Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUN 2022年6月 亞博匯 38 COVER STORY CAMBODIA Cambodia welcomed a record 6.61 million international tourists in 2019, bringing in US$5.3 billion in spending comprising almost 20% of the US$27.1 billion Gross National Product, but arrivals fell to 1.31 million in 2020 and to just 196,495 in 2021, with spend of US$184 million. No wonder reopening has been seen as a national priority. InMarch, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the immediate removal of almost all remaining COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated international visitors including a previous requirement to obtain a negative virus test within 72 hours of departure and another upon arrival. Cambodia also resumed the issuance of visas on arrival for people entering by land, air and sea. “Now is the time to open up the economy by learning to live with COVID,” he said. That’s good news for Cambodia’s only true integrated resort, NagaWorld in Phnom Penh, which saw average daily net gaming revenue across all segments grow 34% sequentially in 1Q22 to US$1.08 million, up from US$808,000 in 4Q21. It does appear that the road back for the nation’s many border casinos in towns such as Poipet and Bavet may be longer, with most yet to receive government approval to reopen. In May, the deputy director-general at the Finance Ministry’s Financial Industry Department, Ros Phearun, said, “I have noticed that some owners wish to resume their business operations, but it is