On July 11, 2024, Phnom Penh became the epicentre of a ground-breaking event in the tourism sector as it hosted the inaugural Cambodia Branding Forum, organized by Millennium Destinations. The forum, spearheaded by Catherine Germier-Hamel, Founder and CEO of Millennium Destinations, drew approximately 100 participants from various backgrounds. This milestone event underscored the critical importance of strategic branding and sustainable tourism practices in promoting Cambodia as a premier global destination.

A Collaborative Effort

The event was a collaborative effort, involving stakeholders from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the private sector, and civil society. Co-moderated by Catherine Germier-Hamel and Nikolas Hatz, Tourism Development Expert and Founder of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) Global Tourism Network, the forum highlighted the necessity of better positioning the brand Cambodia and fostering a sustainable approach to the Kingdom’s tourism strategy.

“Branding is not bragging. It is creating a sustainable relationship based on sincerity, trust, and confidence. Branding is not a cosmetic procedure. It is about setting an irresistible strategy to attract tourists, talents, investments, and trade in a sustainable way. It is about creating, capturing, and retaining value to primarily provide benefits for the residents,” said Germier-Hamel in her opening remarks.

Key Highlights

The forum featured a series of insightful speeches and discussions from prominent figures across various sectors. The theme, “Fostering Francophonie: Collaborative Strategies for Showcasing Cambodia as a Dynamic and Sustainable Destination within a Vibrant Cultural and Economic Space,” highlighted the strong historical, sentimental, and cultural ties between Cambodia and France. The event showcased the contributions of the French community in Cambodia across fields such as economy, tourism, culture, and gastronomy.

Sustainable Tourism: A Government Priority

H.E. Mom Thany, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, emphasized the economic benefits of sustainable tourism. “Tourism is a key driver of our economic recovery, and the promotion of eco-tourism is a growing priority for the government, as a way to attract high-quality tourism, but also crucially as a way to involve the private sector in sustainable natural resources management.”

Echoing these sentiments, H.E. Ok Darariddh, Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism, highlighted the government’s commitment to creating a lively, competitive, sustainable, and inclusive destination. “Our vision is to jointly promote Cambodia’s prestige and resilience by transforming it into a leading tourism destination known for diversity, opportunity, and warmth.”

Vision for the Future

Mr. Ith Vichit, newly appointed CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, shared his vision for the future of Cambodia’s tourism industry, emphasizing the need for innovative marketing strategies and sustainable tourism practices. “We have so many gems in Cambodia. However, we need now to polish them to be able to market them. The strategy should not only look at leisure tourism but also at business travel tourism,” he said.

Keynote Presentation

Frederic Tambon, a tourism industry and economic development expert, and founder and CEO of Society and Fred, a consulting firm specializing in territorial marketing, economic development, and tourism, delivered a keynote presentation. He stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to promoting Cambodia as a sustainable destination and the need for a well-defined tourism development model that leverages Cambodia’s unique strengths and cultural assets.

Leveraging Francophonie for Sustainable Development

A panel discussion titled “Fostering Francophonie: Collaborative Strategies for Showcasing Cambodia as a Dynamic and Sustainable Destination within a Vibrant Cultural and Economic Space” featured diverse experts who shared their insights on leveraging the Francophonie community to promote Cambodia.

Panellists and Their Insights:

• H.E. Mean Essarayoss: Advisor to the Ministry of Tourism, discussed strategic initiatives for enhancing Cambodia’s visibility within the Francophonie community. He emphasized the importance of leveraging diplomatic relations and international partnerships to promote Cambodia beyond Angkor Wat.
• Jacques Guichandut: Official representative of the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism for European French-speaking countries, highlighted the effectiveness of the French-spoken ‘Destination Cambodge’ campaign in promoting Cambodia as a stand-alone travel destination.
• Marissa Nouv: Film actress and entrepreneur, discussed the entertainment industry’s role in promoting Cambodia, sharing key projects that highlight Cambodia’s cultural and economic dynamism.
• Thourn Sinan: Chairman of PATA Cambodia Chapter, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in promoting Cambodia as a sustainable destination and the role of the private sector in fostering sustainable tourism practices.
• Vanessa Voukotitch: Wellness and hospitality consultant, discussed integrating wellness tourism into Cambodia’s branding efforts and shared successful examples of wellness initiatives.
• Frédéric Tambon: Tourism industry and economic development expert, provided innovative strategies for enhancing Cambodia’s appeal to Francophone tourists and investors.

