The Cambodia Tourism Board and China's Sanya Tourism Board have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance joint marketing and promotion, highlighting a significant push to increase two-way tourism and cultural exchanges between the popular leisure travel destinations.

The agreement, signed on Tuesday, establishes a comprehensive framework for strategic cooperation focused on implementing joint tourism promotion campaigns.

These efforts will showcase the diverse tourism products, rich heritage and cultural treasures of both Cambodia and Sanya, a tropical resort city on China's island province of Hainan.

Minea Kim, CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, said the pact goes beyond a formal agreement. "It is a commitment to friendship, knowledge sharing and building long-term cooperation that will benefit tourism businesses, local vendors and travelers," Kim said.

The Sanya Tourism Board is a Chinese institution responsible for promoting and developing Sanya as an international tourist destination. The board's purpose is to enhance Sanya's global reputation and boost tourism and consumption in the region.

Wu Xiaolin, the board's deputy director general, described the collaboration as "a significant milestone" for tourism growth in both regions. "By combining our strengths, we aim to enhance traveler experiences while generating lasting economic and cultural benefits," Wu said.

The strategic partnership will prioritize collaboration in traditional media, social media and other promotional modalities to increase global visibility. It also includes capacity-building initiatives such as training programs, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices.

The deal comes as tourist numbers between the two destinations boast robust growth. In the first seven months of this year, Cambodia welcomed more than 3.7 million international visitors, with about 690,000 coming from China — a nearly 50 percent increase from the same period last year.

Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia's most famous tourist site, attracted 53,291 Chinese tourists in the January-July period, up 21 percent year-on-year, making China the fourth-largest source of international visitors to the park after the United States, the United Kingdom and France, according to a recent report from Angkor Enterprise.

Meanwhile, Sanya recorded an increase of more than 80 percent in overnight visitors from Cambodia during the same January-July period.

The strategic partnership aligns with the "Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025" initiative launched earlier this year, which runs from May 2025 to May 2026. Officials said the collaboration will help enhance perceptions of safety and security, promote travel products, foster cross-cultural understanding and support sustainable economic growth and community development.