The Ministry of Tourism yesterday officially entered into an MoU with China’s Yunnan Provincial Investment Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (YIG) on the Joint Development of Cultural Tourism in Siem Reap City, an act seen as another effort to bring more Chinese tourists to Cambodia.

The agreement was signed between Cambodia’s Tourism Minister Sok Soken and Liu Minglin, YIG CEO just one day after both countries officially announced 2024 as “the Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year” in a huge celebration in Siem Reap province on Saturday.

During the ceremony, Soken expressed gratitude to YIG for its role in Cambodia’s tourism development, particularly in constructing the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport — an essential infrastructure supporting tourism and fostering connections between the two nations.

The minister emphasised the airport’s role as a catalyst for people-to-people exchanges, with tourism playing a pivotal role in promoting such interactions which he said was in line with the Pentagonal Strategy.

Soken also outlined the strategic objectives of the Ministry of Tourism, which include establishing Cambodia as a top international travel destination with lots of options and warm hospitality.

The MoU to facilitate collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and YIG in developing cultural tourism in Siem Reap, focuses on attracting international tourists, especially from China, and leveraging the opportunities presented by the new airport to enhance Cambodia’s cultural tourism industry.

The agreement also opens avenues for introducing new cultural tourism products in Siem Reap, with plans to engage investment partners in promoting Cambodian tourism in the Chinese market.

Initiatives include participation in exhibitions, organising farm trips, involving Chinese companies and media, adopting various promotional methods, enhancing skills and tourism in Cambodia, and encouraging more flights from China to Cambodia.

Liu said that his company is committed to collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism to develop a specific plan for cultural tourism aimed at attracting an increased number of Chinese tourists to visit Cambodia.

Yunnan Investment Group is a comprehensive investment holding company with the largest asset scale currently in Yunnan Province. It has 18,000 employees. Yunnan Investment Group has been listed in the 185th place during the evaluation of “Top 500 Companies in China 2018”. At present, Yunnan Investment Group is engaged in fields in respect of finance, information, big healthcare, energy, railway, poverty reduction, cultural tourism and modern agriculture and forestry.