Thousands To Flood Sihanoukville For 2016 Sea Festival

Cambodia’s southern coastal resort town of Sihanoukville is preparing to host the fifth annual Sea Festival from December 23-25, with authorities expecting around 200,000 visitors on each of the three days of sea sports programs and concerts. 

“Everyone, from the provincial government to the private sector, is working hard to make this year’s Sea Festival a success. This is a perfect opportunity to attract both local and foreign tourists to Preah Sihanouk province during the holiday period,” said Yun Min, provincial governor of Preah Sihanouk and member of the Sea Festival’s executive committee. 

However, the governor noted concern over the high number of tourists coming in over the Christmas weekend, with hotel capacity expected to be stretched to its limit. He also said the provincial government had requested the presence of at least 2,000 security personnel to help in crowd control and ensure the safety of tourists and dignitaries. The festival, which started in 2011, rotates among the Kingdom’s four coastal provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep. Last year’s event held in Kampot attracted over 300,000 visitors and generated more than $15 million in revenue for the local community, according to Tourism Minister Thong Khon. 

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