A mosque in one of the provinces in Cambodia. The country also has wooden mosques that are over 100 years old. — Photos: Wikimedia Commons
Cambodia will showcase its rich Muslim cultural heritage and rural lifestyles to boost tourism.
Renowned for its diverse cultures and ancient temples, the kingdom is now offering foreign visitors a chance to explore century-old Muslim communities and cultural identities preserved in remote villages.
“We are making efforts to make mosques a tourist attraction. In all provinces where there are Muslim kampungs, foreign tourists can see for themselves our history, culture and traditions.
“Here in Cambodia, we are called Cham (Muslims) and we have our own culture,” Yop Ahskary, State Secretary of the Cults and Religions Ministry, said in an interview during the Cambodia Muslim Friendly Tourism Forum and Fair in Phnom Penh.
The Cambodia Tourism Ministry hosted the fair recently.
Muslims comprise about 5% or 800,000 people of the 17 million population in predominantly Buddhist Cambodia.
The kingdom’s vibrant tourism sector is best known for its Unesco-recognised world heritage sites, including Angkor Wat and the Preah Vihear Temple.
In addition, exotic islands, night markets and historical ruins continue to woo foreign visitors.
“We have 650 mosques across the country, and we are transforming old mosques along the Mekong River to make them a tourist attraction.
“Some wooden mosques are over 100 years old, and people are still using them as a place of worship. We want outsiders to see how Muslims are living in harmony in a Buddhist majority country,” said Ahskary.
About six million foreigners visited the tourist-dependent kingdom last year, of which nearly half a million were Muslim travellers.
The government continues to ramp up tourism infrastructures like airports, seaports and highways to position the country as a key tourist destination in the Asean region.
The RM6bil Techo International Airport that began operations on Sept 9 is another key project to improve connectivity.
The Tourism Ministry’s Under Secretary of State Mohammat Younes said that the government is focusing on multiple strategies to woo more Muslim visitors.
“Our strategy is to focus on accessibility, environment, communication and services. We are expanding connectivity to more Muslim countries.
“More international airlines from Muslim destinations are already flying to Cambodia.
“Officially, now we have four airlines landing here and we will add another two more international flights soon,” said Younes.
Al Jabbar Grand Mosque in Bandung, Indonesia is an architectural beauty.
Taking the lead
Meanwhile, Indonesia, home to over 230 million Muslims and celebrated for its rich natural and cultural heritage, is positioning itself to take the leading role in Muslim-friendly tourism, Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said.
She noted that Indonesia’s scale, heritage and infrastructure that include more than 309,000 mosques and 376,000 prayer rooms in airports, shopping centres and tourist sites, provide a strong foundation for attracting Muslim travellers.
Speaking at the International Halal Tourism Summit in Central Jakarta recently, Widiyanti emphasised the importance of improving attractions, accessibility and amenities to showcase Indonesia’s Muslim-friendly offerings.
“We must package and promote these experiences as uniquely Muslim-friendly, reflecting our identity and appealing to international visitors,” she said in a statement. The ministry also plans to leverage 36 international airports, expand visa-free and visa-on- arrival access, and ensure inclusive, safe environments for tourists.
Halal-certified products are being rolled out from 20 tourist villages to 15,000 villages across 15 provinces, while a dedicated portal for Muslim tourists will make travel planning easier.
To measure progress, Widiyanti said the ministry had launched the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI) 2025 with Bank Indonesia, the Enhaii Halal Tourism Centre, and CrescentRating, the world’s leading authority on halal travel and tourism.
The IMTI tracks provincial readiness and aligns with the Global Muslim Travel Index, a benchmark for global Muslim-friendly tourism rankings.
“Beyond measurement, this index guides consistent national standards so Muslim-friendly services are trusted across Indonesia,” Widiyanti added. – Bernama
