Prime Minister Hun Manet has welcomed the commitment of Singapore-based travel agency Trip.com, which has announced its intention to work to attract more visitors to Cambodia.

He expressed his belief that the company’s promotional work will make a significant contribution to the recovery of the Kingdom’s tourism industry.

Manet met with Trip.com CEO Jane Sun on January 16 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos, Switzerland.

During the meeting, Sun outlined the business model and far-reaching influence of the platform, one of the world’s largest with over 400 million users globally.

She confirmed the company’s intention to cooperate with its partner firms in Cambodia to bring more tourists to the Kingdom, which she described as “a beautiful nation and a very attractive tourist destination”.

The prime minister welcomed the company’s intention to expand its investment activities in Cambodia, especially through cooperation with local partners.

He explained that his government has introduced several policies and mechanisms to promote the growth of tourism in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.

Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, applauded the news, noting that the country needs the participation of large-scale tourism entities like online travel agencies (OTA), in order to reach its full potential.

“We need them to work with us because they are extremely influential global players in the tourism industry. As long as they adhere to Cambodian laws and regulations – and make their fair share of tax contributions – it is an excellent move,” he said.

He noted that there had been some difficulties with OTAs in the past, as the government imposed certain tariffs on local businesses, while OTAs, which often had no office in Cambodia, were able to disregard some payments.

Sinan asked the government to ensure that competition in the sector remains transparent.

Trip.com offers a comprehensive package of tourism products and services from around the world. Flights, accommodation and even bus tickets within Cambodia can be booked and purchased through the Trip.com portal. It is also the parent company of Skyscanner, one of the world’s most popular flight comparison websites.

Last May, national flag carrier Cambodia Angkor Air signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Trip.com to establish a smart airport service at Siem Reap province’s Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI).