Cambodia is actively expanding its global tourism footprint, having recently forged significant partnerships with Brazil, Morocco, and Iran. These strategic collaborations aim to boost international tourist arrivals to the Kingdom, renowned as the “Golden Land.”
The groundwork for these cooperative ventures was laid through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on tourism cooperation with representatives from these three nations. These agreements were formalized during the 26th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), which Minister of Tourism H.E. Hout Hak attended in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 7 to 11.
Brazil became the first South American nation to sign an MoU on tourism cooperation with Cambodia on November 10. Representing a significant market of over 200 million people, this partnership is seen as a high-potential avenue for Cambodia. Minister Hout Hak emphasized that the MoU will enable Cambodia to diversify its tourism market, attract crucial investments within the sector, and facilitate the creation of high-value-added and heritage tourism products specifically tailored for the Brazilian market. Furthermore, this agreement provides an opportunity for Cambodia to broaden the promotion of its tourism potential and investment opportunities, thereby attracting more visitors and investors from the wider South American region.
Beyond the agreement with Brazil, Minister Hout Hak also engaged in productive discussions with Ms. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy. Their dialogue focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector. Both parties agreed to fast-track the signing of a future MoU on tourism cooperation to expand their collaborative efforts.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, this cooperation with Morocco will involve developing practical action plans, establishing technical working groups, intensifying joint tourism promotion campaigns, and encouraging the launch of direct flights between the two countries. These initiatives are designed to stimulate travel and exchange between their respective populations. A particularly strategic aspect of this partnership is Cambodia’s hosting of the 20th Summit of Francophone Countries in November 2026, an event where Morocco, as a member of the International Organization of La Francophonie, will also participate. Through the anticipated MoU with Morocco, Cambodia expects to diversify its market reach into North Africa, expanding and promoting its tourism potential within the sizable Maghreb region, which boasts a population of over 40 million. The Ministry noted that air travel from Morocco to Phnom Penh is currently convenient, with direct flights available from Istanbul.
On the same day, November 10, in Riyadh, Cambodia also signed an MoU on tourism cooperation with Iran. This agreement seeks to attract tourists from Iran, a country with approximately 92 million inhabitants, making it the second-most populous nation in the Middle East and the 17th globally. The Ministry of Tourism highlighted that the MoU with Iran aims to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the governments and peoples of both nations. This partnership will allow Cambodia to diversify its market outreach into the Middle East, promote Muslim-friendly tourism, and develop value-added and heritage tourism products to attract Iranian visitors and tourism investments. Travel convenience is enhanced by direct flights offered by Etihad Airways between Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Phnom Penh, which commenced earlier in October.
In terms of recent tourism performance, from January to September 2025, Cambodia recorded 4,377,466 international tourist arrivals. This figure represents an 8.8 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2024. The leading international tourist source markets for Cambodia during this period were Thailand, Vietnam, China, the United States, South Korea, Laos, Indonesia, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
These new partnerships underscore Cambodia’s proactive strategy to broaden its appeal to diverse international markets, fostering sustainable growth and development within its vibrant tourism industry.
