Background
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Rural Development establishes cooperation to promote tourism and rural development through targeted improvements in rural road connectivity, clean water supply, rural sanitation, community development, and model villages. The document frames joint action around three defined objectives: strengthening inter-ministry cooperation to develop rural tourism assets and infrastructure; improving public-service delivery and living conditions in rural areas while increasing tourist arrivals; and exchanging technical expertise and information to maximize use of existing resources.
The MoU was signed at the Ministry of Rural Development headquarters and was attended by senior leadership and civil servants from both ministries, totaling approximately 100 participants. The agreement explicitly links sectoral tourism promotion work—including the Visit Cambodia in Green Season 2026 campaign—with rural infrastructure priorities to support year-round and sustainable tourism growth.
Key Developments
H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, and H.E. Chhay Rithisen, Minister of Rural Development, presided over the signing ceremony on 1 June 2026. The ministries described the MoU as a strategic document that sets three core objectives for cooperation and identifies priority infrastructure and community-development activities intended to raise rural incomes and support sustainable tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism also confirmed continuation of the “Visit Cambodia in Green Season 2026” campaign, running from May to October, with three campaign visions: increasing international attractiveness, promoting domestic tourism movement, and expanding nationwide tourist flows to advance Cambodia as a year-round destination. The ministry set out six strategic priorities for the campaign: market research and international promotion; strengthening national and international cooperation; facilitating travel and improving connectivity; enhancing industry quality; developing diverse tourism products; and promoting domestic tourism and events.
Institutional Role
The MoU formalizes a cooperative framework in which the Ministry of Tourism focuses on tourism promotion and product development while the Ministry of Rural Development contributes rural infrastructure and community-development expertise. Both ministries commit to exchanging technical experience and information relevant to implementing joint activities.
Operational Implications
The agreement identifies rural road connectivity, clean water supply, and rural sanitation as focal infrastructure elements for joint work between the ministries. It also lists community development and model villages as implementation modalities for linking infrastructure improvements to tourism asset development in rural areas.
Source
Official announcement published by the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Tourism on 1 June 2026; source URL: https://www.facebook.com/cambodia.tourism.ministry/posts/pfbid02mQWnRaas5nDUjxbSq7M4kk4b7gB98iFzv2nnCuNgArM4pmQbcD9wFHLac9uoCNNYl
