MALÉ: Cambodia and Maldives have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on "Strengthening Tourism Cooperation" to promote better tourism between the two countries.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said during a press conference with the President of the Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Monday, 16 January 2023, that "Promoting cooperation in tourism is not just to have the people of Cambodia visit the Maldives, or the people of Maldives visit Cambodia, but focusing on tourists who come to visit Cambodia for the temples, and then after, they can go to the Maldives to swim and relax by the sea."

The Prime Minister stated that the two countries would create joint tourism packages, with both countries also agreeing to offer 30-day visa waivers for holders of official, diplomatic, and ordinary passports.

Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed that he is very interested in tourism in the Maldives after arriving at the island nation and having a chance to relax by the country’s beautiful waters.

He praised the President of the Maldives for making this country an attractive ocean destination.

"In the Maldives, I should say that the great Indian Ocean is the most attractive tourist attraction,” he said.

In addition to signing an MoU on tourism, the two countries will also sign an economic and health-related agreement, and also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia.