April 22, 2025
PHNOM PENH – Hopes are high that the new Kampot International Tourism Port will be a driving force in attracting domestic and international visitors to the province in greater numbers. It is also expected to promote more recreational travel to several islands.
Prime Minister Hun Manet officially inaugurated the new facility on the morning of April 21. The port covers 4.25 hectares of land in Chum Kriel village, in Teuk Chou district’s Chum Kriel commune.
As he addressed the inauguration ceremony, Manet described the port as a new achievement which offers connections to tourist destinations, both domestically and internationally.
He added that this project is part of broader infrastructure development efforts aimed at boosting sustainable tourism growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He noted that recent trial operations were successful, despite not yet reaching full connectivity with neighbouring or regional countries.
The port is expected to play a key role in increasing travel to coastal areas and promoting island tourism, including popular destinations like Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sanloem and Koh Sdach.
The prime minister urged careful planning and the implementation of investment and expansion plans to ensure long-term operations and maintenance requirements are met.
He also emphasised the need to expand the port to accommodate larger passenger ships and increase the number of inbound and outbound tourists.
Thourn Sinan, president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, told The Post on April 21 that the new port would significantly contribute to unlocking the potential of coastal tourism in Kampot. He also noted the growing popularity of water-based travel and island tourism in Cambodia.
“This tourism port will enhance waterway connectivity between Cambodia’s four coastal provinces, making it easier and faster than before. Moreover, it will encourage more cruise passengers from neighbouring countries to visit Cambodia,” he added.
Say Sinol, director of the Kampot provincial Department of Tourism, explained that the new facility – Kampot’s first – will greatly facilitate waterway connections. He emphasised that this creates opportunities and untapped potential for waterway tourism that had not existed in the province before.
He also mentioned that during the trial operation phase (from February 15 to April 15 this year), the port served nearly 7,000 tourists.
“This demonstrates the significant potential of the tourism port. This new infrastructure will bring great benefits to the tourism sector in Kampot, which the provincial leadership is highly focused on,” he said.
According to Sinol, in the first three months of 2025, Kampot received a total of nearly 600,000 tourists, including more than 50,000 international visitors. During the recent Khmer New Year celebrations, Kampot saw a total of over 1.3 million domestic and international tourists.
According to Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea, Cambodia currently has 119 operational sea and river ports. They include the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and about 30 other coastal facilities, as well as the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port and 87 additional river ports.