Phnom penh: Cambodia welcomed 3.36 million foreign tourists during the first half of 2025, marking a 6.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to a report released by the Ministry of Tourism on July 25.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the report highlighted the top ten source markets for inbound tourism to the Kingdom, which included Thailand, Vietnam, China, Lao PDR, South Korea, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. Notably, Cambodia received 410,424 visitors from Vietnam, indicating a slight 1 percent decrease, while 387,505 visitors came from China, reflecting a significant 49 percent increase. Other major visitor sources included the United States, Lao PDR, the UK, France, Indonesia, and Japan.
Of the total arrivals, 42.3 percent, or 1.42 million tourists, entered the country by air, while the remainder arrived via land and waterways. H.E. Mrs. Hun Dany, Secretary of State and Spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism, recently emphasized the strong connection between peace, political stability, and tourism growth. She affirmed that peace and political stability are prerequisites for attracting tourists, noting that foreign visitors will not come to Cambodia if there is no peace, security, or political stability.
The spokeswoman also credited the Royal Government and private sector for implementing effective tourism promotion strategies and improving airport infrastructure, which have contributed to the increase in tourist arrivals. In contrast, the number of Cambodian outbound tourists fell by 8 percent, reaching 825,902 during the same period, the report added.
Tourism remains one of Cambodia’s four main economic pillars, alongside garment exports, agriculture, and real estate and construction. The Ministry of Tourism has set an ambitious goal of attracting 7.5 million international visitors by the end of 2025.