Angkor Rakes In $24M from Foreign Tourists in Five Months

KT Tep Sony

Cambodia’s famed Angkor Archaeological Park has pulled in more than $24.5 million in ticket sales from foreign visitors in the first five months of 2025 — a 10.64% rise on the same period last year.

According to Angkor Enterprise, the state body overseeing ticket sales, over 527,000 international tourists visited the ancient temple complex between January and May — an 11.71% increase year-on-year. In May alone, 52,767 foreign tourists brought in $2 million in revenue.

The uptick reflects a broader recovery in Cambodia’s tourism sector, which was severely hit during the pandemic years. Additional historical sites such as Koh Ker and Beng Mealea also saw healthy footfall, collecting over $248,000 in combined revenue.

Tourism officials are now eyeing even greater gains during Cambodia’s so-called Green Season — the rainy months when visitor numbers typically drop. Speaking in Siem Reap during Khmer New Year, Prime Minister Hun Manet urged officials and the private sector to revitalise the low season by organising events and boosting street-level activity.

“During the Green Season, we must strive to boost tourist numbers to at least 70 to 75 percent of those recorded in the high season,” he said.

Kao Philip, President of the Siem Reap Tourism Club, praised the lush landscapes of Angkor as a major draw and welcomed the government’s increased promotion efforts. He acknowledged the road ahead remains long but said joint public-private initiatives are already making a difference.

“We understand this is just the beginning,” he noted, “but we are committed to promoting Cambodian tourism, both at home and abroad.”

The numbers show momentum is building. Cambodia welcomed 1.83 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2025, up from 1.58 million in the same period last year. Following a successful 2024, when 6.7 million international tourists visited the Kingdom, the Ministry of Tourism has set its sights on surpassing seven million this year.

With ancient temples, renewed strategy, and growing interest, Cambodia appears ready to make its mark once more as a regional tourism powerhouse.

-2025-06-03