In a landmark event that signals a transformative approach to Cambodia’s tourism industry, the inaugural Cambodia Branding Forum, organized by Catherine Germier-Hamel, Founder and CEO of Millennium Destinations, attracted approximately 100 participants, including distinguished speakers from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the private sector, and civil society. The forum emphasized the necessity of rebranding Cambodia and fostering a sustainable 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,” stated Catherine Germier-Hamel, encapsulating the essence of the forum’s objectives.

Held on July 11, 2024, in Phnom Penh, the Cambodia Branding Forum | Edition Francophonie was co-moderated by Germier-Hamel and Nikolas Hatz, a tourism development expert and founder of the Inner Development Goals (IDG) Global Tourism Network. This pivotal event underscored the importance of strategic branding and sustainable practices in promoting Cambodia as a premier destination.

The inaugural Cambodia Branding Forum brings 100 participants together to redefine sustainable tourism and elevate Cambodia’s global image.

Key Highlights

The forum featured a series of insightful speeches and discussions from prominent figures across various sectors relevant to the theme “Fostering Francophonie: Collaborative Strategies for Showcasing Cambodia as a Dynamic and Sustainable Destination within a Vibrant Cultural and Economic Space.” By emphasizing Francophonie, the forum highlighted the solid historical, sentimental, and cultural ties between Cambodia and France. Many French nationals have chosen to reside in Cambodia, contributing to the kingdom’s dynamism in various fields such as the economy, tourism, culture, and gastronomy.

Strategic Insights and Vision

H.E. Mom Thany, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, highlighted the economic benefits of sustainable approaches: “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.”

H.E. Ok Darariddh, Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing 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 stated.

The newly appointed CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, Mr. Ith Vichit, shared his vision for the future of Cambodia’s tourism industry. He stressed the need for innovative marketing strategies and sustainable tourism practices. “We have so many gems in Cambodia. However, we need to polish them now to be able to market them. The strategy should look at leisure tourism and business travel tourism,” he said.

Keynote Presentation

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

Panel Discussion: Fostering Francophonie

The 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 to promote Cambodia as a sustainable and dynamic destination.

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 leveraging diplomatic relations and international partnerships to promote Cambodia beyond Angkor Wat. “Angkor’s uniqueness is an asset which helps to identify Cambodia on the world stage. We, however, need to go beyond the icon and look at ways to diversify, emphasizing ecotourism assets and promoting the Khmer experience with the genuine nature of local people,” 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 in promoting Cambodia as a stand-alone travel destination. “I am very excited to see efforts to create a brand ‘Cambodia’. It will help to connect the ‘gems’ mentioned earlier by CTB CEO Ith Vichit as we do not always know how to link them,” he emphasized.
• Marissa Nouv, film actress and entrepreneur, discussed the entertainment industry’s role in promoting Cambodia. She shared vital projects highlighting Cambodia’s cultural and economic dynamism, which can be leveraged to attract more tourists, including those coming from the Francophonie space.
• Thourn Sinan, Chairman of the 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. He also recognized the importance of promoting Cambodia beyond Angkor Wat.
• 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 French-speaking tourists and local communities.
• Frédéric Tambon provided innovative strategies for enhancing Cambodia’s appeal to Francophone tourists and investors. He emphasized leveraging Cambodia’s cultural and natural assets to create a unique and compelling brand identity.

A Movement Towards Sustainable Branding

The Cambodia Branding Forum is not just an event but a movement. Future editions will be organized in different destinations, focusing on luxury, gastronomy, ecotourism, sports, wellness, and more. Locations like Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and the Greater Mekong subregion will host these thematic events. Sustainability was the buzzword throughout the forum, with discussions centred on the challenges and opportunities in Cambodia’s tourism sector from a Francophonie viewpoint. Germier-Hamel and Hatz emphasized that more editions of the Cambodia Branding Forum will be organized shortly, potentially focusing on specific themes or destinations.

For more information, please visit the Millennium Destinations website.

Written by:  Anne Keam

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