CTB, Trip.com mutually suspend advertising activities

 

CTB, Trip.com mutually suspend advertising activities

Synopsis: The suspension of the advertising agreement does not indicate a broader shift in Cambodia’s tourism engagement with Trip.com or the Chinese market.

The Cambodia Tourism Board (CTB) and Trip.com have mutually agreed to suspend their planned tourism advertising activities on Trip.com Group’s affiliated platforms until a more suitable time, CTB said in a statement issued on Friday.

According to the statement, the cooperation agreement between CTB and Trip.com was strictly limited to tourism advertising activities scheduled to run from September 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

The initiative was designed as part of Cambodia’s contribution to the Cambodia-China Tourism Year, a joint designation announced by the leaders of both countries on April 17, 2025.

CTB emphasised that the agreement was solely promotional in nature and did not involve the handling of any personal data. “CTB confirms that, under this agreement or any other form of cooperation, it has not requested, received, accessed, stored, processed, or shared any personal data relating to tourists,” the statement said.

Reaffirming its broader mission, CTB added that it remains committed to promoting Cambodia as a safe, secure, and welcoming destination while upholding responsible and transparent tourism promotion practices.

The suspension of the advertising agreement does not indicate a broader shift in Cambodia’s tourism engagement with Trip.com or the Chinese market.

Speaking to Khmer Times, a tourism industry stakeholder who requested anonymity said the move should be viewed as a routine business adjustment.

“Advertising deals are frequently reviewed and changes are made,” the source said. “It’s a separate affair, and tourism — mainly from China — will continue to come to the Kingdom using Trip.com platforms.”

Chinese tourists remain a cornerstone of Cambodia’s tourism recovery and long-term strategy, particularly following the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Their return has been widely regarded as critical to national economic recovery, supporting employment and income generation across hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, and other local businesses.

In 2025, China emerged as Cambodia’s second-largest source of international visitors, after Vietnam. During the first 11 months of the year, Cambodia welcomed more than 1.1 million Chinese tourists, representing a 43.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Chinese visitors accounted for approximately 21 percent of total international arrivals during that period.

The figures mark a continued recovery toward pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, before global travel restrictions were imposed, China was Cambodia’s top source market, contributing around 2.3 million visitors—roughly one-third of all international arrivals.

To build on this momentum, Cambodia has designated 2025 as the “Cambodia–China Tourism Year,” with an ambitious target of attracting more than two million Chinese tourists.

The Royal Government has rolled out a range of supportive measures, including improvements in hospitality services, targeted marketing campaigns, and policies aimed at better accommodating Chinese visitors, such as allowing the use of the Chinese renminbi in tourism-related businesses.

Despite the temporary suspension of the advertising campaign, officials and industry insiders remain confident that Cambodia’s appeal to Chinese travellers will continue to strengthen.