Siem Reap Angkor is officially declared as “ASEAN Cultural City”

The Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Dr. Pheung Sakona, chaired the 9th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Culture and Arts and related meetings under the theme “The Impact of Kovid-19 and the way forward for Culture and the Arts.” Through the video system on behalf of Cambodia as the rotating chair of the 9th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Culture and Fine Arts from 2020 to 2022. At the same time, the meeting also decided to declare Siem Reap as “ASEAN Cultural City”.

It is true that Siem Reap was chosen as the “ASEAN Cultural City” for 2021-2022 because Siem Reap is the former capital of the Khmer Empire, rich in both tangible and intangible cultural heritage and a world-famous natural cultural tourism destination. Of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The President of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents, Ms. Chhay Sivlin, said on the evening of October 22, 2020 that it is an honor for Cambodia and should be given this position because the Siem Reap-Angkor area is unique and beautiful. A unique tourist destination that represents Cambodia.

“Siem Reap Angkor has many wonderful places, including rich cultural and natural areas,” she said. “But more importantly, I think that in addition to gaining this position, which can have the opportunity to promote Cambodia widely, we should also create and process more new tourism products.”

“If tourists come to Siem Reap to see only the Angkor area and then go back or go on a boat trip to see the freshwater fish in the Tonle Sap, then return, Cambodia can not increase tourism revenue,” she said.
“It means that we should innovate and create more entertainment venues and service points, as well as other tourism markets that we can afford, that is the benefit of Cambodia.”

Since 2008, at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Culture and the Arts, it has been agreed that each country, in turn, chairs its meeting to select a city to be nominated as an ASEAN Cultural City. The designation of the ASEAN Cultural Cities is made to reflect the ASEAN identity and cultural diversity of each ASEAN member country, with the selection valid for two years.