The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism (MoT) confirmed it would waive licence renewal fees for 2021 to assist the struggling tourist industry, however, new business licence applications will still need to be applied for.
Local media reports that the Ministry of Tourism has notified industry associations and individual businesses that it is waiving fees to renew all types of tourist licences that are valid for next year, from January 1, 2021, until December 31, 2021.
Businesses are still obliged to apply to renew tourism licences from the ministry or other administrations according to the size of the business said Minister of Tourism Thong Khon.
The amount of money collected from tourism licence renewal fees are estimated to be worth $1 million.
The ministry has already put in place tax exemptions, however, these are not nationwide. Currently, the following regions have the business tax exemption in place in Cambodia:
- Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap
- Sihanoukville
- Kep
- Kampot
- Bavet
- Poipet
Cambodia Tourism license fees
The Cambodian Tourism Federation (CTF) said each business could pay between 250,000 riel and three million riel ($61 and $728) for the license usually, reports the Phnom Penh Post.
Clais Chenda, president of Cambodia Hotel Association (CHA), said that the government should offer tax exemption more broadly reported the Khmer Times. She argues that the whole country’s tourism industry should be exempt, not only selected provinces.
In addition, Chenda “insists more help from the government, with interest-free loans, or at least low-interest-rate loans without collateral, will be required for hotels to survive, while there should also be an electricity tariff cut for the industry during and after COVID-19.”
Cambodian tourism 2020
In early June, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism also announced new safety guidelines and codes of conduct for tourism businesses. Tourism businesses in Cambodia will now be required to be trained in Covid-19 response techniques said the Ministry.
From January to April 2020, Cambodia had around 1.16 million international tourist arrivals, which represents a 52% decrease according to figures from the Ministry of Tourism. An estimated 6.7 million tourists visited the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2019.
