Vietnam becomes Cambodia’s largest source of international tourists

Cambodia received 691,486 visitors from Vietnam between January and September 2026, making it the country’s largest international tourism market, according to statistics released by Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism.

China ranked second, with 643,314 visitors, followed by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Air travel accounted for 62.3% of international arrivals, while the remainder entered Cambodia through land border crossings and waterways, the statistics showed.

Vietnam’s leading position highlights the importance of cross-border tourism between the neighbouring countries. It also points to the role of regional markets in supporting Cambodia’s tourism industry amid a sharp downturn in international arrivals.

Cambodia welcomed approximately 2.46 million international visitors during the nine-month period, down 43.7% from 4.38 million in the same period of 2025.

The decline persisted throughout the year. The country recorded 1.04 million international arrivals in the first quarter, down 44.8% year on year. April alone saw about 292,000 visitors, a decrease of 48.3%.

In the third quarter, arrivals totalled 712,000, down 29.7% year on year. Cambodia received 246,000 international visitors in July, 255,000 in August and 211,000 in September, representing respective declines of 29.2%, 24.7% and 35.4%.

In response to the downturn, Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak called for stronger public-private cooperation to promote the country as a destination. He highlighted the need to expand tourism marketing, diversify products and services, and improve service quality to attract more international visitors.

He also urged local authorities and tourism associations to work together to promote destinations beyond Siem Reap, including Koh Rong’s coastal areas, the Mekong River region and northeastern Cambodia.

Domestic tourism, meanwhile, has provided a significant source of support for the sector. Cambodia recorded 27.2 million domestic tourist visits in the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 46% from a year earlier.

The growth has helped sustain tourism-related businesses and services as Cambodia faces mounting pressure on its international visitor market.

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