Last year the Cambodian government allowed foreign visitors to stay in the country on a new, three-year multiple entry visas. The visa application was available from September 1, 2016, “to foreigners from all countries, … with different prices according to the length of stay.” That visa extension move was made in order to increase the annual tourist flow and influence on the whole Cambodian tourism sector. Ho Vandy, Secretary-General of Cambodia’s National Tourism Alliance, named this measure a strategy.

Due to the Cambodia Tourism Marketing Strategy 2016-2020, the main goal is to attract at least 7.5 million foreign tourists by 2020. The strategy was based on the idea of drawing more potential Chinese tourists to Cambodia, because “the number of Chinese tourists visiting the country is increasing every year.” Besides that point, the strategy of boosting the Cambodian tourism sector will also focus on intensifying promotion and advertising, varying tourism products, stimulating tourism investments, training staff, upgrading and expanding facilities, ensuring cleanliness, safety, and security, etc.