Kep tourism master plan

The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism is developing its Kep tourism master plan with the intention of submitting it to Ministry of Council by August. They are hopeful the plan can be implemented from 2021 to 2035. The Ministry of Tourism aims to transform Kep province "to be a world standard tourism hub" reported the Khmer Times. The undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Tourism, Ny Phally, said the Kep masterplan wants to make the province become the “most attractive tourism destination in the region and around the world”. The Ministry believes Kep is ideal a relaxation destination and for high-end eco-tourism. Phally added that the study started in December 2019 and the ministry is now getting input and support "at the local level to prepare the plan properly and responsibly."

Kep Islands

Ken Satha, the governor of Kep province, said "the region has 13 islands which have not been developed" and that foreign investors are looking into the province’s potential. Angkoul Beach is one area the government is developing on its own after a Japanese group had initially looked at doing so. Satha said of the island's potential, “Most of the islands in Kep are still only developed by local communities and not by investors because the government does not allow any manufacturing investment in the province yet, so we have much more potential and room to grow in the tourism sector." In 2019, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism was compiling rules and regulations on the management of eco-tourism and coastal areas. An estimated 6.7 million tourists visited the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2019.