PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's international arrivals fell nearly 48 per cent to 1.54 million in the first five months of 2026, down from 2.95 million during the same period last year, according to a Ministry of Tourism report released Monday (June 22).
The report noted that China, Vietnam and the United States were the top three inbound tourism markets for the South-East Asian country from January to May this year.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-Asean Studies Centre of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the sharp decline in international tourists to the kingdom reflected regional economic slowdowns, online scamming issues and the impact of border disputes with Thailand.
"The significant drop was also fuelled by Middle East conflicts, which sparked flight disruptions and high fuel prices," he added.
Tourism constitutes one of the four pillars of Cambodia's economy, alongside agriculture, construction and real estate, and the export of garments, footwear, and travel goods.
The kingdom recorded 5.57 million international visitors in 2025, earning a gross revenue of US$3.87 billion, according to the Ministry of Tourism. - Xinhua
