Supporting 10 Cambodian tour operators and tourism SMEs to develop, test, and bring new tourism experiences in Kampong Thom to market.
Deadline:
September 20, 2026
About Khmer Tourism for the Future 2026
a seven-month tourism incubation program supporting 10 Cambodian tour operators and tourism SMEs to develop, test, and bring new tourism experiences in Kampong Thom to market. Through a 2.5-day immersive bootcamp, six practical training sessions, up to 20 hours of one-to-one mentoring per operator, R&D funding, and market activation support, participants will work directly with local communities to co-create community-based, eco-tourism, and sustainable tourism offers.
The program will combine business development with hands-on field experience, product testing, sales, partnerships, and a final showcase in Kampong Thom.
This program is for you if…
You are a tour operator or tourism SME operating in Cambodia.
Your business already has existing tourism operations — this program is not designed for idea-stage businesses.
You are interested in developing or expanding community-based tourism, eco-tourism and/or sustainable tourism experiences.
You may already have experience with eco-tourism initiatives, but previous eco-tourism experience is not required.
You are willing to work directly in Kampong Thom, including participating in field visits, community collaboration, product testing and market activation.
Your team has the capacity and commitment to turn new tourism ideas into actual products that can reach customers.
You care about creating tourism experiences that engage communities and contribute to a more sustainable tourism ecosystem.
What You'll Get as a Tour Operator
Ten selected tour operators will join the full program journey, from onboarding through to the final showcase.
You will receive:
- A 2.5-day in-person bootcamp in Kampong Thom, combining coaching sessions with direct engagement with local community stakeholders
- Six group training sessions, delivered as an intensive sprint, covering tour product design, pricing, community engagement, and market readiness
- Up to 20 hours of one-on-one mentoring per operator, tailored to your business’s specific needs
- An R&D grant of up to USD 1,000 per operator to support the design and testing of new tour products
- A field visit and community engagement process in Kampong Thom to explore partnership opportunities with local stakeholders
- Sales and promotion support to help you bring new tour packages to market
- The opportunity to pilot and sell at least three types of tour packages, with a target of six packages sold and six tours organized per operator
- A place in the final showcase and awards ceremony, with visibility support including content assets and a digital promotion campaign.
Program Timeline
Application Open
21 August 2026
Application Close
20 September 2027
Onboarding Day
28 September 2026
Received R&D Grant
October 2026
Bootcamp in Kampong Thom
5th – 7th October 2026
Six Group Training
19 October – 6th November 2026
1:1 Mentoring
October – December
Final Showcasing Ceremony
January 2027
All your questions, answered
The program is for existing tour operators and tourism SMEs in Cambodia that want to develop or expand:
- Community-based tourism
- Eco-tourism
- Sustainable tourism experiences
Applicants must already have active tourism operations. The program is not for idea-stage businesses.
No. Your business can be based any provinces in Cambodia.
However, selected businesses must be ready to work directly in Kampong Thom through field visits, community engagement, product development, testing, and market activation.
No. You may already offer these experiences, or you may be looking to expand into them. What matters most is your business experience, market potential, team capacity, and commitment to sustainable tourism and community engagement.
The program will select 10 tour operators or tourism SMEs.
Each business can nominate two participants to join the program.
Selected businesses will receive:
- A 2.5-day bootcamp and field experience in Kampong Thom
- Six practical group training sessions
- Up to 20 hours of one-on-one mentoring per business
- A USD 1,000 R&D grant
- Support to develop and test tourism packages
- Sales, promotion, and market activation support
- Community engagement and partnership support
- Participation in the final showcase and awards ceremony
The program focuses on turning ideas into real tourism products that can be tested and sold.
Applications will go through screening and due diligence interviews.
Selection will consider:
- Experience and track record
- Strategic fit with the program
- Market potential and growth readiness
- Operational and team capacity
- Commitment to sustainability and community engagement
We are looking for businesses that are ready to participate, experiment, and take action.
This is a hands-on program, so active participation is important.
Selected businesses should be ready to:
- Join the bootcamp, training, and mentoring sessions
- Participate in field activities in Kampong Thom
- Work directly with local stakeholders
- Develop and test tourism products
- Join sales and market activation activities
- Follow through on agreed actions.
The more actively you participate, the more value you can get from the program.
Each selected business is expected to receive a USD 1,000 R&D grant to support tourism product development and testing.
Selected businesses will need to complete the required documentation and submit a budget utilization plan before receiving the grant.
More detailed guidance on eligible expenses will be shared with selected businesses.
Each business will work toward developing at least three types of tourism packages connected to Kampong Thom.
The program will support businesses to move from product design to testing, promotion, sales, and market activation.
The goal is to develop experiences that are not only good ideas, but also practical, market-ready, and sellable.
Selected businesses will engage directly with local communities through field visits, discovery activities, exchanges, and product co-creation.
These activities will help operators better understand local experiences, community needs, tourism assets, and opportunities for collaboration.
Impact Hub Phnom Penh will also help connect tourism operators with relevant local community stakeholders.
Yes. Market activation is a core part of the program.
Businesses will receive support with product testing, sales, promotion, and partnership development so they can bring their new tourism experiences to market.
However, sales are not guaranteed. Results will depend on the product, market demand, pricing, promotion, and each operator’s follow-through.
Complete the online application form before the application deadline. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted with the next steps.
Participating businesses will complete a performance evaluation and join a final showcase and awards ceremony in Kampong Thom.
The showcase will give businesses an opportunity to present their tourism products, share their progress, connect with stakeholders, and increase visibility.
The longer-term goal is for the tourism packages developed through the program to remain on the market and continue bringing visitors and economic opportunities to Kampong Thom.
Let's Get in Touch!
If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Program Manager: [email protected] | Telegram: (+855) 0967811885
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