The 1st Edition of the Cambodia Branding Forum attracts some 100 participants and becomes a Milestone Event for Sustainable Tourism

Organized by Catherine Germier-Hamel, Founder and CEO of Millennium Destinations in cooperation with stakeholders from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the private sector and the civil society, the first edition of the Cambodia Branding Forum-Edition Francophonie° attracted some 100 participants and prestigious speakers to highlight the necessity of better positioning the brand Cambodia and foster a sustainable approach to the Kingdom’s 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,” said in preamble Catherine Germier-Hamel, Founder and CEO of Millennium Destinations.

On July 11, 2024, the first edition of the Cambodia Branding Forum | Edition Francophonie, hosted by Millennium Destinations, brought to Phnom Penh approximately 100 participants from diverse backgrounds, including Khmer and non-Khmer participants. The landmark event underscored the importance of strategic branding and sustainable practices in promoting Cambodia as a premier destination.

The Forum was co-modeated by Catherine Germier-Hamel and Nikolas Hatz, Tourism Development Expert and Founder of the Inner Development Goas (IDG) Global Tourism Network.

Key Highlights

The forum featured a series of insightful speeches and discussions from prominent figures active in 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 highlighting Francophonie, the forum highlighted also the strong historical, sentimental and cultural links existing between Cambodia and France. A large number of French have chosen to live in Cambodia and contribute by their presence to the dynamism of the Kingdom in various fields such as the economy, tourism, culture or gastronomy.

Ideas were exchanged during the Forum about a future strong brand for Cambodia as well as the continuous promotion of sustainable tourism as a major element of the Kingdom’s tourism identity.

H.E. Mom Thany, Secretary of State, Ministry of Environment, emphasized the economic benefits of sustainable approaches, stating, "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, highlighting 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".

Mr. Ith Vichit, newly appointed CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, shared his vision for the future of Cambodia's tourism industry, emphasizing the need for innovative marketing strategies and sustainable tourism practices. “We have so many gems in Cambodia. However, we need now to polish them to be able to market them. “The strategy should not only look at leisure tourism but also at business travel tourism”, he said.

Keynote Presentation

Frederic Tambon A tourism industry and economic development expert with extensive professional experience, Tambon is the founder and CEO of Society and Fred, a consulting firm specializing in territorial marketing, economic development, and tourism. His keynote presentation stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to promote Cambodia as a sustainable destination with the need for a well-defined tourism development model that leverages Cambodia's unique strengths and cultural assets.

How can Francophonie contribute to Cambodia sustainable tourism development

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.

Panelists 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 the importance of leveraging diplomatic relations and international partnerships to promote Cambodia beyond the icon Angkor Wat. “Angkor 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, at emphasizing ecotourism assets but also at 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 together 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 key 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 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 both French-speaking tourists and local communities.

Frédéric Tambon: Tourism industry and economic development expert, provided innovative strategies for enhancing Cambodia’s appeal to Francophone tourists and investors. He emphasized the importance of 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 themes such as luxury, gastronomy, ecotourism, sports, wellness, etc. tourism, and destinations like Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and the Greater Mekong subregion. Sustainability was the buzzword throughout the forum, with discussions centered on the challenges and opportunities in Cambodia's tourism sector from a Francophonie viewpoint. Both Germier-Hamel and Hatz emphasized that more editions of the Cambodia Branding Forum will be organized in the near future which could be declined into thematic or destination topics.

For more information, please visit the website of Millennium Destinations here.

Millennium Destinations is promoting sustainable tourism development, marketing, and branding in Southeast Asia, with a special focus on Cambodia.

° Francophonie is the international organization grouping people and organizations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes.