BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: The Royal Government of Cambodia’s Tobacco Control Act, aligned with WHO FCTC Article 8, mandates smoke-free indoor public places. However, enforcement in the hospitality sector has been challenging. To address this, the multi-sectoral Smoke-free Environments in Tourism working group (SFET) was established, led by the tourism sector.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: In 2022, SFET introduced the Guidelines for Smoke-free Tourism Cities to support local authorities in effectively enforcing tobacco control laws. This initiative strengthened enforcement through a tourism-focused strategy by engaging local authorities and stakeholders, raising awareness, building capacity for compliance assessments, and promoting smoke-free measures. The goal was for Battambang, Kampot, Kampong Cham, Sihanoukville, and Siem Reap to achieve “Smoke-free Tourism City” (SFTC) status by meeting compliance benchmarks.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: In 2023 and 2024, awareness and capacity building activities were conducted in these cities in line with the SFTC compliance assessment, which focuses on no-smoking signage, smoking prohibitions, advertising bans, and tobacco sales restrictions. Across 322 sites assessed, all cities exceeded 80% compliance, earning the Ministry of Tourism’s SFTC designation. This success highlights the effectiveness of multisectoral advocacy and capacity-building, particularly in addressing challenges in the hospitality sector.
CONCLUSIONS: By leveraging the tourism sector, this initiative demonstrated how targeted efforts in high-impact areas can significantly improve compliance and foster healthier environments. The designation of “Smoke-free Tourism City” status underscores the potential of coordinated strategies to advance public health goals, serving as a replicable model for other regions striving for smoke-free environments.