20th January 2022, Cambodia – ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2022, the annual event which involves all tourism industry sectors of 10 member nations of ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam was attended by over 600 excellencies, ministers and tourism leaders of ASEAN Member States, leaders of the World Tourism Organization and ASEAN Tourism Association, and international guests.
Cambodia is poised to recover their tourism sector amidst this long-drawn pandemic. As one of the first in-person tourism events in Asia, and in line with the current trend of complementing physical events with a digital experience, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) who were unable to have a physical presence at ATF 2022 were provided with the opportunity to present to both local and international members of the media. In their destination updates, ASEAN shared their plans to revitalise their tourism sectors through the safe re-opening of their countries, and a myriad of promotional activities.
Natalia Klimenok, the editor of Russian Travel Digest, the official media partner of ATF 2022, said: “The importance of the event is difficult to over-estimate for the tourism industry. For Russian guests ATF gave a great opportunity to meet partners and friends after numerous lockdowns. It demonstrated the recovering of tourism sector and strong wish to open a new page in after pandemic”.
The Ministry of Tourism is an official cabinet ministry of the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia headed by the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Dr. THONG Khon, organised under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN. The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia has its pivotal role in managing and developing the tourism industry of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Its functions include the formulation of programmes in compliance with national policies and to co-ordinate activities of various agencies including the Private Sector for the development and promotion of tourism in the country. The Ministry of Tourism also functions to supplement the efforts of the Royal Governments, catalysing private investment, strengthening promotional and marketing efforts and in providing trained manpower resources. This Ministry has, under its charge a joint public sector undertaking, namely the Cambodia Tourism Federation, which harmonises various private sector industry stakeholders to coordinate and jointly enhance the quality of tourism in the country.
The ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as one tourist destination. This annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 member states of ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. ATF was established in 1981. Each year, the hosting of ATF is rotated among the member countries, and 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the event.
