Cambodia’s Cambodian Hospitality Training (HoKa) programme has equipped 10,488 people with tourism-related skills since its launch, as the government seeks to expand vocational training nationwide, improve hospitality service standards and strengthen the country’s tourism competitiveness.
Tourism Minister Huot Hak announced the figures at the closing ceremony of the fourth HoKa Skills Day 2026, held on Monday at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel under the theme “Skills for a Shared Future: Empowering Tourism Professionals Through Lifelong Learning.” The programme had reached 10,488 beneficiaries by the third quarter of 2026, including disadvantaged youth, hospitality employees, business owners and managers.
Key Facts
10,488 beneficiaries: People equipped with tourism-related skills by the third quarter of 2026.
Programme expansion: From three provinces in 2017 to 16 target provinces in 2026.
Implementation period: The programme spans three phases from 2017 to 2028, according to Ministry of Tourism Secretary of State Pak Sokhom.
Government priority: Improve workforce skills, service quality and tourism-sector competitiveness.
Proposed next steps: Expand training nationwide, strengthen formal recognition of workers’ skills and extend opportunities to informal-sector workers and tourism communities.
HoKa Expands Its Reach Across Cambodia
The HoKa programme has expanded substantially since its early implementation, growing from three provinces in 2017 to 16 target provinces in 2026.
The initiative focuses on strengthening the capabilities of people working across Cambodia’s hospitality and tourism industries. Its beneficiaries include young people facing economic disadvantages, hotel and hospitality staff, business owners and managers.
The programme is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Swisscontact and other partners, according to Tourism Minister Huot Hak.
The reported total of 10,488 beneficiaries indicates the programme’s reach, although the figures provided by the ministry do not specify how many participants have completed each type of course, obtained formal qualifications or secured improved employment opportunities.
Government Calls for Nationwide Tourism Training
Huot Hak called for the programme to expand nationwide, positioning workforce development as an important element of Cambodia’s broader tourism strategy.
He said training must respond to changing labour-market requirements and technological developments rather than remain limited to individual courses.
“Skills development does not end with a single training course, but is a lifelong journey of learning and capacity building,” he said.
The minister also linked human-resource development to the government’s Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I, led by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The proposed nationwide expansion would seek to make skills development more accessible to tourism workers in different parts of Cambodia. However, the ministry has not provided a detailed rollout schedule, additional provincial targets or a dedicated budget for this expansion in the information reported.
Formal Qualifications Could Help Tourism Workers
One of the priorities highlighted by the minister was the connection between vocational training and the Cambodian National Qualifications Framework.
Aligning training with the national framework could help establish clearer links between the skills workers acquire and formally recognised qualifications. Huot Hak also recommended exploring recognition of prior learning, which could provide a route for experienced workers to demonstrate existing competencies without relying exclusively on conventional training courses.
For tourism businesses, more systematic skills recognition could help employers assess staff capabilities and identify areas where further training is needed.
For workers, formal credentials may support career development and mobility between employers or roles. These benefits would depend on how recognition mechanisms are designed, implemented and accepted by employers and relevant institutions.
The source report does not specify which HoKa courses are already linked to the national qualifications framework or whether a recognition-of-prior-learning system has been approved.
Extending Opportunities to Informal Workers and Tourism Communities
Huot Hak urged the expansion of training opportunities for workers in the informal economy, tourism communities and ecotourism destinations.
These groups are relevant to Cambodia’s tourism industry because visitor experiences depend on more than hotels and established hospitality businesses. Services provided by community-based operators and other local tourism workers can also influence visitor satisfaction and destination reputation.
The minister additionally called for the promotion of the Green HoKa programme. The report does not provide further details about its curriculum, environmental standards, participating destinations or implementation targets.
Extending training beyond established hospitality businesses could help broaden access to professional development. Effective expansion would require training arrangements suited to workers’ locations, schedules and existing experience.
