When you think about tourism in Cambodia, you likely imagine exploring relics of the Angkor Empire. Nature – despite its outsize presence in the Kingdom – fades in the background.
However, the need to preserve Angkor Wat’s cultural and natural surroundings amid increasing tourism highlights the importance of exploring beyond Cambodia’s most well-visited sites and promoting sustainable travel practices to conserve biodiversity and local ecosystems.
This mindset goes all the way to the very top. At the recently-concluded ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025, Cambodia revealed a new sustainability-focused tourism strategy aimed at capturing the region’s 120-million-plus tourist arrivals.
Three sustainability-focused action items stand out in Cambodia’s plan: reducing carbon footprints within the travel industry, expanding nature-based experiences, and supporting small businesses that promote responsible travel practices.
“Sustainable tourism practices should aim to minimize the environmental impact of tourism activities, such as reducing waste, conserving water and energy, and protecting natural habitats and wildlife,” explained Thourn Sinan, Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter.
Reducing tourism’s carbon footprint
Catherine Germier-Hamel, CEO of Millennium Destinations described sustainable tourism as “a strategic vision, a business model, a mindset or a lifestyle.” She notes that sustainable practices are far more accessible than tourists may imagine: “Sustainability can be applied to any form of tourism, even mass tourism,” she explains.
Some Cambodia hotels have set high sustainability for others to follow. Zannier Hotels Phum Baitang in Siem Reap, for example, has significantly reduced their reliance on single-use plastics throughout the resort. Guest rooms are now entirely free of plastic, and recycles other materials (with an impressive recycling rate of 100% for glass and aluminum cans, amounting to an impressive 603kg).
Its conscious pursuit of sustainability earned Zannier Hotels a Green Globe certification in 2022, and shows the way for other Cambodia hotels and resorts to follow in their footsteps.
Expanding Cambodia’s nature-based experiences
Wildlife throughout the world is under siege, as forests are increasingly encroached on by human activity. Cambodia is fortunate, in that 41% of its landmass is protected under law, an area spanning 7.2 million hectares.
Tourist attractions like the Elephant Valley Project (EVP) capitalize on these protected nature reserves: showing tourists why Cambodia’s natural beauty ought to be preserved for generations to come.
Unlike many elephant attractions that focus on direct human interaction, EVP prioritizes the well-being of its resident elephants, allowing them to roam freely in a 1,500-hectare forest reserve in Mondulkiri. Visitors hike through the jungle to observe these gentle giants from a respectful distance, watching them forage, socialise, and simply be elephants.
EVP doesn’t just protect the elephants – it also supports the indigenous Bunong people, for whom elephants hold deep cultural significance. Through sustainable employment opportunities and conservation efforts, EVP helps preserve both the local ecosystem and traditional knowledge.
Supporting the community through ecotourism
The Tourism Ministry intends to strengthen its support for small tourism businesses – rural guesthouses, nature tour operators and local tourism communities will enjoy increased support in the years to come.
Both government and international support have been central to the success of community-based eco-tourism (CBET) efforts like the Samros Koh Han Ecotourism Community, located on the scenic 1,460ha Stung Treng wetland. Thanks to the ongoing CBET project, tourists visiting Koh Han have plenty to do – visitors can go kayaking, birdwatching, and take boat trips through the wetlands’ flooded forests.
The CBET’s community-run homestays allow visitors to experience rural Cambodian life, taste traditional food, and learn about the customs and traditions of the island’s residents – all while putting precious tourist dollars in local pockets, without any middleman getting in the way.
Spreading tourism’s benefits for everyone
Cambodia is taking fearless steps to make tourism more sustainable. But the future will require hard work – from both the public sector and private businesses – to keep making progress.
By cutting carbon footprints, promoting nature-based experiences, and supporting small businesses, Cambodia’s tourism stakeholders are ensuring that tourism benefits both people and the environment, safeguarding Cambodia’s natural and cultural treasures for generations to come.
