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Would the free entry of expats involved in tourism encourage more visitors, or would it take work from native Cambodian guides ? That is one of the questions concerning the request to drop fees for tourist industry expats in Siem Reap.

Call to lift expat fees to Angkor site
A tourism industry work group has called for the government to drop entry fees to Angkor Wat Archaeological Park for several hundred expats living in Siem Reap and who work in the tourism sector.

Luu Meng, co-chair of the Government-Private Sector Working Group on Tourism, said yesterday the group plans to submit a request to Cambodia’s tourism minister to allow the estimated 500 local tourism-industry expats living in Siem Reap free entry to the World Heritage Site.

He said these individuals, who have already visited Angkor Wat, would be more likely to escort visiting foreign tourists to the archaeological park if they did not have to pay entrance fees.

Meng said removing the financial disincentive for these expat to visit Angkor Wat would result in a greater net gain in ticket sales from paying foreign tourists, who are more likely to spend more time in Siem Reap as a result.

“We will not lose revenue, but instead we will get more revenue by having more foreign tourists stay longer in the province,” he said.

Meng said expats make ideal ambassadors to their visiting compatriots.

“People tend to trust people of the same nationality when they go abroad,” he said. “Expats who work in tourism industry here will be a good channel to approach foreign tourists to stay longer.”

Meng said the working group’s team members have already discussed the proposal unofficially with Tourism Ministry officials. They have suggested that expats be provided to show their work permits at the park gates in order to obtain free entry...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/c ... ngkor-site

wow!
some modern thinking!
must be the new generation coming om.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote:Meng said expats make ideal ambassadors to their visiting compatriots.

“People tend to trust people of the same nationality when they go abroad,” he said. “Expats who work in tourism industry here will be a good channel to approach foreign tourists to stay longer.”

Huh! That's the second ounce of sense today.




[Note that when they say 'expats', it's more likely referring to East Asian expats. imho]

frank lee bent wrote:wow!
some modern thinking!
must be the new generation coming om.

Expats, and CHA (Cambodian Hotel Association), of which Luu Meng is the chairman, have been asking for this for years. As a matter of fact, this should apply to all expats. It cannot be that people that live here, pay taxes, employ locals, are excluded from large parts of the surrounding area.

just setup some kind of freelance tour guide thingy but must pay annual membership fee to prevent abuses,

The argument that allowing Western tourist industry folks free entry to Angkor Wat will increase overall visits isn't persuasive to me. Just about all tourists who visit Siem Reap go to Angkor Wat. They will do that regardless of whether a Western/foreign guide accompanies them.

Username Taken wrote:
[Note that when they say 'expats', it's more likely referring to East Asian expats. imho]

You might be on to something there.