He noted that not all tourist organisations wanted to see foreigners granted complimentary access and some had proposed discounting the current US$30 fee for tourist visas. The chairperson said others wanted to see the 10 countries in the ASEAN bloc adopt a single visa.
Nationals of other ASEAN countries are provided with visa exempt entry to Cambodia. Tourist researchers say the only problem with this is that only three of these are in the top 10 of countries with the most visitors to Cambodia.
Tourism industry professionals say Cambodia may lose visitor traffic to Vietnam and Cambodia as these two countries have just amended regulations to give visa exempt entry to citizens of certain nationalities. On 1 July, Vietnam added five European countries, including the UK, to its list of those who no longer need visas to enter.
A few weeks beforehand, Indonesia endorsed visa free travel for citizens of 45 countries. Both Vietnam and Indonesia said the move was designed to bolster tourist numbers.
Tourist agencies in Cambodia propose visa free entry
News in Asia
Tourism associated organisations and companies in Cambodia say giving visa free entry will encourage more foreigners to visit. Ho Vandy, the head of the private-sector tourist bureau, says that the only way the national tourism industry will progress is if visas are free and there is no red-tape for international travellers when they arrive.