A trade delegation from the Philippines will visit Cambodia next week to explore investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s agriculture and tourism sectors, according to a spokesman for the Council of Ministers.

The announcement was made yesterday following a meeting on bilateral trade relations between Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the ambassador of the Philippines to Cambodia, Christopher B Montero.

Ek Tha, deputy director of the Press Unit for the Council of Ministers, confirmed that the delegation would meet with Cambodian rice exporters next week and will be lead by the Philippines ambassador himself.

“Cambodia welcomes such a trade mission to Cambodia and this [will] contribute to improved bilateral trade and investment,” Ek Tha said.

Independent economic analyst Srey Chanthy, said the Philippines was currently looking at import opportunities for rice, but said that the nation could also play a role in tourism in Cambodia.

“As there has been a decrease in some Asian tourists visiting Cambodia, Philippines tourists could fill the gap,” he said.

According to statistics from the Cambodian government, bilateral trade between Cambodia and the Philippines was valued at $25 million in 2014 compared to about $21 million in the previous year.