Cambodia has an image problem that makes it difficult to attract tourists, tourism minister Veng Sereyvuth told a travel congress in Tokyo on Thursday.
While tourism is crucial to developing the Cambodian economy, many tourists are hesitant to visit the country. "That's why I'm here," Sereyvuth told the 13th JATA International Congress and Travel Mart, Japan's largest travel industry event.
Many Japanese people still believe that Cambodia, which suffered a long civil war, is covered in land mines, he pointed out. However, the country is now safe, he emphasized during an interview with The Japan Times the same day, because land mines are found only in areas close to national borders -- not in tourist spots.