(AseanAll) — The ASEAN (Cambodia)-China Sustainable Tourism Capacity Building Program, jointly organised by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, was launched in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 27 April 2026.
Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), and Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism of Cambodia, addressed the opening ceremony. The event brought together nearly 200 participants, including representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, tourism authorities and professionals of Cambodia.
Shi Zhongjun underscored tourism as a key link in building the Cambodia-China community with a shared future and a vital pillar of ASEAN-China cooperation. Noting China’s continued position as a major source of tourists for Cambodia, he highlighted Cambodia’s active efforts to combat telecom fraud and enhance safety for all international visitors. The ACC has identified tourism as a priority sector, promoting sustainable development through two-way promotion, professional training, and capacity building. He reaffirmed the ACC’s commitment to deepening tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China.
Huot Hak stated that tourism is a key pillar of Cambodia’s economic development and social prosperity. The Cambodian government is comprehensively upgrading the tourism sector and has intensified efforts to crack down on telecom fraud, implementing stricter regulations and enhancing cross-border cooperation to ensure a secure environment for tourists. Cambodia will implement a visa-free policy for Chinese nationals starting 15 June this year. He encouraged participants to seize the learning opportunity and actively exchange insights, jointly making Cambodia a safe, friendly, and high-quality destination for Chinese tourists.
The two-day workshop features intensive sessions tailored to the practical needs of Cambodia’s tourism industry in tapping the Chinese market. Topics include improving tour guide services for Chinese tourists, tourism product development and marketing strategies, promotion of Cambodian culinary tourism, emerging trends in China’s outbound tourism market, and the application of digital technology in tourism. Through lectures, case studies, and experience-sharing, the workshop helps Cambodian tourism professionals better understand Chinese visitors’ needs and enhance service quality and professional competence.
Prior to the Opening Ceremony, Secretary General Shi Zhongjun met with Minister Huot Hak of Tourism of Cambodia. During the meeting, both sides discussed a wide range of bilateral tourism cooperation matters in depth. They agreed to work together to establish a sustainable, long-term mechanism for Cambodia-China tourism safety cooperation and to explore further cooperative opportunities in two-way tourism promotion, personnel exchanges, capacity building and destination development in the Cambodia-China Year of Tourism.