Tourism Businesses Encouraged to Invest in Staff Development
The minister urged tourism associations and operators to invest in employee development, reinforcing the role of the private sector alongside government and development partners.
For hotels, restaurants, tour operators and other tourism businesses, workforce development can support service consistency, customer experience and operational standards. Training may also help staff adapt to changing visitor expectations and technology-enabled services.
However, participation in training alone does not guarantee better commercial performance. Results will depend on the relevance of the courses, the quality of instruction, opportunities to apply new skills and whether employers incorporate learning into day-to-day operations.
Greater cooperation between training providers, employers and tourism associations could help ensure that programmes address actual workforce requirements.
HoKa Programme Runs Through 2028
According to Pak Sokhom, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism, the HoKa programme is organised into three phases running from 2017 to 2028.
The reported figures show that the programme has expanded its provincial coverage and reached more than 10,000 beneficiaries. The next stage, as described by Huot Hak, involves pushing towards nationwide access, improving the connection between training and recognised qualifications, and extending opportunities to workers and communities beyond the formal hospitality sector.
The information available does not specify the number of additional beneficiaries expected by 2028, the budget for the remaining phases or the performance indicators that will be used to measure results.
Angkor Times Analysis: Skills Development Is Central to Tourism Competitiveness
Cambodia’s tourism competitiveness depends not only on attracting visitors but also on the quality and consistency of services they experience. Hospitality workers, tour operators and community-based tourism providers all contribute to a destination’s reputation.
The HoKa programme’s reported reach of 10,488 beneficiaries provides an indication of the scale of its training activity. Its expansion from three provinces in 2017 to 16 target provinces in 2026 also demonstrates a wider geographic presence than in its early years.
The next challenge is to measure outcomes, not just participation. Beneficiary totals are useful, but they do not establish whether workers have improved their earnings, gained qualifications, secured employment or delivered measurable improvements in service quality.
As the programme moves towards its stated 2028 endpoint, several indicators could help assess its impact:
Employment outcomes: The proportion of participants who obtain jobs, retain employment or advance into higher-skilled positions.
Skills recognition: The number of workers receiving qualifications or formal recognition of prior learning.
Employer participation: The number of tourism businesses that invest in training and apply new skills in their operations.
Regional access: The distribution of training opportunities across provinces, including ecotourism destinations and tourism communities.
Service quality: Evidence that training contributes to improved customer satisfaction and more consistent hospitality standards.
For Cambodia’s tourism sector, connecting vocational training to employers’ needs and measurable workforce outcomes could help turn training participation into longer-term improvements in productivity and visitor experience. These are potential measures of success rather than results established by the figures currently reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Cambodia’s HoKa programme?
HoKa, or Cambodian Hospitality Training, is a programme designed to develop tourism-related skills among hospitality workers, disadvantaged youth, business owners, managers and other beneficiaries.
2. How many people has HoKa trained?
Tourism Minister Huot Hak reported that the programme had equipped 10,488 beneficiaries with tourism-related skills by the third quarter of 2026.
3. In how many provinces does HoKa operate?
The programme expanded from three provinces in 2017 to 16 target provinces in 2026. The minister has called for nationwide expansion, but the reported information does not provide a complete rollout plan.
4. When will the HoKa programme end?
According to Ministry of Tourism Secretary of State Pak Sokhom, the programme spans three phases from 2017 to 2028.
5. Who supports the HoKa programme?
The programme has received support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Swisscontact and other partners.
6. What are the government’s priorities for the next phase?
The priorities highlighted by the minister include nationwide training expansion, alignment with the Cambodian National Qualifications Framework, exploration of recognition of prior learning, greater access for informal-sector workers and tourism communities, and promotion of the Green HoKa programme.
7. How could HoKa benefit tourism businesses?
Relevant vocational training could help businesses strengthen staff capabilities, improve service consistency and respond to changing customer and industry requirements. The actual impact will depend on training quality, employer participation and measurable workforce outcomes.