hings are certainly getting to be very exciting indeed for the kingdom. After a successful Asean Cultural Week in Siemreap when artists from ten nations got together to perform at the Angkor Wat, we will again be staging another biggy in International super star José Carreras in December. Not forgetting also to mention the GMS Summit on 3rd Nov and the all important 8th Asean Summit meeting on 4th & 5th November 2002 Cambodia will surely be the focus of the world. After the Summit Meetings, we will then be gearing up for the Asean Tourism Forum from 20th to 28th January 2003 & Visit Cambodia Year 2003. The ATF is the most important regional event for the tourism industry; Cambodia will be the first country in IndoChina to host the event. With the huge growth in tourism in the kingdom it is the ideal host country. This is the 22nd annual ATF and there will be over 300 booths and more than 1,500 delegates are expected to attend. Delegates will include top government officials, industry policy makers, private business and the media.

Hosting such international events does not come cheap. The estimated cost for Cambodia hosting the forum will be about $2.6 million: a cost that they hope to reimburse from those exhibiting, according to H.E. Thong Khon, the Secretary of State for Tourism. In anticipation of the influx of tourism several areas are being upgraded. Most notably the airport that has been receiving a much-needed renovation. This will be finished in time to welcome delegates for the ATF and tourists alike. The project should be completed by the end of this year.