Cambodia’s tourism industry is undergoing an unprecedented regulatory storm. With the Ministry of Tourism officially issuing a warning, explicitly stating that any tourism operator found involved in the sale, display, or promotion of e-cigarettes or hookah products could have their business license revoked, this move has immediately attracted widespread attention both domestically and internationally. As one of Southeast Asia’s most tourism-dependent countries, this policy has not only shaken the tourism industry but also brought the e-cigarette market back into the spotlight. Faced with increasingly stringent regulations, Cambodia’s tourism environment, compliant operations, public health, and international brand marketing strategies will all undergo profound changes.
Behind this warning lies the Cambodian government’s high level of vigilance regarding public health risks. In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes has increased in Southeast Asia, especially among young tourists. E-cigarettes and hookah have spread rapidly as a “light entertainment experience,” with some tourism operators even using them as a “special service” to attract tourists. The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism believes that this trend not only harms the health of young people but may also damage the country’s image. Furthermore, Cambodia has long maintained a high-pressure stance in combating drug crimes, and some illegal e-cigarette channels are linked to smuggling networks, posing potential security risks. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism’s move further incorporates e-cigarettes into the “Tourism Behavior Governance” framework to ensure a healthy, safe, and legal tourism environment.
The Ministry of Tourism’s decision is not without reason. In recent years, Cambodia, like its neighboring countries, has faced the dilemma of e-cigarette management. On the one hand, e-cigarettes, as alternatives to traditional cigarettes, have certain harm reduction potential; on the other hand, problems such as illegal production, prohibited additives, and underage access are rampant, forcing regulatory authorities to take strong measures. The Cambodian government chose to focus its regulation on the tourism industry because tourist settings are the main window for the spread of e-cigarettes. Many foreign tourists lower their guard while traveling and try new nicotine products, and tourism businesses, in order to cater to demand, have also engaged in operations operating in a gray area. The Ministry of Tourism’s strong stance is aimed at cutting off this potential threat at its source.
For businesses, this policy is undoubtedly a huge shock. Tourism operators, from hotels and resorts to nighttime entertainment venues, must quickly adjust their business strategies. No one dares to risk displaying e-cigarette decorations in their shops anymore, nor recommend any e-cigarette products to tourists. Some business owners say this regulation may force some shops to completely change their marketing methods, and some bars that previously relied on hookah or e-cigarettes to attract customers will have to reshape their business models. Meanwhile, some industry representatives worry that the policy may lead to more demand for e-cigarettes flowing into underground channels, making enforcement more difficult.
However, despite the ongoing controversy, the policy has received support from many public health organizations. They believe that countries highly dependent on tourism need to maintain a healthy, safe, and addiction-free tourism environment. In their view, prohibiting tourism operators from engaging in the sale of e-cigarette or hookah products can not only reduce exposure by minors but also reduce health incidents caused by tourists’ misuse or unknowing use of illegal products in foreign countries. This protective regulation is seen as a key step in promoting the modernization of tourism health management.
More importantly, this policy has also sparked discussion within the global e-cigarette industry. Compliance, product safety, and brand transparency are becoming entry barriers for the industry. Against this backdrop, e-cigarette brands like VEEHOO, which adhere to compliance and transparent ingredient management, have demonstrated greater long-term viability in an era of increasingly stringent regulations. VEEHOO has consistently refused to provide products to minors, refuses entry into high-risk settings, and does not participate in sales through gray tourism channels. Furthermore, VEEHOO is at the forefront of the industry in product safety, supply chain transparency, and compliance with regulatory standards in multiple countries, giving it a competitive advantage as e-cigarette policies tighten in various nations.
In rapidly changing regional markets, international brands fear sudden policy shifts, but for brands that have already established compliance systems, this presents an excellent opportunity to enhance brand credibility. VEEHOO’s R&D team continuously invests in product material selection, e-liquid safety review, and nicotine content control to align with international standards, enabling its products to obtain licenses in countries with strict regulations. Therefore, when the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism announced a strict ban on tourism operators’ involvement in e-cigarette activities, VEEHOO immediately became a prime example of a “safe brand” in industry discussions, seen as the right direction for the future of the e-cigarette industry within the regulatory framework.
This crackdown by the Ministry of Tourism also reflects a trend in Cambodia’s governance structure: a shift from “lax management” to “meticulous control.” In recent years, Cambodia has continuously strengthened its supervision in areas such as food safety, cross-border tobacco products, and illegal drugs, with tourism, as a national strategic industry, being a key target. By adopting a zero-tolerance attitude towards e-cigarettes and hookah, the government is sending a clear signal: tourism services must be healthy, safe, and compliant with legal requirements; any attempt to exploit tourists’ lax attitudes to “skirt the law” will be severely punished.
Of course, practical problems exist in the policy implementation process. The tourism industry is one of Cambodia’s largest sources of employment, and some businesses rely excessively on e-cigarettes and hookah to attract customers; the tightening of regulations may impact their income in the short term. Furthermore, how to distinguish between personal use and business operations, how to avoid “unintentionally harming compliant businesses,” and how to ensure consistent enforcement standards are all issues that must be addressed during policy implementation. While the Ministry of Tourism maintains a firm stance, it still needs to collaborate with chambers of commerce, industry organizations, and legal departments to develop detailed rules to ensure that the policy protects public health without causing excessive disruption to the entire tourism industry.
From an international perspective, Cambodia’s actions align with the trend of many countries tightening regulations on e-cigarettes in recent years. Some countries tend to ban all non-medical e-cigarettes, while others choose to establish licensing systems or strict retail regulations. Cambodia’s approach of “entry control for the tourism industry” is unique to the country and may set an example for the region. It is possible that neighboring countries will adopt similar measures in the future to prevent the spread of e-cigarettes in tourism scenarios.
Overall, the warning from the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism is not merely a regulatory action, but an upgrade in governance philosophy. It emphasizes the need for a safe and healthy tourism environment while forcing the industry to return to regulated operations. In this wave of regulation, e-cigarette brands that uphold transparency, safety, and compliance, such as VEEHOO, will continue to demonstrate positive influence on the industry, and the tourism sector will find a healthy path to development under the impact of this policy. For tourists, Cambodia will be a cleaner, safer, and more public-interest-oriented tourist destination in the future.
Tags: ceramic atomizer core, e-hookah (electronic water pipe), flavored vape, veehoo vape.