This announcement follows the official temporary opening of the Kampot International Tourist Port, developed by the Kampot International Tourist Port Development Company (K.I.T.P DEVELOPMENT-CO,LTD), on December 12, 2024. This major waterway connection will facilitate easy access for tourist ships from Preah Sihanouk Province, Kep Province, Vietnam, and Thailand.

To accommodate the anticipated surge in visitors, Cambodia has also undertaken significant infrastructure developments. These include the Techo International Airport, the new Siem Reap Airport, as well as various highway, canal, and railway projects.

As outlined in the Tourism Indicators 2024-2028 report by the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia aims to welcome over 7 million international tourists in 2025 and over 8 million by 2028. To meet this growing demand, the country’s hotel room capacity needs to increase from the current 82,100 to nearly 85,000 by 2028. The Shangri-La Hotel, with its 303 new rooms, directly contributes to this expansion.

Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of Tourism Development Planning at the Ministry of Tourism, expressed optimism about the hotel’s impact on job creation. He highlighted the sector’s target of reaching 620,000 direct jobs by 2028, a substantial increase from the current 500,000. The Shangri-La Hotel is expected to contribute significantly to this employment growth.

To ensure a skilled workforce to support the tourism industry’s expansion, the Ministry of Tourism is prioritizing the HoKa program. This initiative aims to enhance the qualifications of tourism workers, enabling them to obtain national qualifications from Certificate I to Certificate III. By investing in human capital development, Cambodia seeks to maintain its competitive edge in the global tourism market.

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This development aligns perfectly with the Ministry of Tourism‘s “BUILD + 3Ds” initiative, spearheaded by Minister H.E. Sok Soken. The initiative emphasizes diversifying tourism offerings and leveraging existing resources, making cruise tourism a strategic fit.

Silversea Cruises currently operates a cruise package linking Hong Kong with Hoi An (Vietnam), and Phuket (Thailand). Cambodia has the potential to be the exciting new jewel in this established route.

To make their case, Cambodian tourism officials, Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Department of Tourism Development Planning, presented Silversea representatives with key tourism data. This data included details on tourist attractions, visitor demographics, average tourist spending, and popular travel seasons. The goal is to convince Silversea of the potential Cambodia holds as a captivating destination for their cruise passengers.

The positive discussions pave the way for further collaboration. Cambodian officials are committed to providing Silversea with all the necessary information to make Cambodia an attractive stop on their future cruise itineraries. This enthusiasm is further bolstered by the early success of Sihanoukville, a coastal city that has already welcomed 15 international cruise ships in the first four months of 2024. These ships included the Seabourn Encore, Westerndam, Rivera, Aida Stella, and Viking Orion, bringing over 10,000 international tourists to the city.

Sihanoukville saw the declined in cruise ship tourism compared to pre-pandemic level, which welcomed 80,000 international visitors in 2019. This decline highlights the need for collaboration between public and private sectors to revive this sector in Cambodia.

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A meeting, chaired by Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Department of Tourism Planning and Hoka program Secretariat Director, was held yesterday to discuss the implementation plan. Representatives from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) also participated, focusing on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two entities on January 30, 2024.

The plan outlines several key strategies, where the project will actively promote the SDF to tourism stakeholders through workshops and digital channels, ensuring wider awareness and access to the fund’s resources.

Hoka will continue to partner with tour operators, industry associations, and tourism vocational schools to identify skill needs and develop project proposals tailored to business requirements. These proposals will then be submitted to the SDF for financial support.

Furthermore, moving beyond major cities like Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Kampot, and Sihanoukville, the project will expand to new priority provinces. This ensures a wider distribution of benefits and empowers communities across Cambodia.

In collaboration with the Siem Reap Tourism Club Association (STC) and ATP Consultant, Hoka will develop pilot projects for tourism skills training in Siem Reap and other target provinces. These pilots will serve as models for future expansion.

