PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's iconic Angkor Archaeological Park recorded a 27.6 per cent year-on-year decline in international visitors during the first nine months of 2026, according to an official statement released on Thursday (Oct 1), reported Xinhua.
Data from the state-owned Angkor Enterprise reveals that 510,528 foreign tourists visited the Unesco World Heritage site from January to September.
The slump in arrivals directly impacted the bottom line, generating US$24.23 million in ticket revenue, a 25.9 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2025.
However, September figures offered mixed results. While individual foreign arrivals dipped slightly by 0.32 per cent year-on-year to 35,535, monthly ticket revenue rose 3.1 per cent to US$1.69 million.
Cambodian Minister of Tourism Huot Hak attributed the protracted downturn to an array of global and regional challenges. Among the primary headwinds are technology-enabled scam networks operating in the region, border friction with Thailand, and geopolitical conflicts in West Asia that have driven up fuel costs and curbed global travel demand.
Spanning 401sq km in the northwestern Siem Reap province, the park remains the absolute centerpiece of Cambodia's tourism economy. The historical site protects 91 ancient temples constructed between the 9th and 13th centuries. - Bernama-Xinhua
