Cambodia reports a 44.4% drop in international tourist arrivals

The sharpest losses were on overland routes

Land arrivals dropped 62.9% to 784,088, compared with a 24.9% fall in air arrivals to roughly 1.41 million. That gap is important for tourism-dependent businesses: two destinations may serve different mixes of visitors even when they sit within the same national market.

Arrivals from Thailand were particularly weak, falling approximately 95%, from 962,462 to 47,813. China contributed 588,051 arrivals and Vietnam 585,711, making them the two largest source markets, although both also recorded year-on-year declines. The breakdown shows where the losses were concentrated; it does not establish a single cause for every cancelled or diverted trip.

For practical context, see Cambodia market and country comparisons. This development also connects with Cambodia to Suspend Casino Online Gambling in October.

August brought a slower decline, not a rebound

Cambodia received 254,877 international tourists in August. That was 24.7% fewer than in August 2025, following a 29.2% year-on-year decline in July. The pace of contraction eased, but the August 2026 total was still 50.9% below the same month in 2019.

A smaller percentage decline does not automatically translate into stronger room revenue or healthier cash flow. Those outcomes depend on where visitors stay, the length of their trips, spending and operating costs. None of those can be inferred reliably from the national arrivals total alone.

Recovery plans are still separate from measured results

In its October 7 statement, the Tourism Ministry recognised difficulties faced by operators and workers who rely on visitors. It invited input from businesses and the public and referred to initiatives supporting tourism recovery, including efforts in Siem Reap. The announcement provides context for the government's response, but it offers no evidence that the decline has been reversed.

Anyone assessing a guesthouse, tourism service or short-stay rental should therefore separate nationwide travel numbers from the performance of the specific location. Booking records, route dependence and local seasonality offer a firmer basis for planning than applying the 44.4% decline directly to property prices or projected rental income.