Cambodia’s reportedly strong arrivals fail to impact tourism businesses

Official figures indicate Cambodia is in recovery mode, with the nation welcoming 3.03 million international visitors in the first seven months of 2023 – however, tourism players on the ground paint a different picture. According to the Ministry of Tourism, arrivals mark a 308 per cent year-on-year increase, with Thailand topping the table, followed by Vietnam. Laos was fourth, while land and waterway arrivals accounted for 64.9 per cent of the total.

While Cambodia reported 3.03 million international visitors in the first seven months of 2023, only 498,513 visited the Angkor Wat heritage complex (pictured) “Looking at the tourism figures, people working in travel should be happy,” said Steve Lidgey, general manager of Travel Asia a la Carte. “However, the reality on the ground shows many empty hotels, restaurants failing, and guides without work as there are few visitors and a very low low season.”

Of all the captured arrivals, only 498,513 visited Angkor Wat, according to figures from Angkor Enterprise. This has caused inbound agents to believe that the majority of the 3.03 million arrivals are people crossing the border for daily trade or to gamble in border casinos but ticking the “tourist” box.

read more https://www.ttgasia.com/2023/09/07/cambodias-reportedly-strong-arrivals-fail-to-impact-tourism-businesses/