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Kampot Seeks UNESCO Creative City Status for Gastronomy

Terry Felix​​​​   On June 25, 2026 - 8:00 am​   In Asia Pacific   2mn Read
Kampot Seeks UNESCO Creative City Status for Gastronomy Kampot Seeks UNESCO Creative City Status for Gastronomy

KAMPOT, 25 June 2026 – Cambodia is preparing to nominate Kampot as a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of gastronomy, aiming to gain international recognition for the province’s culinary heritage, local products and cultural identity.

Tourism Minister Huot Hak chaired the final consultation workshop on 25 June to review Kampot’s nomination dossier for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The event brought together UNESCO Cambodia representatives, officials from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Kampot provincial authorities, private sector representatives and technical experts.

Tourism Minister Huot Hak

The minister said the workshop marked an important step in demonstrating Cambodia’s collective commitment to promoting its cultural heritage, creativity and local identity on the international stage. He thanked UNESCO Cambodia and all stakeholders involved in preparing the nomination, while commending local residents, artisans, entrepreneurs, producers and chefs for preserving and developing Kampot’s culinary traditions.

Huot Hak said Kampot possesses significant strengths, including its natural resources, scenic landscapes, French colonial architecture and internationally recognised geographical indication (GI) products such as Kampot pepper, Kampot salt and salt flower, Kampot fish sauce, Kampot durian and fresh seafood. He said these assets provide a strong foundation for the province’s bid to become a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

The minister added that modern tourism increasingly centres on authentic cultural experiences, including food, arts and local traditions, rather than sightseeing alone. He said UNESCO recognition would help attract investment, enhance competitiveness and support sustainable tourism development.

Huot Hak also encouraged other Cambodian cities and provinces to identify and promote their own cultural, culinary and creative strengths as potential candidates for UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in the future.

Battambang became Cambodia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2023, highlighting the country’s growing international profile in cultural and culinary tourism.

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