PHNOM PENH, February 25, 2014 – A Chinese Film Company is preparing to shoot a movie in Cambodia, a move which could contribute towards attracting more tourists to visit the Kingdom of Wonder, Cambodian and Chinese officials said at the inaugural ceremony on Tuesday at NagaWorld Hotel & Entertainment Complex.
H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An showed his appreciation to the company’s plan to shoot the movie in various resorts and tourist destinations in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and elsewhere. It begins on February 26 till the end of March this year.
The movie features the life of a famous Chinese actress—whose life goes through many struggles—including her living condition, education, work, and her loves in Cambodian society.
The film will be screened in China and is expected to draw hundreds of millions of Chinese audience.
“This movie also helps Chinese to understand more about Cambodia and consequently, more Chinese people would visit Cambodia in the future,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
H.E. Dr. Sok An said that Cambodia has abundance of cultural heritage and is attracting foreign tourists to the Kingdom. Cambodia has more than 1,000 historic temples nationwide, in addition to the country’s eco-tourism, among others.
“Thus, there are two contributory factors that need to be established to boost tourism is to have more movies featuring Cambodia and more direct flights to the Kingdom of Wonder,” H.E. Dr. Sok An told the floor, attended by Cambodian Ministers of Culture, Tourism, Chinese Ambassador, and senior government officials, among others.
Chinese Ambassador Madam Bu Jianguo told the floor that she shared similar views with H.E. Deputy Prime Minister that such a move also contributes to strengthening the bilateral relationship and enable Chinese to highly value Cambodia which leads to bring more Chinese tourists to visit Cambodia.
The number of tourists from China ranked second in Cambodia. Chinese tourists to Cambodia increased by 40 percent in 2013 to more than 460,000, said Tourism Minister H.E. Dr. Thong Khon.
Cambodia expects to receive 800,000 Chinese tourists in 2015 and that number will increase to more than 2 millions in 2020, he said.
“The film will also attract more Chinese investors to Cambodia.”
Cambodia received 4.2 million in 2013. Tourist arrivals in Cambodia increases between 15 to 18 percent per annum, said the Tourism Minister.
Cambodia’s tourism sector shared 15 percent of Cambodia’s GDP, means that the sector contributes $2.5 billion out of total Cambodia’s GDP of $16 billion.
H.E. Dr. Sok An also recalled his meeting recently with Indian Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, H.E. Ravindra Singh, that he encouraged Indian movie producers to shoot films in Cambodia and screening in India through which more Indians will travel to Cambodia.
H.E. Dr. Sok An said big production movies shoot in Cambodia, including Hollywood based US film maker had produced Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2000, the French tiger film Two Brothers by Pathe Film in 2003, and Angkor Smile by Kiang Ming in 2013.
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