Cambodia records 43.7 per cent drop in overseas visitor numbers
Tourism observers cited border closures and reputational concerns, while questioning whether arrival totals accurately measure leisure travel.
Cambodia received about 2.46 million international tourists during January–September, Ministry of Tourism data showed. That represented a 43.7 per cent fall against the corresponding period a year earlier, when the country registered almost 4.38 million arrivals.
The second quarter saw the largest percentage decline, with about 738,000 arrivals, a fall of 51.7 per cent. First-quarter arrivals numbered about 1.04 million, a reduction of 44.8 per cent, while the third quarter brought about 712,000 visitors, down 29.7 per cent.
Thourn Sinan, president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia Chapter, questioned comparisons with earlier totals because of changes in how casino visitors were counted. He said the closure of crossings on the Thai border had halted cross-border activity. His estimate put the tourism decline at around 25 per cent when people visiting primarily for casinos were excluded.
Sinan attributed tourism difficulties to reputational damage linked to online scams and Cambodia’s border conflict with Thailand. While acknowledging government enforcement efforts against scams, he said international confidence would take time to rebuild.
Royal Academy of Cambodia research fellow Chhort Bunthang also challenged the usefulness of the totals as a measure of leisure tourism, saying earlier counts included gambling visitors and people involved in scam operations. He called for scientific research free of political influence to establish the reasons for the decline and examine its broader effects.
