Cambodia today stands at a quiet but consequential crossroads. The country finds itself navigating a complex mix of external pressures and internal contradictions, at a time when its tourism sector—one of its most vital economic lifelines—has once again become vulnerable.
Recent border tensions, sparked not by Cambodian provocation but by political turbulence beyond its control, have placed the country in an uncomfortable spotlight. Yet the deeper challenge lies not in geopolitics. It lies in how Cambodia chooses to respond—how it governs, communicates, and positions its tourism economy in a world that has fundamentally changed.
For years, Cambodia’s tourism potential has been constrained not by a lack of natural beauty, cultural depth, or human talent, but by structural misalignment. The country possesses everything a world-class destination needs—heritage, authenticity, affordability, and warmth—yet continues to underperform relative to its potential. The reasons are no longer difficult to identify; what has been lacking is the courage to address them honestly.
At the heart of the issue is governance. Tourism, by its very nature, is not a centrally managed industry. It thrives on agility, creativity, market responsiveness, and trust between the public and private sectors. When the Cambodia Tourism Board was originally conceived, it was meant to function as a professionally run, semi-autonomous body—one that could think like the market while serving national interests. It was intended to bring together hoteliers, airlines, tour operators, marketers, and investors around a shared strategic vision. That vision was gradually diluted.
As institutional control tightened with Ministry of Tourism seizing full control barely less than a year of CTB’s existence and decision-making slowed. Innovation gave way to caution. Messaging became administrative rather than aspirational. Instead of shaping demand, the system began managing appearances. The tourism apparatus shifted from being an enabler of growth to a gatekeeper of narratives. In the process, private sector confidence eroded, and with it, the dynamism that tourism depends on.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the handling of seasonality. The attempt to rebrand the “low season” as the “green season” was well-intentioned, but ultimately symbolic of a deeper misunderstanding. Seasonality is not a flaw to be concealed; it is a commercial reality to be designed around. Mature tourism markets do not erase seasonality through language—they leverage it through differentiated products, pricing strategies, and targeted experiences.
By insisting on uniform messaging, policy unintentionally restricted innovation. Operators were discouraged from tailoring offerings, experimenting with pricing, or creating niche experiences aligned with different travel motivations. The result was a diluted market narrative that satisfied no one—neither the traveler seeking authenticity nor the entrepreneur seeking flexibility.
At the same time, Cambodia has fallen behind in using real-time market intelligence. Global tourism today is driven by micro-trends: remote work mobility, wellness travel, experiential learning, sustainability, and long-stay lifestyles. Demand is fluid and highly segmented. Yet policy continues to be shaped by outdated assumptions and static planning models. Without deep engagement with data and industry insight, strategies become reactive rather than anticipatory.
This gap has consequences. When regional instability or geopolitical tension arises, destinations with diversified markets and adaptive systems absorb the shock. Those without them suffer immediate fallout. Cambodia’s overreliance on a narrow visitor base, combined with limited product differentiation, leaves it exposed.
And yet, within this challenge lies an opportunity.
What is required now is not cosmetic reform, but structural recalibration. The first step is restoring genuine autonomy to the tourism ecosystem. A reimagined Cambodia Tourism Board must operate as a true public–private hybrid—professionally governed, commercially minded, and shielded from short-term political cycles. Its leadership should reflect the ecosystem it serves: experienced operators, strategists, digital marketers, analysts, and global advisors working alongside the state, not beneath it.
Second, Cambodia must move beyond seasonal thinking toward a portfolio-based tourism model. Rather than dividing the year into “high” and “low” periods, the country should curate distinct travel narratives—cultural immersion seasons, wellness and nature cycles, MICE and business windows, long-stay and diaspora return periods—each supported by targeted incentives, infrastructure, and storytelling.
Third, trust must be rebuilt with the private sector. Entrepreneurs need predictability, transparency, and a meaningful voice in shaping policy. Tourism flourishes when operators feel like partners in a shared mission, not implementers of top-down directives.
Finally, tourism branding must be insulated from political turbulence. Visitors do not choose destinations based on internal power dynamics; they choose experiences, emotions, and perceived safety. A resilient tourism brand must therefore stand above short-term narratives and focus on long-term identity, continuity, and credibility.
Cambodia has faced far greater challenges in its history and emerged stronger each time it chose reform over defensiveness. This moment is no different. What is required now is the courage to rethink, to decentralize wisely, and to trust the very people who build the tourism economy every day.
The question is no longer whether Cambodia can attract visitors.
The question is whether it is ready to empower its own ecosystem to lead the way forward.
And that decision—unlike geopolitical tensions—remains entirely within its control.
David VAN
29-12-2025
David VAN is a leading voice in Cambodia on economic transformation, public–private partnerships, strategic policy reform, impact investments and blended finance as well as TVET capacity building. He brings over four decades of experience advising government institutions, multinationals, and development institutions on building resilient, future-ready economies.
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