RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Cambodia have announced concrete steps to significantly enhance tourism cooperation following a productive bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the 26th UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in Riyadh.
H.E. Ms. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, met with her Cambodian counterpart, H.E. Hout Hak, Minister of Tourism. During their discussion, Minister Ammor highlighted a discernible increase in interest among Moroccan citizens regarding Cambodia’s diverse tourism offerings.
Commitment to Formal Agreement and Strategic Initiatives
The primary outcome of the meeting was the mutual commitment to prioritise and expedite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation. This forthcoming MoU is designed to establish a framework for formalized collaboration through several key strategic mechanisms, including:
- The establishment of a joint technical working group.
- The development and implementation of practical action plans.
- The intensification of joint tourism promotion activities in both nations.
Ministers also engaged in an in-depth discussion concerning the potential introduction of direct flight connections between Morocco and Cambodia. This measure is recognized as a vital mechanism to substantially boost reciprocal tourism and bilateral travel, especially as Cambodia prepares to host the 20th Summit of the Francophonie in November 2026.
Market Diversification and Investment Potential
A senior official from the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism noted that the anticipated MoU represents a crucial strategic opportunity for Cambodia to diversify its tourism markets, particularly towards the Middle East region. Furthermore, the cooperation aims to expand the global promotion of Cambodian tourism potential, facilitate the development of new high-value tourism products, and attract investment from the North African Maghreb region—a market representing over 40 million consumers.
Currently, air travel between the capital cities of Casablanca and Phnom Penh is generally routed via Istanbul, Türkiye. The prospective direct air linkage is expected to revolutionize bilateral travel convenience.