The Hoka program has already trained over 4,106 individuals in essential skills like housekeeping, front office operations, food & beverage service, coffee making, chef training, community tour guiding, and even Hoka training & evaluation itself. This impressive reach, spanning ten provinces, demonstrates the project’s commitment to empowering Cambodia’s tourism industry.

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The meeting discussed opportunities for tourism cooperation through the Skills Development Programme (SDP) implemented by Swisscontact and Decent Employment for Youths (DEY) implemented by ILO, which contribute to promoting tourism vocational skills, enhance tourism services under National and ASEAN Standards, especially to contribute to the Royal Governance of Cambodia mandate seven’s policy to provide vocational and education training to 1.5 million disadvantage youths in Cambodia.

According to the press release, H.E. Minister warmly welcomed Mr Markus Beurli and presented the joint strategic initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, known as “BUILD+3Ds”, with the vision to turn Cambodia into a vibrant, competitive, sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism destination. To accomplish the vision, human resources development is one of the priorities, which SDCs’s supported recently.

Mr. Markus Beurly congratulated His Excellency Minister on his appointment as Minister of Tourism for the seventh mandate and demonstrated the strong support of Switzerland under the Swiss Regional Cooperation Programme 2022-2025 which focuses on (1) Government and Citizen participation (2) Inclusive Economic Development (especially in TVET), and (3) Climate Change and Natural Resources Management.

In this regard, H.E. Minister and Mr. Markus Beurly further discussed promoting tourism vocational training by implementing the Skills Development Programme Phase III 2024-2028, developing tourism national qualification, establishing electronic recognition of prior learning assessment platform (E-RPL), and supporting the destination management as well.

Moreover, the H.E. Minister also expressed his appreciation for SDC’s support in providing a hospitality training programme (HoKa) to more than 4,000 disadvantaged youths in the ten target provinces as well as the expansion of HoKa training to Koh Kong and Kompong Chhnang provinces from 2024 onward.

Finally, His Excellency Minister and His Excellency Ambassador expressed their commitment to further strengthen and expand tourism cooperation through tourism vocational training through the above programmes and promote destination management for the attractive and competitive tourism destination.

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The meeting, chaired by high-ranking officials and attended by relevant stakeholders, assessed progress and identified areas for further collaboration.

H.E. Tith Chantha, Permanent Secretary of State and High Representative of Tourism Minister H.E. Sok Soken, and H.E. Mang Sineth, Deputy Governor of Preah Sihanouk, led the discussions, joined by representatives from provincial departments, the Chamber of Commerce, the private sector, and 50 tourism associations.

The review began with a presentation by Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Department of Tourism Development Planning, highlighting the importance of plan evaluation, procedures, and strengthening the mechanisms of the Tourism Land Management Organization (DMO).

Mr. Taing Sochet Krisna, Director of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Department of Tourism, then presented the impressive achievements, showcasing how the provincial administration has implemented around 65% of the overall plan.

He acknowledged some challenges, particularly with projects under the purview of inter-sectoral and private stakeholders, emphasizing the need for closer collaboration during the remaining two years (2024-2025).

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• Ministry of Tourism, Swisscontact Cambodia, and partners trained 4,106 young people from poor families by 2023.
• The HoKa Project Management Committee, led by Minister Sok Soken, emphasizes a 12-year commitment to skills development.
• 4,106 participants, including 2,553 women, received training in diverse hospitality fields across 10 provinces.
• Minister Sok Soken commended collaborative efforts in empowering vulnerable youth.
• Cambodia saw a significant 156.9% increase in international tourists in the first 11 months of 2023, which was crucial for the economy.

PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Swisscontact Cambodia and other partners, has provided hospitality training to a total of 4,106 young people from poor and vulnerable families by the end of 2023. This achievement was celebrated at a meeting on December 20, 2023, at the Cambodiana Hotel in Phnom Penh.

The meeting, chaired by Tourism Minister H.E. Sok Soken and joined by representatives from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), relevant ministries, vocational training schools, and the private sector, reviewed the progress of the HoKa Project Management Committee.

