PHNOM PENH, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Minister of Tourism Huot Hak on Tuesday outlined several critical challenges driving a sharp decline in international tourist arrivals to the Southeast Asian nation.
Speaking to approximately 150 tourism business representatives, Hak revealed that international arrivals plunged 47.9 percent in the first half of 2026.
The kingdom welcomed just 1.75 million foreign visitors from January to June, down from 3.36 million during the same period last year.
"This downturn is driven by multiple challenges, including negative publicity, technology-enabled scam networks, and friction along the Cambodia-Thailand border," Hak said.
He also cited geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, which have driven up fuel prices and dampened global travel enthusiasm.
To counter these headwinds, Hak emphasized that the government has rolled out a series of intervention measures to support private businesses.
He stressed that a robust public-private partnership is vital to transforming these challenges into opportunities and restoring momentum to the sector.
During the meeting, the minister urged closer collaboration to rebuild Cambodia's international reputation, revive visitor numbers, restore traveler confidence, and ramp up marketing campaigns.
Tourism is one of the major pillars driving Cambodia's economy, alongside agriculture, construction and real estate, and exports of garments, footwear, and travel goods.
In 2025, the country hosted 5.57 million international visitors, generating 3.87 billion U.S. dollars in gross revenue.
Cambodia is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Angkor Archaeological Park, the cliff-top Temple of Preah Vihear, the ancient Sambor Prei Kuk, the pyramid temple of Koh Ker, and the Cambodian Memorial Sites. ■