AKP Phnom Penh, August 20, 2026 --

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and private-sector representatives held a meeting with aviation stakeholders on Aug. 19 to discuss a proposal to establish a high-level national taskforce to support the recovery of Cambodia’s tourism and aviation sectors.

The meeting was held on Aug. 19 at the MoT under the presidency of H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Tourism Working Group (Group “B”).

Participants included representatives of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), private airlines, the International Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, private associations and institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

H.E. Huot Hak said the meeting followed the outcomes of the Tourism Working Group (Group “B”) meeting held on Aug. 4, 2026, during which the private sector raised two key requests.

The first was to consider visa exemption policies for selected high-potential markets and extend the pilot visa exemption scheme for Chinese nationals until the end of the year.

The second was to establish a special national-level mechanism to support the recovery of the tourism and aviation sectors and strengthen public-private coordination on relevant policies.

The Minister said the meeting provided a platform for frank and constructive dialogue to identify practical solutions to enhance the competitiveness of Cambodia’s tourism sector and strengthen air connectivity.

He underlined that tourism and aviation are strategically interconnected sectors that require close cooperation and cannot be considered separately.

H.E. Huot Hak further stressed the need for strong synergy and collective participation from the Royal Government, the private sector, airlines, airports and all relevant stakeholders.

The meeting reflected the shared commitment of the Royal Government and the private sector to address existing challenges, formulate strategic directions to expand tourism markets, attract more international visitors and improve air connectivity.

By Phal Sophanith