Looking enviously over its shoulder at neighbouring Vietnam – where international visitor numbers are soaring – Cambodia is grappling with strategies to arrest a sharp fall in its own tourist arrivals.
The tourism ministry said it has recognised the difficulties currently facing tourism operators and is responding with a tourism recovery programme for Siem Reap province, ongoing intervention measures and tax incentives for tourism businesses.
A “Visit Cambodia during the Green Season” campaign is continuing with an emphasis on nature-based travel and wellness.
So far, these measures have done little to arrest the decline in foreign arrivals, which dropped by 47.9% in the first half of 2026 to roughly 1.75 million, driven by regional border tensions and safety concerns.
One of the jewels in Cambodia’s crown, Angkor Archaeological Park, was visited by just over half a million tourists from January to September this year, down 27.6% from the same period in 2025. Revenue from ticket sales declined 25.9%.
One small reason for hope is that the opening of new land border crossings may draw tourists from Vietnam to Cambodia. The Khanh Binh-Chrey Thom international border gate, linking An Giang province in southern Vietnam with Cambodia’s Kandal province, opened on 3 October.
It follows the inauguration of the Muen Chey-Tan Nam international border gate on 8 December 2025, linking Cambodia’s Prey Veng province with Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province.