‘Cambodia ready to welcome rising wave of Chinese tourists, investors’

‘Cambodia ready to welcome rising wave of Chinese tourists, investors’

Cambodia stands fully prepared to welcome the return of Chinese tourists and investors, with the government enhancing its hospitality environment to better accommodate the fast-growing Chinese market, Tourism Minister Huot Hak said yesterday. The renewed surge in Chinese visitors presents a significant opportunity not only for the tourism sector but also for wider investment across the Cambodian economy.

Speaking at the Cambodia-China Tourism Forum 2025 in Siem Reap, held under the theme “Seizing the Opportunities of the Chinese Tourism Market Towards Building a Community of Shared Future”, Hak highlighted the sector’s central role in national development.

“With many important achievements of the Royal Government of Cambodia of the Sixth Legislature of the National Assembly, the Royal Government of Cambodia of the Seventh Legislature of the National Assembly has continued to consider the tourism sector as a priority sector to promote socio-economic development by promoting tourism, culture and nature, adding green, clean and smart tourism, promoting the creation of new tourism products with high added value and business tourism by promoting the implementation as well as the preparation and implementation of policies and master plans for the development of various tourism sectors,” he said.

According to the Minister, Cambodia welcomed approximately 4.8 million international tourists in the first 10 months of 2025, of which around one million were from China. He said this demonstrated the enduring importance of the Chinese market, adding that tourism continues to play a crucial role in supporting national economic growth and advancing the Kingdom’s vision of becoming a high-income country by 2050.

“In this sense, the future of Cambodia’s tourism sector cannot and will not be separated from investors absorbing the growth in Chinese tourist flows. In 2019 (before the COVID-19 crisis), Cambodia received approximately 2.3 million Chinese tourists, accounting for approximately one-third of all international tourists to Cambodia,” he said.

Hak emphasised that Cambodia is “fully prepared and ready” to welcome Chinese tourists and investors through strengthened hospitality standards, improved services and targeted investment facilitation. He said the growing Chinese tourist presence represents a vital opportunity that drives the development of the tourism sector while creating investment potential in other industries.

“Cambodia and many countries in the world consider China as a strategic partner and the most important market source for the basis of economic growth and development of their countries, while the world continues to face new and increasingly complex problems that are continuously emerging in economic, social, environmental and geopolitical aspects, which will continue to negatively affect the global tourism sector as well as Cambodia,” he added.

Looking ahead, the Minister expressed confidence that the designation of 2025 as the ‘Cambodia–China Tourism Year’, which will continue into 2026, will serve as a key catalyst in deepening tourism cooperation, strengthening connectivity and fostering people-to-people ties.

“I am optimistic that designating 2025 as the ‘Cambodia-China Tourism Year’ that will continue until 2026 will be a further important driver in enhancing tourism relations and connectivity, as well as the ties and hearts between the people of the two nations, which are indispensable foundations for achieving the goal of building a community of shared destiny between Cambodia and China with clear meaning and benefits for both peoples and both countries.”

Dy Rado, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap province, has reaffirmed the strength of Cambodia–China relations, highlighting long-standing cooperation and the province’s growing partnership with Chinese counterparts as the two nations prepare to celebrate the Cambodia–China Tourism Year 2025.

Speaking at the Cambodia–China Tourism Forum 2025, Rado said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, bilateral ties had continued to advance, reaching the level of a “comprehensive strategic partnership”.

He noted that from 1993 to 2025, Siem Reap province had established an alliance cooperation with 30 provinces and municipalities across the People’s Republic of China. “Based on this alliance relationship, Siem Reap has achieved remarkable results in tourism, education, agriculture, trade and investment, economy, culture and technology,” he said.

The Deputy Governor also emphasised China’s significant contributions to heritage conservation, citing completed restoration works at Prasat Chao Say Tevado and Prasat Takeo in the Angkor Archaeological Park. He added that China is planning further technical assistance for the conservation of the Beng Mealea Temple.

Rado stressed that the 2025 Tourism Year marks a peak in bilateral friendship and commemorates the 67th anniversary of diplomatic ties under the framework of Cambodia–China “diamond cooperation”. He commended the Ministry of Tourism, the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Tourism, the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Consulate General in Siem Reap for co-organising the forum.

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