Phnom Penh – Experts in Cambodia’s tourism sector say five new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed this week between Cambodian and Chinese tourism institutions are expected to boost Chinese visitor numbers in the near future.
The signing ceremony took place on August 26 in Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province. It was witnessed by Minister of Tourism Hout Hak, Ma Zhigang, head of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and Liu Minglin, CEO of Yunnan Investment Group, a key investor in the Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport.
Key Agreements
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the MoUs include:
- An agreement between the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Tourism and the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
- A partnership between the Cambodia Tourism Marketing and Promotion Board and Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co., Ltd.
- A training cooperation pact between the Cambodia Tourism Vocational School and the Yunnan College of Tourism.
- Two agreements signed by the Cambodia Tourism Association with the Yunnan Provincial Tourism Association and Yunnan Qicheng International Travel Services Co., Ltd.
Sector Optimism
Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, who attended the event, said the delegation’s visit to China was “invaluable” in strengthening ties with major investors and tourism operators.
He highlighted that the investment group managing Cambodia’s new international airport in Siem Reap has strong knowledge of the Chinese market and ongoing tourism projects in Yunnan, adding that these synergies could drive new travel flows.
“I believe the current promotional campaign and the MoU signings will bring many positive outcomes for Cambodia’s tourism sector — even if the increase in tourist arrivals may not be immediate. I am optimistic that from now on, there will be more and more Chinese tourists visiting Cambodia,” Sinan said.
He also noted that Cambodian officials held discussions with senior executives of major companies and media agencies in Yunnan, creating opportunities for further marketing and cooperation.
Cambodia–Yunnan Tourism Promotion Conference
Alongside the MoU signings, the Cambodian delegation took part in the Cambodia–Yunnan Tourism Promotion Conference, which provided a platform for private sector dialogue and partnership-building.
Minister Hout Hak described the forum as a “golden opportunity” for businesses to engage directly and potentially launch joint travel packages soon. He added that it also enabled Cambodia to highlight its tourism incentives and government support for investors.
“The Cambodia–Yunnan Tourism Promotion Conference is truly important. It will contribute actively and show the strong commitment of both public and private sectors of Cambodia and Yunnan in promoting the two destinations as attractive, key tourism and investment hubs,” Hak said.
Chinese Tourist Arrivals Rising
Official figures show Cambodia welcomed 3.71 million international visitors in the first seven months of 2025, down 0.8% year-on-year. However, arrivals from China surged by 48.2% to 687,509, accounting for 18.5% of all international visitors.
In 2024, Cambodia received 6.7 million international tourists, a 23% rise from 2023. Of these, nearly 850,000 were Chinese — marking a 55% increase.
With new partnerships, targeted marketing, and stronger transport links, industry experts believe Chinese arrivals could continue to climb, further cementing Cambodia’s recovery as a regional tourism destination.
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