H.E. Pak Sokhom, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism and Chairman of the HoKa Project Management Committee highlighted the long-term commitment to skills development. He noted the committee’s establishment in 2020 and its partnership with Swisscontact Cambodia to implement the Skills Development Project from January 2021. This 12-year project, with phases spanning from 2016 to 2028, underscores the dedication to building a strong hospitality workforce.

Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Tourism Development Planning Department and Head of the Secretariat of the Hoka Training Project Committee detailed the program’s impact. He reported that 4,106 participants (2,553 women) have received training in various hospitality fields, including housekeeping, front office, food and beverage service, coffee making, culinary arts, community tourism guiding, and Hoka trainers and evaluators.

These trainings were provided across 10 target provinces: Kratie, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Mondulkiri, Rattanakiri, Pursat, Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, and Oddar Meanchey.

Minister Sok Soken commended the collaborative efforts of the Hoka Project Management Committee and Swisscontact Cambodia in empowering vulnerable youth. He lauded the successful training of 4,106 individuals across the ten target provinces and emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration in achieving this impact on the sector.

Cambodia attracted some 4.92 million international tourists in the first 11 months of 2023, a sharp increase of around 156.9 percent from the same period last year, according to the latest figures of the Ministry of Tourism.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia’s economy, in addition to garment, footwear, and travel goods exports, agriculture, construction, and real estate. Ministry of Tourism expected the number of international visitors to Cambodia is predicted to reach 7 million by 2025, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level of 6.6 million in 2019.

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Accompanied by Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Department of Tourism Development Planning, H.E. Sokhom shared insights on the topic “ART AND CULTURE PRESERVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: GBA-ASEAN COLLABORATIONS IN HERITAGE CONSERVATION.”

The conference attracted over 400 attendees from various stakeholder groups. The participants expressed keen interest in Cambodia’s well-preserved cultural heritage, recognized by its inscription on the World Heritage List, and acknowledged the significant contribution of art and culture to the sustainable development of the cultural sector.

In addition to the conference’s central theme, discussions also explored two other crucial topics, the Empowering Sustainable Development: Exploring Green Finance Market in the GBA and ASEAN and the Green Technology used in basic life necessities: Clothing, Food, Housing, and Transportation.

H.E. Pak Sokhom highlighted the Royal Government and the Ministry of Tourism’s unwavering commitment to preserving and conserving arts and culture to support the tourism sector, particularly in the Angkor area.

He emphasized the implementation of the Siem Reap Tourism Development Master Plan 2021-2035,  the 5-BUILD and 3Ds Initiatives championed by H.E. Minister Sok Soken, and the fruitful collaboration with the Apsara Authority. Furthermore, the official launch of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport is expected to enhance air travel connectivity to Cambodia’s key markets and priorities.

H.E. Sokhom also informed the conference about the Royal Government’s decision to designate 2024 as the second Cambodia-China Tourism and Culture Year. He extended an invitation to the delegation and all participants to explore the Kingdom of Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty.

The Greater Bay Area, with a population exceeding 86 million, presents a promising source of tourism markets and investment opportunities for ASEAN countries, including Cambodia.

Recognizing the potential for collaboration, H.E. Sokhom met with Mr. ZHOU LI, Deputy Director of Outreach of China Daily Group, and his team to discuss the possibility of organizing half marathon events at cultural destinations and conferences on sustainable tourism development in 2024. These initiatives would contribute significantly to the second Cambodia-China Tourism and Culture Year campaign.

The China Daily Group has successfully hosted similar events in Ayutthaya, Thailand; Luang Prabang, Laos; and Yangon, Myanmar, attracting over 2,000 participants from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

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Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project for the new village community in the Kep mangrove forest, Kep province, and the infrastructure project connecting the Mekong Discovery Trail project, Kratie-Stung Treng province, to the Lao border.

The Cambodian delegation, led by Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of Tourism Development Planning, Ministry of Tourism also highlighted the many other investment opportunities in the tourism sector in Cambodia, including the development of new international airports, hotels and resorts, eco-tourism destinations, and cultural attractions.

