Trip.com Group said it has suspended planned advertising cooperation with Cambodia’s tourism authorities following safety warnings issued by the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, after the partnership sparked criticism and user backlash on Chinese social media.
In a statement posted on its official WeChat account, Trip.com said it had paused all advertising placements linked to its marketing agreement with the Cambodia Tourism Board and stressed that the cooperation had not yet begun.
The company said it signed a marketing cooperation agreement with the Cambodia Tourism Board on Sept. 1, under which Trip.com would provide promotional advertising services through its affiliated platforms between Sept. 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.
However, the company said the campaign, originally planned to launch after Cambodia granted visa-free entry to Chinese travelers, was suspended after China’s embassy in Cambodia issued a series of safety advisories urging Chinese citizens to remain cautious due to security concerns.
Trip.com said the agreement did not involve any data-sharing arrangements and that no user information would be transferred under the partnership. It added that it had submitted the agreement and relevant materials to regulators for verification.
The company’s clarification followed rising criticism online after media reports in December said Trip.com and the Cambodia Tourism Board had established a strategic partnership to promote tourism.
Concerns have been heightened by reports in recent years of Chinese nationals being lured into scam compounds in Cambodia, as well as by a recent outbreak of armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces that reportedly killed at least 20 Cambodian civilians and injured dozens more, including one Chinese citizen.
China’s embassy in Cambodia issued safety alerts on Dec. 8, 10 and 16, urging Chinese nationals to strengthen security precautions.
Following the news of the tourism cooperation, some Chinese social media users questioned whether Cambodia was a safe destination, while others called for boycotts of Trip.com. Some users said they had deleted the app or closed their accounts in protest, although the scale of the reaction remains unclear.
Trip.com did not disclose whether the online backlash had affected bookings or user numbers.
Explore more exclusive insights at nextfin.ai.
