A combination of the worldwide economic downturn, higher fuel costs and what the Ministry of Tourism described as "domestic challenges" has taken a heavy toll on Cambodia's travel industry. In the first eight months of 2026, only slightly more than two million foreign visitors came to the Kingdom, a figure that is close to half of what was recorded during the same stretch a year earlier.

Ministry figures published on 23 September show that Cambodia received 2,252,698 international tourists between January and August 2026. That represents a 44.4% fall from the 4.05 million arrivals logged over the same months in the previous year.

Among those visitors, 588,051 came from China, a drop of 25.1%; 585,711 from Vietnam, down 27.6%; 129,876 from the United States, down 7.3%; 79,946 from France, down 15.5%; 77,913 from the United Kingdom, down 14.2%; and 65,487 from Indonesia, down 35.9%.

Pressure on Workers in the Sector

Khiev Thy, who heads the Angkor Tourist Guides Association, said the decline in foreign arrivals had been dramatic. He noted that many guides who managed close to 20 working days each month last year are now finding it hard to secure even four or five days of work per month.

"The fall in international arrivals is putting serious strain on the local tourism industry, especially on tour guides, drivers and small vendors whose livelihoods rely entirely on money from foreign visitors," he said.

Efforts to Draw Chinese Visitors

To encourage more travellers from China, the Cambodian government rolled out a visa waiver covering all Chinese passport holders, whether they arrive directly from China or from a third country.

Under the scheme, Chinese nationals may remain in Cambodia for up to 14 days during a four-month window running from 15 June to 15 October 2026. The arrangement allows for multiple entries.

Angkor Park and Economic Outlook

Data from Angkor Enterprise indicated that 474,993 tickets to the Angkor Archaeological Park were sold in the first eight months of the year, down 29.07% from the same period a year earlier. Revenue from ticket sales reached $22.54 million, a decline of 27.43%.

In a report issued on 23 September, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) lowered its 2026 growth forecast for Cambodia to 3.9%, below the 4.1% it had predicted in July. The bank pointed to the weaker-than-anticipated tourism sector as the primary factor behind the downgrade.