The Ministry of Tourism has outlined strategic initiatives to enhance and promote the country’s diverse tourism offerings, targeting 7.5 million foreign tourists in 2025.
“The tourism sector is projected to see a significant increase in foreign tourists to reach the targeted goal of 7.5 million in 2025,” Minister Huot Hak said in the ministry’s annual meeting in Phnom Penh yesterday.
To reach the ambitious goal, the ministry plans to place a number of strategic initiatives to promote the tourism sector to the outside world, the minister said.
“To achieve the ambitious target, we have to resolve many problems, including the fake news about the tourism sector in Cambodia,” he said.
“At the same time, we have to promote the sector to the world, strengthen tourism security, facilitate tourists’ convenient travels, enhance tourism service packages, enhance air connectivity, and build up human resources in the tourism sector,” he said.
The minister tasked his colleagues to work together to address the problems and enhance the quality of the tourism sector in the country.
The government, through the MoT, continues to promote and provide various incentives to the private sector to attract international tourists. The e-Visa discount has been implemented since January 1. The (T) visa has been reduced from $36 to $30, and the (E) visa has been reduced from $42 to $35.
Additionally, the MoT has promoted cooperation with foreign embassies/representatives in Cambodia, development partners, Cambodian embassies-consulates abroad, and international cooperation to promote Cambodian tourism destinations.
Chhay Sivlin, President of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), applauded the move. “The government’s efforts and initiatives have resulted positively with a remarkable number of foreign tourists. We, the private sector in tourism, are ready to participate in promoting and enhancing the quality tourism industry,” Sivlin said.
Last year, the Kingdom received 6.7 million international tourists, up 23 percent from 5.45 million in the year before, read the report.
The tourism sector earned $3.63 billion in 2024, up 17.8 percent from $3.08 billion a year earlier.
