AKP Phnom Penh, February 11, 2026 --

The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) has reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical support to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) to further develop Cambodia’s tourism sector, according to a statement issued by the Ministry on Feb. 11.

The commitment was made by Professor Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, during a meeting held here on Tuesday with H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, to discuss ongoing and future cooperation in the tourism sector.

During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the long-standing partnership between Cambodia and ERIA, which began in 2012 and marks 14 years of cooperation in 2026. He noted that the collaboration has laid a strong foundation for strengthening and expanding cooperation across various areas, particularly tourism.

H.E. Huot Hak expressed his deep appreciation to Professor Watanabe and ERIA for their continued support and technical assistance to the Ministry of Tourism over the years.

For his part, Professor Watanabe underscored the importance of peace and political stability, maintained by the Royal Government of Cambodia, as a key driver of economic and social development. He also highlighted Cambodia’s rich tourism potential and favourable geographical location, noting that these strengths provide strong conditions for tourism expansion and contribute significantly to national economic growth.

Both sides described the discussions as constructive and forward-looking. They agreed to continue expanding cooperation, with ERIA expressing its readiness to conduct a feasibility study in response to the Ministry of Tourism’s request for further technical assistance to support tourism development.

By Sum Kosal