Travel Agents president Chhay Sivlin agreed with AirAsia Cambodia’s findings. “By far, Cambodia is yet to be considered a one destination by foreign tourists due to lack of marketing and promotion, lack of infrastructures to highly potential tourist destinations, limited unique creative tourism products, shortage of direct flights from long-haul destinations, and participation from stakeholders,” she told Kiripost.