Chinese tourists visit the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. - Photo: The Phnom Penh Post
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s tourism sector has seen an impressive resurgence in the number of Chinese visitors, with official data revealing a nearly two-fold increase in arrivals from China in October 2024 compared to the same month last year.
“The number of Chinese tourists to Cambodia has surged by 75.2 per cent in October 2024, reaching 84,194 arrivals, marking a recovery since the pandemic,” said the Ministry of Tourism’s latest report.
In the first ten months of the year, 691,736 Chinese tourists visited the Kingdom, a 52.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The report suggested that the upswing in numbers comes as part of a broader rebound in Asian travel, with Cambodia positioning itself as an attractive destination for Chinese travellers due to its proximity, rich cultural heritage and growing infrastructure improvements.
“The rapid increase in arrivals from China has been supported by increased direct flights between key Chinese cities and Cambodia’s international airports,” it added.
Popular destinations such as Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace and the beaches of Sihanoukville have become must-visit spots for Chinese guests.
The number of Chinese arrivals has not yet fully reached 2019 pre-pandemic levels, however.
In 2019, the Kingdom welcomed received 1,503,109 Chinese tourists during the same period, meaning current figures are less than half of the 2019 numbers.
From January to October 2024, Cambodia received 5,374,738 international tourists, a 22 per cent jump on the same period last year, but still just 81.3 per cent of the 2019 figure.
This represents a strong recovery, but still not a full return to pre-pandemic levels.
Domestic tourism also showed substantial growth, with 13,586,567 local visitors recorded from January to October. This represents an 11.2 per cent increase over 2023, with the report claiming that this signals a resurgence in local travel.
While the increase in Chinese tourists has been celebrated, the report also pointed to a worrying decline in the number of visitors from neighbouring Laos, a trend that has been apparent since early 2024.
“The number of Laotian nationals visiting Cambodia from January to October 2024 dropped by 18 per cent compared to the same period in 2023,” said the report.
In October 2023, Cambodia welcomed 41,887 Laotian visitors, but this number dropped to just 16,987 in October 2024, a 59.4 per cent decrease. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
