Tourists visiting the world-famous Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap province. - Post staff
PHNOM PENH: In a bid to attract more Muslim tourists, the Kingdom will host the Cambodia Muslim Tourism Forum and Exhibition 2025, which will take place in Phnom Penh next month.
The Tourism Ministry has invited public-private tourism associations, Muslim entrepreneurs, relevant institutions, national and international media, and the general public to the fair, themed “Assalamu Alaikum Cambodia: A Safe, Warm and Friendly Destination”. It will take place at the Al-Serkal Mosque (Boeung Kok Mosque), from Oct 9-11.
According to the ministry, the event has three main objectives.
First, to welcome visitors to Cambodia, a “safe, warm and friendly destination for tourists of all nationalities and from all directions. Second, to showcase the richness of the kingdom’s tourism potential that align with the Muslim tourism market and Cambodia Muslim-Friendly Standards.
Finally, it aims to enhance preparedness for welcoming Muslim tourists in accordance with national and international Muslim market trends and needs, in an inclusive and innovative manner.
“The forum will feature tourism experts, including government officials, Muslim community leaders, business professionals and private sector representatives, who will discuss and share new ideas, exchange experiences and provide additional inputs to the development of the tourism sector in a sustainable, resilient and comprehensive manner,” explained a ministry statement.
The ministry reported that from January to July 2025, Cambodia received 3.71 million international visitors, a 0.8% decrease from the same period in 2024.
Muslim-majority countries sending significant numbers of visitors to Cambodia include Indonesia, with 92,053 visitors, Malaysia, with 59,125, Bangladesh, with 13,667, Pakistan with 13,014, and Turkey, with 6,080.
During the launch of the August 2025, “Hospitality for Muslim Tourists and the Cambodia Muslim-Friendly Standard”, tourism minister Hout Hak noted that Cambodia is diversifying its international tourism industry and will focus on tapping into the Muslim tourism market, which holds strong potential as a complementary segment to the existing market.
Hak added that according to the Global Muslim Travel Index report, the number of Muslim tourists worldwide reached approximately 176 million in 2024, an increase of 25 per cent compared to 2023 and an increase of 10 per cent compared to the pre-Covid-19 period. The figure is expected to rise to 186 million in 2025.
“These figures clearly demonstrate Cambodia’s growing opportunities to seize and diversify its tourism markets, thereby strengthening and expanding the potential of Cambodia’s tourism industry toward inclusiveness, sustainability, resilience and prosperity through capturing the Muslim tourism market as a complement to existing markets,” he said.
In July 2023, the Cambodian government, through the tourism ministry, launched the “Muslim Tourism Development Plan 2023–2027”, with the goal of showing Cambodia as a welcoming and attractive destination for international Muslim tourists, and to encourage more domestic Muslim tourism.
Thourn Sinan, chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, told The Post on Sept 29 that the upcoming fair is a vital event to promote Cambodia to Muslim tourists and will also help local operators gain a better understanding of Muslim hospitality needs, including dietary requirements.
He added that currently, Cambodia’s Muslim tourism market is still relatively small.
“The Muslim Tourism Exhibition aims to raise public awareness and encourage broader understanding of how to properly welcome Muslim visitors,” he said. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
