BY MoT
Phnom Penh. H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Coordinating and Supporting Film Tourism and Night-Time Temple Visits in Cambodia, granted an audience to Neak Oknha LIM Hournito, President of the Cambodia-China Digital Youth Association; Mr. Zhang Wenya, Director of Unicorn Media Consulting Group Cambodia; Mr. Gao Weixiang, Chief Executive Officer of VINCIS; and their colleagues for a courtesy call and working discussion on cooperation in producing short-form films, promoting digital tourism, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technology to showcase Cambodia’s tourism potential and the “True Beauty of Cambodia” to international markets.
The meeting was also attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Tourism, representatives of the Cambodia-China Digital Youth Association, Unicorn Media Consulting Group Cambodia, VINCIS, the Cambodia Tourism Board (CTB), Cambodian and Chinese actors and actresses, and content creators, totaling approximately 30 participants.
The President of the Cambodia-China Digital Youth Association expressed his profound gratitude to H.E. the Minister for receiving the delegation and reported on a proposed cooperation project seeking official support for the production of Cambodia-China short films in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
In response, H.E. the Minister commended and highly appreciated the efforts of the Cambodia-China Digital Youth Association and its relevant partners for their active contributions to promoting Cambodia’s tourism potential. He also welcomed and expressed support for the proposed Cambodia-China short-film project, which aims to present Cambodia to international audiences through compelling stories and engaging content.
H.E. the Minister confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism supports, in principle, the request for official support and the proposal for the Ministry to serve as a guiding institution. He stressed, however, that all film productions must comply with applicable procedures and regulations, particularly by obtaining official approval for the content and script from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts before filming commences.
H.E. the Minister expressed strong interest in the AI-generated video produced by VINCIS featuring the Angkor area. He encouraged the company to further develop AI-powered videos using a storytelling approach that combines advanced technology with Cambodia’s culture, history, natural landscapes, cuisine, and the everyday lives of its people, thereby bringing the “True Beauty of Cambodia” to audiences around the world and enabling them to discover and understand the Kingdom more deeply.
H.E. the Minister also encouraged filmmakers to explore and view Cambodia as a diverse “Natural Studio”, expanding filming locations beyond Angkor (Beyond Angkor) to the southwestern coastline, the forests, mountains and waterfalls of the northeast, ecotourism destinations, as well as heritage architecture and colonial-era buildings in Phnom Penh, Battambang and Kampot, among other locations. These destinations offer remarkable natural and cultural backdrops with significant potential for international film and content production.
On the occasion, H.E. the Minister highlighted the Royal Government of Cambodia’s strong commitment, under the leadership of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to advancing Film Tourism as a powerful tool for promoting Cambodia’s image, culture and tourism destinations to the world.
In this regard, the Royal Government authorized the establishment of the “Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Coordinating and Supporting Film Tourism” on 16 June 2026. It has also introduced a pilot visa-exemption program for Chinese citizens from 15 June to 15 October 2026, providing important support for attracting tourists, filmmakers and content creators from the Chinese market to Cambodia.
