China and Cambodia are set to strengthen tourism cooperation, aiming to harness the rich cultural and natural resources to gain mutual economic and social benefits.
This deepening partnership coincides with the China-Cambodia People’s Exchange Year in 2024, which will see a series of cultural, sports and tourism events held in both countries.
The year-round focus on cultural exchange provides a fitting backdrop for a tourism promotion event co-hosted by China and Cambodia in Kunming, Yunnan province on Friday.
Yunnan, which borders Myanmar and Laos, is the closest Chinese province to Cambodia.
Zeng Yan, head of the Publicity Department of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between China and Cambodia. Recognizing the wealth of tourism resources and cultural heritage shared by the two countries, he expressed the hope for further cooperation in responsibly developing these resources to benefit the peoples of both countries.
Tourism plays a vital role in Cambodia’s economic development strategy, and the country has been actively seeking to attract Chinese tourists in recent years.
Cambodian Minister of Tourism Prak Pannala highlighted this success, noting that the number of tourists from China is expected to exceed 550,000 in 2023, accounting for around 10 percent of the country’s international tourist arrivals.
Pannala stressed the importance of Yunnan Province as a key partner in Cambodia’s tourism development, and expressed optimism about the future outcomes of China-Cambodia tourism cooperation.
Data from Chinese travel agencies confirms Cambodia’s growing popularity among Chinese tourists.
Travel portal Tu Niu reported that so far, residents of Beijing and Shanghai have booked the most tours to Cambodia, with the peak travel season usually running from December to February.
Similarly, online travel agency Kunar reported that sales of Cambodia tour packages have soared, with air ticket bookings to the country for summer holidays already up by more than 120 percent.
The focus on tourism cooperation between China and Cambodia shows a promising path to boost cultural exchanges and mutual economic growth in the China-Cambodia People’s Exchange Year in 2024.
