PHNOM PENH: Cambodia and Indonesia have agreed to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector, according to the Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP). The two countries aim to boost visitor numbers and enhance the overall travel experience for both nations’ citizens.
During a meeting between Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak and Indonesian Ambassador Santo Darmosumarto on November 4, 2024, several key points were agreed upon.
Minister and Ambassador agreed to strengthen Cambodia-Indonesia tourism cooperation in accordance with the spirit of the MoU on Cambodia-Indonesia Tourism Cooperation, enhance Muslim Friendly Tourism cooperation, cooperate to jointly encourage Indonesian air operators to launch a direct flight between Bali and Siem Reap to facilitate the travels of the people of the two countries and tourists.
Furthermore, both sides agreed to explore the possibility to organise a visit to exchange experience between Minister of Tourism of Cambodia and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, including the organisation of FAM Trip with the participation from private sectors of the two countries to organise tour packages.
Minister Huot Hak highlighted the strong historical ties between Cambodia and Indonesia and expressed satisfaction with the current level of tourism cooperation. He also welcomed the launch of direct flights between Jakarta and Phnom Penh in April 2023.
Cambodia’s stable political and economic environment, coupled with various government initiatives to promote tourism, has created a favorable climate for attracting international visitors.
In 2023, Cambodia received approximately 5.45 million international tourists, including 127,178 visitors from Indonesia. In the first nine months of 2024, the country welcomed 4.29 million international tourists, representing a 22.5% year-on-year increase. Notably, the number of Indonesian tourists grew by 32.9% to 123,437 during this period.