Cambodia Tourism Sees Surge in Tourist Visitors 2024

Cambodia experienced a significant surge in tourist arrivals during the first eight months of 2024, with nearly 4.3 million international visitors entering the country. This marked a 22.5% increase from the same period in 2023. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 3.5 million tourists visited Cambodia in 2023. However, despite this impressive growth, the country’s tourism sector remains below its pre-pandemic peak of 6.6 million visitors in 2019.

The majority of tourists in 2024 came from neighbouring countries, with Thailand topping the list at 1.34 million arrivals. Vietnam followed with 868,445 visitors, China with 538,834, and Laos with 242,104. Around 2.7 million, crossed into Cambodia by land, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam. Another 1.54 million arrived by air and 53,778 by sea.

Khieu Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tourist Guide Association, acknowledged the increase in tourist arrivals. However, he pointed out that the sector still faces challenges in returning to pre-pandemic levels. He cited global economic conditions, complicated travel logistics, high expenses, and limited promotion of Cambodia’s tourism assets as major factors. Despite this, Thy noted a more diverse mix of visitors in 2024 compared to 2019. This is because in 2019, Chinese tourists made up the largest portion of arrivals. He remains optimistic that the upcoming high season will further boost tourism, with the government introducing new measures to promote Cambodia as a key travel destination.

Cambodia tourism industry hopeful for more tourist visitors

Local businesses, however, are still struggling. Chheak Serey, a souvenir vendor in Siem Reap, explained that while Covid-19 is no longer a major threat, the global economic crisis and geopolitical tensions have hindered full recovery. He added that tourist visitors are still low. Despite the slow pace, Serey expressed hope that events like the Pchum Ben Festival would help increase foot traffic and generate more revenue.

In 2023, Cambodia received 5.45 million foreign visitors, generating approximately $3.04 billion in tourism revenue. While this marks a significant recovery, it remains short of the $4.919 billion generated in 2019. Nonetheless, stakeholders remain hopeful that continued government efforts and increased collaboration between the public and private sectors will drive the industry’s ongoing recovery.