Cambodia’s tourism minister Thong Khon has blamed the controversial practice of ‘zero-dollar’ tours for a decline in visitors at the Angkor Archeological Park so far this year.
The famed temple complex in Siem Reap welcomed 1.24 million foreign visitors dueing the first half of 2019, which is down more than 8%.
Ticket sales revenue was down 9.3%.
"The decrease in international arrivals to the Angkor so far this year resulted from the zero-cost tours offered by some tour operators last year," Khon said during a tourism trade event.
Khon believes the ‘rip-off’ tours last year and in previous years have discouraged visitors from returning and sullied its reputation among new prospective visitors.
"Zero-cost tour operators are the destroyers of tourist destinations in Siem Reap province because tourists visiting Cambodia through those tour operators have lost money and been disappointed, and don’t want to visit Cambodia again," he said.
As the name suggests, zero-cost tours are sold very cheaply or even below cost but tourists are shepherded to local outlets to buy overpriced goods, and tour companies get a kickback.
These tours have been outlawed in many destinations due to a flood of complaints over being ripped off and in some cases werecbeing forced to shop under verbal and physical threats.
On a few occasions scuffles have broken out between tourists and tour guides.
The tours are mostly focused on Chinese travellers which is Cambodia’s top source market.
"Tour operators should focus on the quality of tour services because Chinese are rich, and I believe that they want quality tour services, rather than cheap prices," said Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents.
