Cambodia Welcomes Over 460k Chinese Tourists in Seven Months, Marking a 45% Increase

• 27 August 2024
• Local News
• 651 Views

In the first seven months of 2024, Cambodia saw a significant boost in tourism with 463,980 Chinese tourists visiting the country, representing a 45.6% increase from the same period last year. This surge in visitors highlights the growing appeal of Cambodia as a travel destination for Chinese tourists, who now make up 12.4% of the 3.74 million international tourists to the country. This data was published by Xinhua on 23 August 2024.

Chinese tourists are currently the third largest group of international visitors to Cambodia, following tourists from Thailand and Vietnam. Top Sopheak, Secretary of State and spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism, emphasised Cambodia’s desire to attract even more Chinese tourists through new initiatives, such as the “Year of Cambodia-China Population Exchange 2024” program. Launched at the beginning of the year, this program aims to strengthen cultural ties and increase tourist arrivals from China.

Yen Samnang, a researcher at the Phnom Penh-based Institute of Asian Perspectives, echoed this sentiment, noting that the initiative along with existing free trade agreements, are expected to drive tourism and economic cooperation.

“It is believed that this initiative, along with other free trade agreements in place, will be a major driver of tourism promotion and economic cooperation that attracts tourists and investors,” he said, adding that these efforts would lead to job creation and infrastructure development in Cambodia.

• Economy and Finance
• Tourism and Travelling