The Kingdom of Cambodia and Canada have discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in tourism and to organise side events for the 20th Francophonie Summit 2026 in Siem Reap province.
The discussion took place on Jan. 14 in Phnom Penh between Cambodian Minister of Tourism H.E. Huot Hak and H.E. Christian DesRoches, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Cambodia.
During the meeting, H.E. Ambassador Christian DesRoches highly appreciated the progress Cambodia has achieved across various sectors, as well as the country’s strong safety record. He also highlighted the excellent cooperation between the two countries over the years and noted major Canadian investments in Cambodia, such as the Advanced Bank of Asia (ABA), which decided to invest based on Cambodia’s investment and tourism potential and the dynamism of its people.
In addition, the Ambassador underscored the Canadian Embassy’s support for the Ministry of Tourism in organising the “Village Francophone,” a major side event of the 20th Francophonie Summit to be held in 2026 in Siem Reap province.
For his part, H.E. Huot Hak thanked the Government and people of Canada for their continued support for Cambodia in all areas, particularly in tourism. He noted the steady increase in the number of Canadian tourists visiting Cambodia each year, as well as the direct investment by the National Bank of Canada, which has helped facilitate payment services for Canadian tourists and businesspeople travelling to the Kingdom.
The Minister also reaffirmed the readiness of the Ministry of Tourism, relevant institutions, and the private sector to attract and accommodate a growing number of Canadian visitors. He said tourist arrivals from Canada are expected to increase further in 2026 from nearly 45,000 in 2025, through strengthened cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in promoting Cambodia’s tourism and investment potential, improving safety and infrastructure connectivity, promoting tourism events, and enhancing the quality of tourism and hospitality services.
