Welcome Speech by H.E Dr. THONG Khon, Minister of Tourism, Chairman of the Inter-institutional Commission At Opening Ceremony of Sea Festival
Unofficial Translation
Kep Province, December 07, 2013
Highly Respect
- H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and High Representative of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia!
- H.E KEN Satha, Governor of Kep Provincial Governor Board
- H.E Galip Gur, President of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club
- Excellencies Heads of Delegations from CLMV and GMS Tourism Ministries
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ambassadors, and Representatives of Embassies
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Distinguished National and International Guests, All Citizens!
First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and the Inter - institutional Commission for Sea Festival Arrangement, I would like to express my high respect and warm welcome to the presence of H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and a High Representative of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for presiding over the opening ceremony of the Sea Festival held on December 6-8, 2013 on the territory of Kep province—the Cambodia’s potential coastal tourist attractions.
I would also like to voice my sincere thanks to H.E Galip Gur, President of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, and Lok Chumteav, delegations of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, coming from the member bays around the world, CLMV and GMS Tourism Delegations, H.E Ambassadors, Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Distinguished National and International Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, private sector, and citizens for having happily and extensively attended in this event.
- Highly Respectful H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister!
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen!
The Sea Festival 2013 is being held in conjunction with the 9th World Congress of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, International Conference under the theme of " Blue Sea, Green City ", and the 2ndCLMV Tourism Ministerial Meeting (Cambodia-Lao-Myanmar-Vietnam), 32nd GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting, which the solemn opening ceremony of the World Congress is highly presided over by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, at Thansur Bokor Highland Resort on December 06, 2013 yesterday.
Seizing this opportunity, I would like to make congratulation to the two new bays, which have been approved and officially declared as the Club’s full-fledged members as follows:
1. Sakarun Bay of Croatia
2. Matsushima Bay of Japan
Therefore, the current number of full-fledged members of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club is 36 from 25 countries. And I would also like to congratulate the other two bays, which have been approved and recognized as the new candidates as follows:
1. Toyama Bay of Japan
2. Nekour Al Heceima of Morocco
Along with this, we would like to congratulate the CLMV Tourism Ministerial Meeting on high approval for jointly promoting the promotional campaign “Four Countries, One Destination”, which leads to the achievements of international tourist attracting strategy, targeting 25 million in 2020 (4 million CLMV intra visitors), through further promoting the connectivity and improving the travel and transport. And I would also like to congratulate the GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting on having highly agreed on pushing forward the implementation of GMS tourism development strategy 2011-2015 by focusing on promotion, infrastructure development, poverty reduction through tourism.
- Highly Respectful H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister!
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen!
The arrangement of the Sea festival is an attractive tourist event for the Cambodian coastal areas, which contributes not only to promoting the tourism potential of the Cambodian coastal areas (Kampot , Kep , Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong), but also to mainly supporting the Royal Government of Cambodia's policy on high attention to the sustainable and responsible coastal area development , especially natural resource preservation and conservation based on a clearly common commitment to maintain a balance between environmental, economic, social and cultural interests. A part from, the Sea Festival is a great opportunity to promote the competitive movement " Clean City, Clean Resort, Good Service " and "Clean Beach Contest", particularly to enhance tourist service quality, infrastructure development, human resource development, and awareness raising to people about the advantage of Cambodia Bay.
Concerning the Sea Festival, the Inter-institutional Commission has arranged for a number of major activities as follows:
1) A parade show (In which what's proud for Cambodia is a show of green transport such as Heng Development Co., Ltd’s electric vehicles, electric bicycles, electric remorks, and garbage catching robots (researched and made by students and professor of the Institute of Technology of Cambodia and Norton University, and financially sponsored by Cambodia Beer Brewery)
2) Sport activities on the sea and the beach such as volleyball on the beach, marathon, cycling, swimming (Triathlon), motor and boat racing, Bokator martial art show, Khmer traditional boxing, especially aero show in this year.
3) Food, wine and beverage festival, and exhibition of photo contests, achievements and development projects in the coastal areas.
4) Concerts, Art Performances, and firework for congratulation.
5) Ceremony on Planting Emerald Trees of Friendship “One Tourist, One Tree”
Moreover, it should be noted and proud for the Sea Festival this year being held with the participation of the public and private sector, and local people. Particularly the Sea Festival is held in parallel with the Trade Fair of the Ministry of Commerce.