The panel discussion attended by delegates from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and will be led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The GMS Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) encourages private sector participation through one of its six innovative approaches: “embracing private sector solutions”.

This aims to reverse the current limited participation of the private sector in GMS projects, which in 2021 only represented 15% of total financing in the GMS Regional Investment Framework.

The tourism sector represents a sizeable portion of the GDP of GMS countries, contributing from 4.6% to 26.4% in 2019, before the pandemic. A coordinated approach is needed, developed jointly with the private sector, to engage investors in helping to finance connectivity infrastructure and operate services more efficiently. Public-private partnerships are at the core of sustainable tourism.

The private sector participants from the GMS Business Council and tourism industry associations such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Destination Mekong; the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office; and ADB officials from the GMS Program, the Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), and the Office of Market Development and Public-Private Partnership (OMDP) also attended the roundtable.

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The GMS Tourism Coordinating Office is organizing a private sector roundtable on regional tourism projects to generate a public-private dialogue in which both parties can work together to meet interests and maximize value creation.

The panel discussion will be attended by delegates from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and will be led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

As planned, Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of Tourism Development Planning, Ministry of Tourism led the delegation and will present on the infrastructure investments to support regional tourism, PPP opportunities in tourism, and other private sector opportunities from regional tourism.

The GMS Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) encourages private sector participation through one of its six innovative approaches: “embracing private sector solutions”.

This aims to reverse the current limited participation of the private sector in GMS projects, which in 2021 only represented 15% of total financing in the GMS Regional Investment Framework.

The tourism sector represents a sizeable portion of the GDP of GMS countries, contributing from 4.6% to 26.4% in 2019, before the pandemic. A coordinated approach is needed, developed jointly with the private sector, to engage investors in helping to finance connectivity infrastructure and operate services more efficiently. Public-private partnerships are at the core of sustainable tourism.

Senior officials from GMS ministries of tourism; private sector participants from the GMS Business Council and tourism industry associations such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Destination Mekong; the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office; and ADB officials from the GMS Program, the Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), and the Office of Market Development and Public-Private Partnership (OMDP) will attend the roundtable.

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The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, which cost approximately $1.1 billion to build, is scheduled to open in October 2023. The Techo International Airport, which cost around $1.5 billion to build, is scheduled to soft open in December 2023.

Yesterday, the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport successfully completed an airport flight demonstration for non-commercial flights and is set to be officially launched in mid-October.

The new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport will have 38 berths and will be able to handle 7 million air passengers a year in the first phase, and the complete infrastructure will allow the capacity to serve 20 million passengers annually from 2040.

Mr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Tourism Development Planning Department of the Ministry of Tourism, believes that the private sector should carefully study Cambodia’s priority tourism market and prepare its products and services accordingly.

He also recommends that the private sector provide training to its employees to improve the quality of service and tourism satisfaction.

Mr. Ratana also applauded the Ministry of Tourism’s Hoka project, which is aimed at strengthening the training of human resources in the tourism sector. The project is currently focusing on training food, beverage, and coffee workers in 10 provinces.

Mr. Lor Vichet, Vice President of the Cambodia-Chinese Commerce Association (CCCA), believes that Cambodia’s hospitality sector should focus on building a niche market, such as Best Cuisines, Best Hotel Experience, and Best Spa, to further enhance travelers’ experiences.

He also suggested that Cambodia initiate a “shopper paradise program” whereby international travelers get more benefits, such as Black Friday discounts, by spending more during their stay in Cambodia.

Experts are optimistic about the future of Cambodia’s tourism sector, but they believe that the private sector needs to be prepared for the return of tourists. This includes carefully studying the market, preparing products and services accordingly, and training employees to provide high-quality service.

Cambodia had already received 3.5 million international tourists in the first eight months of the year, an increase of 50.8% compared to the same period in 2022, and is expected to attract a total of 5 million international tourists in 2023 and 8 million in 2028.

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