The China-Cambodia Tourism Year was launched at a special event in Phnom Penh on Friday, with Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin and Cambodia's Tourism Minister Huot Hak among the high-profile guests in attendance.
The leaders of China and Cambodia agreed in April to work together on building a community with a shared future, and declared 2025 as the China-Cambodia Tourism Year.
In a speech at the ceremony, Wang said the tourism year will make travel to Cambodia more convenient for Chinese tourists. He said the Chinese embassy would work with Cambodian authorities to strengthen tourism cooperation.
"Cambodia has unique and rich tourist resources, such as Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, the beach and islands of Sihanoukville, and the jungle and waterfalls of Mondulkiri, which all form a colorful calling card for Cambodian tourism," Wang said.
Huot Hat highlighted the importance of tourism cooperation, saying more direct flights between the two countries would help promote bilateral communication and friendship.
"Chinese tourists have been improving Cambodia's economic development, through the creation of job opportunities, tourism spending and in many other ways," he said.
The start of the China-Cambodia Tourism Year coincided with the arrival of a group tour from China, the first ever group with 1,000 visitors, in a promising sign for the year ahead.
China, Cambodia launch tourism year with ceremony held in Phnom Penh
