Cambodia received 5.57 million international tourists in 2025, a 16.9% decrease from the record 6.70 million arrivals in 2024, marking the first contraction in the sector since the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Tourism. This decline was primarily caused by a 56.8% plunge in arrivals via the Cambodia-Thailand land border, which has been closed since June 2025 amid military confrontations and tensions between the two countries.
While land arrivals fell sharply by 37.8% to 2.62 million in 2025, air arrivals increased by 19.2%, reaching 2.86 million. The newly opened Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh accounted for much of
that growth, handling 2.11 million arrivals, up 20.6% from the previous year. Siem Reap Angkor International Airport saw arrivals grow by 9.3% to 672,031, while Sihanoukville International Airport experienced a 144.5% surge to 71,451 arrivals. The rise of air transport pushed its share of total arrivals from 35.8% in 2024 to 51.3% in 2025.
The closure of the Thai land border dramatically reshaped source market rankings. Thailand, Cambodia’s largest market in 2024 with over 2.1 million visitors, dropped 52.4% to 1.02 million arrivals, falling to third place behind Vietnam and China. Vietnam became the top source market in 2025 with
1.22 million arrivals, down only 8.8%, while Chinese arrivals climbed 41.5% to 1.2 million. Other traditional markets such as Laos and South Korea experienced sharp declines of 60.7% and 20.6%, respectively.
Domestic tourism rose 11.7% to 25.16 million trips in 2025, supported by the government’s “Visit Cambodia in the Green Season” campaign. This initiative attracted 9.46 million domestic travelers from May to October 2025, a 64.7% increase year-on-year, focusing demand on regions less affected by the border crisis such as Kep, Kampot, and northeastern ecotourism sites. Phnom Penh remained the leading domestic destination with nearly 10 million visitors, followed by
the coastal area with 9.4 million visits and the cultural zone around Siem Reap with 3.5 million.
Despite the drop in international visitors, tourism receipts increased 6.6% to $3.88 billion in 2025, boosting tourism’s contribution to Cambodia’s GDP to 9.8% from 9.4% the previous year. The sector provides approximately 420,000 direct jobs, supported by 95,588 hotel and guesthouse rooms, 2,301 registered restaurants, and 652 licensed tour operators and travel agencies.
Data through May 2026 show continued challenges as the Cambodia-Thailand border remains closed. International arrivals fell 47.8% to 1.54 million between January and May 2026, with Siem Reap Angkor International
Airport arrivals dropping 31.9% in the same period. International tourism receipts collapsed 31.5% to $1.4 billion during the first half of 2026. Domestic trips surged, increasing 58% in the first quarter and 54.2% over the first five months of 2026. The government expanded the “Visit Cambodia in the Green Season” campaign in 2026 with accommodation and dining discounts, and implemented a visa-free entry for Chinese visitors from June 15 to October 15.
Prime Minister Hun Manet stated in June 2026 that there is no immediate plan to reopen the Thai border. The regional macroeconomic research office AMRO cautioned that sustained
border closures, inflation, and rising transport costs will continue to impede Cambodia’s tourism recovery until a political resolution is reached.
The ongoing border crisis has significantly reduced international arrivals and hotel occupancy, which dropped from 77.8% in 2024 to 59.1% in 2025, and shortened the average length of stay from 7.1 to 6.2 days. Travel advisories recommend avoiding areas within 50 kilometers of the Cambodia-Thailand conflict zone. Additionally, negative media coverage of online scams has dampened traveler confidence further, contributing to a broader decline in international tourism beyond the border disruption itself.
