PHNOM PENH, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's international tourist arrivals plunged 46 percent year on year to 1.99 million in the first seven months of 2026, according to a report from the Tourism Ministry released Saturday.
The report identified China, Vietnam, and the United States as the top three inbound tourism markets from January to July.
Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak recently noted that the downturn stems from heavy regional and global headwinds.
He primarily attributed the drop to negative publicity surrounding online scam networks, as well as friction along the Cambodia-Thailand border. Additionally, geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East have driven up fuel prices and dampened global travel enthusiasm.
Tourism remains one of the four economic pillars supporting Cambodia, alongside agriculture, construction and real estate, and manufacturing exports like garments, footwear, and travel goods.
In 2025, the Southeast Asian nation recorded 5.57 million international visitors, generating 3.87 billion U.S. dollars in gross revenue. ■