Forging deeper connections

Cambodia's pilot program

One of the biggest announcements at the expo came from Cambodia. Kong Roatlomang, deputy director general of Cambodia's Tourism Development and International Cooperation, Ministry of Tourism, revealed that Chinese tourists will enjoy visa-free entry from June 15 to Oct 15 — a four-month pilot program allowing multiple entries and stays of up to 14 days each.

"China and Cambodia are ironclad friends. We are a community with a shared future," Kong said."This is a pilot project. If successful, it will be extended."

The numbers explain the push. Cambodia received 5.6 million international tourists in 2025, including 1.2 million from China. That is an improvement from recent years, but still below the pre-COVID peak of 2.4 million Chinese visitors in 2019. Kong said Cambodia aims to increase Chinese arrivals by 20 to 30 percent in 2026.

To attract more visitors during the May-to-October "green season" — the rainy low season — Cambodia is offering discounts on hotels, transport, restaurants and airlines. The country has also passed a law against online scams, with the prime minister pledging to "clear all scams from Cambodia this year" to rebuild trust among international travelers.

Kong highlighted other conveniences to woo Chinese travelers, including widespread Chinese-language use in hotels and restaurants, acceptance of Alipay and WeChat Pay, and direct flights from Beijing to the country's capital Phnom Penh. A new airport in the capital ranks as one of the largest in the world, she added.