Phnom Penh, Ministry of Tourism Headquarters: On the afternoon of 3 August 2026, Dr. Choub Ratana, Director of the Tourism professional Training Department and Head of the Secretariat of the National Committee for Tourism Professionals, led officials from the Department in a working meeting with Dr. Mark Windale, Managing Director of Edifyworld Co., Ltd. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities for strategic collaboration to advance English language training for Cambodia’s hospitality and tourism sector, with the objective of strengthening the competencies of tourism professionals to meet evolving labour market demands and international industry standards.
During the meeting, Dr. Choub Ratana warmly welcomed Dr. Mark Windale and highly appreciated Edifyworld’s initiative to establish a partnership with the Ministry of Tourism in support of English language capacity development for Cambodia’s tourism workforce. He also highlighted the visionary leadership and strong commitment of H.E. the Minister of Tourism to human capital development through the implementation of three flagship training initiatives: the Hospitality Kampuchea (HoKa) Programme, the Cambodian Qualifications Framework (CQF)-aligned Training Programme, and the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (ASEAN MRA-TP). These initiatives serve as key mechanisms for enhancing the quality of tourism professionals, expanding employment opportunities, and strengthening workforce competitiveness and labour mobility at both regional and international levels.
The two parties exchanged views and explored potential areas of collaboration, including:
1. Registration of Edifyworld Co., Ltd. as a Tourism Vocational Training Institution Exploring the registration process for Edifyworld Co., Ltd. as an accredited tourism vocational training provider specializing in English for Hospitality. The proposed programmes aim to deliver high-quality, internationally recognized training that enhances the competencies of Cambodian tourism professionals while expanding their employment opportunities domestically, regionally, and globally.
2. Development of Specialized English Training and Master Classes
Assessing the feasibility of organizing specialized English language workshops and Master Classes for master trainers, master assessors, tourism executives, and industry managers to strengthen both professional expertise and English communication skills in accordance with international standards.
3. Mobilization of Financial Support for English Language Training Exploring opportunities to secure financial support from the Skills Development Fund (SDF) and Khmer Enterprise to support English language training programmes ranging from foundation to advanced levels for tourism entrepreneurs, tourism enterprises, and tourism professionals nationwide, in response to the practical needs of the industry.
4. Expanding Partnerships with Higher Education and Vocational Institutions Examining opportunities to broaden collaboration with universities and tourism vocational education and training institutions to integrate Hospitality English programmes into their curricula. This initiative aims to provide students, disadvantaged youth, and vulnerable young people with greater access to quality English language education, thereby improving employability, increasing income-generating opportunities, and contributing to the sustainable development of Cambodia’s tourism sector.
The meeting reflected the shared commitment of both parties to establishing an effective and forward-looking partnership to strengthen human resource development within Cambodia’s tourism industry. By enhancing English language proficiency among tourism professionals, the collaboration seeks to align workforce capabilities with the demands of the digital economy, ASEAN standards, and global tourism development trends. Ultimately, this partnership is expected to contribute to improved service quality, enhanced international competitiveness, and the Royal Government of Cambodia’s vision of developing a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism sector.
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