PM calls for unified effort to boost tourism

PM calls for unified effort to boost tourism

Prime Minister Hun Manet yesterday called upon all citizens and content creators to actively promote Cambodia’s tourism potential to the world, with the goal of attracting more tourists.

Speaking at the ‘Closing Conference on the 2024 Work Results and 2025 Work Directions of the Ministry of Tourism’, Mr Hun Manet urged all Cambodians to work together, emphasizing, “Everyone is a Cambodian Tourism Promoter.”

Appreciating Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, for leading the ministry over the past five months, Mr Hun Manet commended the ministry for aligning its efforts with the Royal Government’s policies and furthering the development of Cambodia’s tourism sector.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining peace in Cambodia, a legacy of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, saying “with peace, Cambodia can attract tourists”.

The Premier praised the Ministry of Tourism for its significant achievements over the past year and introduced a new slogan: “Tourism Grows in Peace,” alongside the existing one, “Together for Tourism, Tourism for All.”

“Products in the tourism sector, much like rice farming, cannot be harvested by simply waiting for rain alone,” said Mr Hun Manet, adding, “They must be developed and processed to attract more foreign tourists year-round, especially by preparing tour packages for domestic tourists.”

Hak outlined a new six-point strategic plan for promoting tourism in Cambodia including collaboration with national ministries, sub-national institutions, the private sector, embassies, development partners, media producers, and individuals who participate in tourism promotion. The strategy aligns with the slogan “Everyone is a Cambodian Tourism Promoter.”

He also highlighted the Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to expand Cambodia’s tourism sector to welcome between 7.2 million and 7.5 million international tourists by 2025.

This optimistic outlook follows a successful 2024, where Cambodia welcomed 6.7 million international tourists, marking a 23 percent increase compared to 2023. Additionally, the country saw approximately 22.52 million domestic tourists, an increase of 20.1 percent over the previous year.

Hak expressed confidence that the ongoing measures introduced by the Royal Government and the Ministry of Tourism’s strategic plans would drive further growth. “Based on these trends and our continued efforts, we expect the number of international tourists to rise to between 7.2 million and 7.5 million by 2025,” he said.

The Cambodian government is committed to leveraging these initiatives to develop the tourism sector and achieve its growth targets for the coming years.

Cambodia’s tourism industry generated $3.63 billion in 2024, marking a 17.8 percent increase from $3.08 billion the previous year, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) on January 31.

The Kingdom attracted 6.7 million international visitors, a rise of 22.9 percent compared to 5.45 million in the prior year. According to the report, Thailand was the leading source of foreign tourists, contributing 2.14 million visitors, a 17.9 percent increase from 1.82 million the year before. Vietnam and China followed, with 1.34 million and 0.84 million visitors, respectively.

The government, through MoT, continues to offer various incentives to the private sector to boost international tourism. As of January 1, 2025, a discount on e-Visas has been introduced. The cost of the (T) visa has been reduced from $36 to $30, while the (E) visa fee has dropped from $42 to $35.

In 2025, the government has also allocated a budget to promote tourism and enhance Cambodia’s reputation to attract more international visitors.

khmertimeskh