Preparations are well underway for New Year’s events across several provinces, for local and foreign tourists to visit for a big celebratory send-off for 2022 and welcome to 2023.

Kampot provincial Department of Tourism director Soy Sinol told The Post on December 18 that provincial authorities will organise concerts at three major destinations on December 31.

On the occasion, there will also be decorative street lighting, boat races, drone-riding showcases, fireworks and flying lanterns along Kampot River, he said, predicting that there would be more visitors to the province, including its tourist attractions, compared to the same period a year ago, given the marked decline in Covid-19 concerns.

He affirmed that accommodation would likely not be a major issue, revealing that there are about 4,700 rooms in hotels, guesthouses, bungalows and the like, in addition to plenty of suitable spots for camping.

The administration and related provincial officials are working to ensure the success of the celebrations, Sinol stressed.

Officials at his department would also be on-hand to help organise things around public spaces, as well as work with owners of accommodations and other tourism-related establishments to make sure that food-safety, environmentally-responsible and proper Covid-19 procedures are followed, and that services and prices are affordable and reasonable, he said.

Similarly, Siem Reap provincial Department of Tourism director Ngov Sengkak said that many entertainment venues in the province will feature decorative lighting that not only livens up their respective areas but also ensures safety by keeping nefarious actors at bay.

On December 31, concerts will be organised in parts of Siem Reap town, such as the riverside, Angkor Kyung Yu, and Pub Street, he said, also forecasting that the number of visitors would increase on-year, given the current uptrend in domestic and foreign tourists to the province along with recent improvements in the road network and other infrastructure.

Sengkak also affirmed that there would be little if anything in the way of accommodation and pricing issues during the festivities.

“We’re ready to welcome guests for New Year’s – just two weeks left.”

Ratanakkiri provincial Department of Tourism director Nget Pitou commented that continuous infrastructure development has driven up tourist numbers in the northeastern province, which he said now boasts nearly 1,400 official accommodation rooms, in 14 hotels and 35 guesthouses.

The province will also mark the countdown to 2023 with concerts, flying lanterns and fireworks, he assured.

“We expect a lot of holidaymakers to visit Ratanakkiri at year’s end, but in terms of accommodation, I dare not say anything, since guests are able to move between provinces fairly quickly due to the good road infrastructure,” Pitou said.

He shared that Friday afternoon has been set as the main time of the week for public spaces to be tidied up, in an effort to underscore the natural beauty of Ratanakkiri.