Cambodia’s flagship tourist attraction, the Angkor Archaeological Park, has seen ticket sales tumble by nearly a third in the first two months of 2026, as global conflict and regional tensions choke visitor numbers.

Figures from Angkor Enterprise show 188,885 tickets were sold between January and February, down 32.45% compared with the same period last year. Revenue fell to $9.17 million, a drop of more than 30%. The decline comes amid armed clashes along the Cambodia–Thailand border and wider disruption caused by the war in the Middle East, which has paralysed major aviation hubs.

Tour operators say the fallout is immediate. Khiev Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association, told The Phnom Penh Post that cancellations linked to geopolitical crises are mounting. He cited a group of Israeli tourists who cancelled their March trip, explaining: “International tourism in Cambodia at present is not in good condition.”

The war has created what industry leaders describe as a “connectivity blockade”. With Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi closed or restricted, more than 50 weekly flights connecting Cambodia to Europe and North America have been disrupted. Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, warned of a “compound crisis” as thousands of Western travellers find their routes physically blocked.

Officials stress Cambodia itself remains safe and fully operational. Sin Chansereivutha, spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said airports and airspace are unaffected, but acknowledged that closures in the Middle East have forced airlines to reroute or suspend services. Rising fuel costs and war‑risk insurance premiums are adding further strain.

Cambodia welcomed 5.6 million international tourists in 2025, already down 16.9% from the previous year. With Angkor ticket sales sliding sharply at the start of 2026, the industry is bracing for another difficult season.

Tourism leaders are urging a pivot to alternative routes via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam and Seoul, alongside flexible booking policies to reassure travellers. For now, however, the war’s ripple effects are casting a long shadow over Cambodia’s recovery hopes.

-2026-03-03

how can they blame a war that is only 3 days old, on falling numbers for the last 2 months?

Now if ur referring to the war with Thailand than ur 4th paragraph makes no sense

falling numbers are the result of the Thailand problems