Cambodia and Kazakhstan Explore Ways to Boost Tourism Ties

Minister of Tourism Huot Hak met with Kazakhstan ambassador Kanet Tumysh on June 24 in Siem Reap province, during the latter’s visit to Cambodia. The ambassador is based in Hanoi, Vietnam, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The main objective of the meeting was to explore ways to enhance and broaden tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides shared a common vision regarding the value of friendship and the importance of the tourism sector, which relies on peace, harmony and unity to drive economic growth and foster people-to-people connections. Both parties also expressed satisfaction with past tourism cooperation, highlighted by the increasing number of Kazakh tourists visiting Cambodia year-on-year.

According to the tourism ministry, of the 6.7 million international tourists Cambodia welcomed in 2024, 4,456 were Kazakh nationals, representing a sharp 182.9% rise from the previous year.

“During the meeting, both sides held in-depth discussions and exchanged views on further strengthening and expanding new cooperation initiatives. This includes the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral tourism cooperation, organising study tours to share experiences between the two countries' tourism institutions, promoting film tourism and exploring the feasibility of direct flights between the two nations to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges and boost the flow of tourists between Cambodia and Kazakhstan,” said a ministry statement.

Ambassador Tumysh also proposed that Hun Sen, president of the Senate of Cambodia, and Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, take part in an international conference which will be held in Kazakhstan next year.

The upcoming conference aims to invite top Cambodian leaders to share Cambodia’s most valuable experience - its journey toward peace, nation-building and development from the ground up.

Hak welcomed the initiative, acknowledging its importance and recognising the great value of peace and the long, challenging journey Cambodia had to undertake to achieve it, particularly in a world currently plagued by widespread conflicts and war.