Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are taking a major step toward making cross border travel across the three countries easier and more attractive. On August 26, 2026, tourism officials from the three nations met in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for the first CLV Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, where they formally agreed to strengthen cooperation and adopted a Joint Action Plan for 2026 to 2028. The goal is to turn the “One Journey, Three Destinations” vision into practical tourism products, better transport connections and coordinated international promotion, with the broader aim of increasing visitor numbers, supporting trade and investment, and creating more benefits for local communities.
The new framework gives Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam a more coordinated way to promote the three countries as connected destinations rather than competing individually for international travellers. If implemented effectively, a visitor could be encouraged to combine destinations in all three countries during a single trip, potentially creating longer stays and more tourism spending across the region. The key takeaway is that CLV is moving beyond general cooperation toward a more structured regional tourism strategy.
Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam Create a New Tourism Cooperation Mechanism
The meeting brought together Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Huot Hak, Vietnam’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh and Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism representative Darany Phommavongsa. Their meeting marked the first ministerial level gathering focused specifically on tourism cooperation among the three countries.
The move builds on discussions held during the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026, when the three sides agreed to raise CLV tourism cooperation from the technical official level to the ministerial level. At the latest meeting, the countries formally established the CLV Tourism Ministers’ Cooperation Mechanism, creating a higher level platform for coordinating tourism policies, promotion and practical initiatives. The takeaway is that tourism is becoming a more prominent part of the long standing cooperation between Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Six Priorities Will Shape Tourism Cooperation Through 2028
The Joint Action Plan for 2026 to 2028 identifies six main areas for cooperation. These include developing and connecting joint tourism products, making travel and transportation easier, jointly promoting and branding destinations under the “One Journey, Three Destinations” concept, building tourism capacity, promoting sustainable tourism and strengthening partnerships with international organisations and other international partners.
The plan also calls for joint tour packages, stronger travel and transport connectivity and coordinated destination marketing. Rather than simply asking tourists to visit one country, the strategy seeks to encourage travellers to experience multiple destinations within the CLV region. The takeaway is that better connectivity and carefully designed multi country packages could give Cambodia a stronger opportunity to capture tourists who might otherwise visit only neighbouring destinations.
Cambodia Wants to Connect More Closely With Vietnam’s Tourism Market
The agreement was accompanied by another important development under Cambodia’s “Cambodia Tourism Roadmap to Vietnam” programme. On the same day, the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, or CATA, and the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, or HTA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation between the tourism sectors of the two countries.
The Ministry of Tourism described the agreement as a key outcome of the programme. The two associations intend to work together on destination promotion and closer cooperation between travel industry players, while also working with their respective governments to increase two way tourist flows between Cambodia and Vietnam. The takeaway is that regional tourism cooperation is not staying at the government level, but is increasingly being translated into partnerships among travel industry organisations.
The Bigger Opportunity Could Come From Third Country Travellers
The partnership also looks beyond tourists travelling directly between Cambodia and Vietnam. CATA and HTA want to promote the two countries together to visitors from third country markets, giving international travellers more reasons to combine destinations during the same trip.
This could be particularly important for Cambodia because Vietnam already has extensive air connections with major tourism markets. CATA President Chhay Sivlin pointed to the potential for airlines and travel companies connected to Vietnam’s international tourism network to help promote Cambodian destinations as part of a broader regional journey.
“We have seen that many tourists from European countries have visited Vietnam, and flights in Vietnam are also connected to many major tourism markets. By connecting with Vietnam, their airlines will also promote tourism destinations in our country and advertise together,” she said.
The opportunity is straightforward: a traveller who has already decided to visit Vietnam could be encouraged to add Cambodia to the itinerary, increasing the likelihood of longer regional trips and additional spending. The takeaway is that Cambodia does not necessarily have to compete for every international traveller from the beginning, but can also benefit by becoming an attractive extension to an existing Vietnam trip.
Travel Agents Could Help Turn the Vision Into Real Packages
CATA and HTA members are travel agents, putting them in a strong position to translate the cooperation agreements into actual tourism packages. Their knowledge of travellers, destinations and logistics can help create itineraries that connect attractions in both countries in ways that are practical and appealing.
Chhay Sivlin said the two associations share similar goals and can work together to develop tourism packages that are more distinctive, attractive and widely distributed. This could involve combining destinations, coordinating transportation and marketing the experience through travel networks in both countries.
“Tourism cooperation with Vietnam is very important as it is a big country with many people. Moreover, travellers from third countries also visit it a lot. The idea is to attract tourists from Vietnam and tourists who visit Vietnam to extend their trip to Cambodia,” she said.
The takeaway is that the success of the CLV tourism vision will ultimately depend on how effectively governments, airlines, tourism associations, travel companies and destination operators turn agreements into convenient and compelling journeys for travellers.
What This Could Mean for Cambodia’s Tourism Industry?
For Cambodia, the “One Journey, Three Destinations” strategy could open opportunities beyond simply increasing visitor arrivals. More connected itineraries could encourage longer stays, create additional demand for hotels, restaurants, transportation services, tour operators and local attractions, and potentially spread tourism spending to a wider range of communities.
The approach could also create new opportunities for businesses that serve international travellers, particularly those able to build cross border products or partner with companies in Vietnam and Laos. If transport links, joint marketing and travel packages develop as planned, Cambodia could position itself as an essential part of a wider mainland Southeast Asian journey rather than only a standalone destination. The takeaway is that stronger regional integration could make Cambodia more visible, more accessible and more commercially attractive to international travellers.
CLV Tourism Cooperation Is Moving From Vision to Action
The first CLV Tourism Ministers’ Meeting represents an important shift in how Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam approach tourism cooperation. With a formal ministerial mechanism and a six point action plan covering 2026 to 2028, the three countries now have a clearer framework for turning the “One Journey, Three Destinations” concept into concrete programmes.
The real test, however, will be implementation. Better connectivity, competitive tour packages, effective international marketing and close cooperation between tourism businesses will determine whether the vision translates into more travellers and greater economic opportunities. For Cambodia, the strategy offers a clear opportunity to connect with Vietnam’s large domestic market and its international visitor base while building stronger tourism links with Laos. The takeaway is simple: if the three countries can make travelling between their destinations genuinely easy and attractive, one regional trip could become three tourism opportunities.
