Cambodia welcomed 5.57 million international visitors in 2025, a sharp decline of nearly 17 per cent compared with the previous year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism. The drop highlights mounting challenges for one of the country’s key economic pillars.

Vietnamese travellers remained the largest group, with 1.22 million arrivals, though this was down almost 9 per cent year-on-year. Chinese visitors surged by more than 40 per cent to 1.2 million, while Thai arrivals fell dramatically, halving to around 1 million.

Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the downturn reflected wider regional economic pressures and growing competition from neighbouring destinations. He also pointed to the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict as a factor deterring tourists.

“The drop also highlights lingering challenges in air connectivity and destination diversification,” he noted, stressing that Cambodia must broaden its appeal beyond traditional hotspots to sustain growth.

Tourism, alongside garment and footwear exports, agriculture, and construction, is one of the four pillars of Cambodia’s economy. The latest figures underline the sector’s vulnerability to external shocks and regional tensions.

With visitor numbers sliding, the government faces renewed pressure to strengthen infrastructure, improve air links and diversify attractions. Analysts say that while Chinese arrivals offer a bright spot, the steep fall in Thai tourism and the overall decline show the need for urgent reforms if Cambodia is to remain competitive in Southeast Asia’s crowded travel market.

-2026-01-28

The closure of the border virtually eliminated Thai tourism and seriously curtailed the Backpacker crowd.