Seizing this opportunity, on behalf of the Institutional Chairman, we would like to express our appreciation to His Excellency Kep Provincial Governor and Governor Board, and all citizens for their efforts to make cooperation with the relevant ministries-authorities, Unions of Youth Federation of Cambodia, private sector to prepare and develop necessary physical infrastructure in Kep province better and mobilizing to contribute actively and comprehensively to preserving, protecting environment, sanitation, garbage and public order along the public areas, cities, and coastal areas in Kep province, which turns Kep province to be reshaped and qualified as an attractively and beautifully recreational tourist destination.
I would like to thank His Excellency Kampot Provincial Governor and Governor Board and all citizens for making efforts to develop infrastructure, keep cleanness, good environment in order to contribute to arranging and congratulating the meetings in this province. And these activities are really contributing to supporting the Sea Festival arrangement in Kep province.
I would also like to take advantage of this opportunity to deeply thank the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for constructing a road from Kampot Province to Kep Province better, and the Development Bank (ADB) for helping in setting the tourism development project in the coastal areas, especially in Kep and Kampot provinces, which will cause the Cambodian coastal areas to be more attractive in terms of both infrastructure and environment.
- Highly Respectful H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister!
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Indeed, we cannot cut off cohesive relation between the coastal areas and the cities if we want highly responsible development. The clean and green beach rich in biodiversity and the cities having good tourist service, security, and social order, sanitation, and environment will certainly contribute to the development of cities along the coastline. The urban development in a highly responsible manner will not impact on the coastal areas. Therefore, to ensure that development does not cause negative impact on the coastal areas, it is necessary to develop the city to become a green city in line with the principle and standard of clean city. Eco City/Green City is able not only to reduce the impact on the coastal areas, but also to help in attracting more and more tourists visiting the coastal areas because the Eco city is the entrance of the coast. Against, if the development is not in line with the principle and standard of clean city, the coastal areas could be affected and may have impact on tourist attractions.
The diversity of natural and cultural resources in the coastal areas and islands is a competitive advantage in the development of tourism in Cambodia. The potential have made the Cambodian coastal areas welcoming the growth of national and international tourist arrivals. Obviously, in 2012, the number of international tourists visiting the coastal areas presents 280,658 increased by 45.3 % and 1,827,927domestic tourists, increased by 8% compared to 2011. For 10 months of 2013, the number of international tourists who visited the coastal areas presents 418,839, increased by 84.1 % compared to the same period of 2012. According to the forecast in 2015, the coastal areas will receive about 1 millioninternational tourists, and 2 million in 2020. The tourism development actually made a great contribution towards the socio-economic development, especially contributing to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, as well as the Rectangular Strategy Stage III of the Royal Government of Cambodia in the 5th mandate to increase "employment, efficiency and equity".
On an auspicious occasion of the Sea Festival, We would like to express our thanks and congratulation to the International Conference on “Blue Sea, Green City” for having adopted the Bokor Declaration on Sustainable Development of Coastal City this morning, and this declaration will be key input for a reference in setting up plans for the highly sustainable and responsible management and development. Along with this, on behalf of the delegations of the Bay Club’s full-fledged members, I would like to thankthe Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism for signing with the Club within the framework of the United Nations Environmental Program-UNEP.
- Highly Respectful H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister!
- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen!
All Cambodian citizens as well as the people in the coastal areas would like to express their deepest thanks to Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for considering the Cambodian coastal areas as the nation’s important economic pole and for always reminding to pay attention to a sustainable and responsible development by ensuring the preservation and conservation of biodiversity and environment in the coastal areas to become an attractive tourist destination for all of us today and for our children in the future. All Cambodian people as well as the people living in the coastal areas would like to wish Samdech Techo Prime with good healthy, strength, and wisdom wise in order to lead the country towards prosperity and happiness for people.
Before ending, on behalf of the Inter-institutional Commission for Sea Festival Arrangement, I would like to deeply thank the private sectors supporting and sponsoring this event, including Cambodia Beer, Angkor Beer, Canadia Bank, Sokha Hotel, Attwood, Tourism Malaysia, Cambodia Airport, Cambodia Bike Club, Reddot, Cambo, Outdoor, Hang Meas, Almond Hotel, and restaurants, as well as other sponsors (Apology for not being able to describe all), sporters, artists, for actively participating in the Sea Festival arrangement, and contributing to make Kep province reshaped and deserved a recreational tourist destination in the Southwest.
On behalf of the Inter-institutional Commission for Sea Festival Arrangement, we would like to apologize for the lack that could rise up in this event.
Finally, May I wish H.E Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and a High Representative of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Lok Chumteav, Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen all four gems of Buddhist Blessings: Longevity, Nobility, Health, and Strength.
Thank You!