PHNOM PENH, 16 November 2021: Cambodia has phased out quarantine, the last obstacle preventing tourism recovery, allowing fully vaccinated foreign travellers access to the country’s tourist destinations starting Monday, 15 November.
Tourism revenue has dropped to an all-time low of USD1 billion, down from an average of USD5 billion earned from 6 million visitors before the Covid-19 pandemic hit locked down travel for 19 months.
Prime Minister Hun Sen surprised the tourism industry with an unexpected announcement Sunday night that ended quarantine for all fully vaccinated international travellers, starting Monday.
The decision ends earlier reopening plans that would have channelled tourists to remote beach spots in Sihanoukville and the island of Koh Rong, as well as Dara Sakor – a Chinese-developed resort zone. That plan was supposed to get underway on 30 November, but airline links are poor to Sihanoukville, and the highway from Phnom Penh is one of the most dangerous in the region.
Opening Siem Reap – the gateway to the world heritage-listed Angkor Wat complex — is a better bet for success. The heritage town was supposed to reopen sometime in January 2022.
Travellers still have to jump some hurdles, such as returning two negative Covid-19 tests – one 72 hours before the flight departs for Cambodia and again on arrival in Cambodia.
The rapid test conducted at the gateway airport in Cambodia cuts the waiting time to 30 minutes and makes the one-day quarantine requirement redundant.
“When they arrive, and we see they have received two doses of vaccine, we will take swabs for rapid tests. After results show they are free of Covid-19, they are allowed to travel across Cambodia,” Hun Sen said in an audio message posted on his Facebook page.
The country is a leader in vaccinating its population, achieving 88% of the 16 million adults.
Non-vaccinated travellers must still undergo 14 days quarantine. Other rules remain, such as buying Covid-19 insurance with at least USD50,000 cover priced at around USD400 for 30 days. The cost of insurance can exceed the return airfare to Cambodia for regional travellers.