A Movement Towards Sustainable Branding

The Cambodia Branding Forum is more than just an event; it is a movement. Future editions will be organized in different destinations, focusing on themes such as luxury, gastronomy, eco-tourism, sports, and Nikolas Hatz, Tourism Development Expert and Founder of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) Global Tourism Network, the forum aimed to reposition Cambodia’s brand and emphasize sustainable tourism strategies. The event highlighted the historical, sentimental, and cultural connections between Cambodia and France, leveraging these ties to foster a dynamic and sustainable tourism landscape.

Key Highlights and Insights

The forum featured a series of insightful speeches and discussions from prominent figures across various sectors. The theme, “Fostering Francophonie: Collaborative Strategies for Showcasing Cambodia as a Dynamic and Sustainable Destination within a Vibrant Cultural and Economic Space,” resonated throughout the event. It emphasized the importance of leveraging the Francophonie community to promote Cambodia as a vibrant, sustainable destination.

H.E. Mom Thany, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, emphasized the economic benefits of sustainable tourism approaches. “Tourism is a key driver of our economic recovery, and the promotion of eco-tourism is a growing priority for the government. This approach attracts high-quality tourism and involves the private sector in sustainable natural resources management,” she stated.

H.E. Ok Darariddh, Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism, highlighted the government’s commitment to creating a lively, competitive, sustainable, and inclusive destination. “Our vision is to jointly promote Cambodia’s prestige and resilience by transforming it into a leading tourism destination known for diversity, opportunity, and warmth,” he asserted.

Mr. Ith Vichit, newly appointed CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, shared his vision for Cambodia’s tourism future. He emphasized innovative marketing strategies and sustainable tourism practices. “We have many gems in Cambodia. However, we need to polish them to market them effectively. Our strategy should include both leisure and business travel tourism,” he said.

Keynote Presentation

Frederic Tambon, a tourism industry and economic development expert and the founder and CEO of Society and Fred, delivered a compelling keynote presentation. He stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to promote Cambodia as a sustainable destination. Tambon highlighted the need for a well-defined tourism development model that leverages Cambodia’s unique strengths and cultural assets.

Leveraging Francophonie for Sustainable Tourism

A panel discussion on “Fostering Francophonie: Collaborative Strategies for Showcasing Cambodia as a Dynamic and Sustainable Destination within a Vibrant Cultural and Economic Space” featured a diverse group of experts who shared their insights on leveraging the Francophonie community:

• H.E. Mean Essarayoss, Advisor to the Ministry of Tourism, discussed strategic initiatives for enhancing Cambodia’s visibility within the Francophonie community. He emphasized the importance of leveraging diplomatic relations and international partnerships to promote Cambodia beyond the iconic Angkor Wat. “Angkor’s uniqueness is an asset that identifies Cambodia globally. However, we must diversify and promote ecotourism and the genuine Khmer experience,” he highlighted.
• Jacques Guichandut, Official Representative of the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism for European French-speaking countries, shared insights on engaging the Francophonie community. He highlighted the effectiveness of the French-spoken ‘Destination Cambodge’ campaign. “I am excited to see efforts to create a brand ‘Cambodia’. It will help connect the ‘gems’ mentioned earlier by CTB CEO Ith Vichit,” he emphasized.
• Marissa Nouv, Film Actress and Entrepreneur, discussed the entertainment industry’s role in promoting Cambodia. She shared key projects highlighting Cambodia’s cultural and economic dynamism, which can attract more tourists from the Francophonie space.
• Thourn Sinan, Chairman of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Cambodia Chapter, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in promoting Cambodia as a sustainable destination. He discussed the role of the private sector in fostering sustainable tourism practices and aligning these efforts with the goals of the Francophonie community.
• Vanessa Voukotitch, Wellness and Hospitality Consultant, discussed the integration of wellness tourism into Cambodia’s branding efforts. She shared successful examples of wellness initiatives that have positively impacted both French-speaking tourists and local communities.
• Frédéric Tambon, Tourism Industry and Economic Development Expert, provided innovative strategies for enhancing Cambodia’s appeal to Francophone tourists and investors. He emphasized the importance of leveraging Cambodia’s cultural and natural assets to create a unique and compelling brand identity.

Moving Towards Sustainable Branding

The Cambodia Branding Forum is not just an event but a movement towards sustainable tourism. Future editions will be organized in different destinations, focusing on themes such as luxury, gastronomy, ecotourism, sports, and wellness. Destinations like Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and the Greater Mekong subregion are expected to host future forums. Sustainability was a central theme throughout the event, with discussions centered on the challenges and opportunities in Cambodia’s tourism sector from a Francophonie viewpoint. Both Germier-Hamel and Hatz emphasized that more editions of the Cambodia Branding Forum will be organized in the near future, focusing on thematic or destination topics.

For more information, please visit the website of Millennium Destinations.