Vietnamese tourists flock to Cambodia.

Cambodia welcomed approximately 1.01 million international visitors in the first quarter, with Vietnam being the second largest source market after China.

Tourists visit the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Photo: SCMP.

A report released by the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism on May 24th showed that the country welcomed approximately 1.01 million international tourists in the first three months of the year, a decrease of 44.8% compared to the same period last year. According to statistics cited by the Khmer Times , China continues to be the largest source market for tourists to Cambodia, followed by Vietnam and the United States.

Mr. Thong Mengdavid, Deputy Director of the Center for China-ASEAN Studies at the Cambodia University of Technology and Science in Phnom Penh, believes that the decline in the tourism industry stems from several factors, including the regional economic slowdown and the prolonged Cambodia-Thailand border tensions.

According to Mr. Mengdavid, instability in the Middle East has also contributed to rising fuel prices, disrupted flights, and affected international travel demand.

Conversely, Cambodia is also among the fastest-growing source markets for Vietnamese tourism. In the first quarter, Cambodia ranked 4th in the top 10 largest source markets with a growth rate of 41.1%.

Tourist Pey (from Cambodia) visiting Ho Chi Minh City, October 2024. Photo: Linh Huynh .

In fact, the two-way flow of tourists between Vietnam and Cambodia has continued to grow in recent years. In 2025, Vietnam was Cambodia's largest international tourist market with approximately 1.11 million visitors, although this was a decrease of 7.3% compared to the previous year.

According to experts, despite the general downward trend in regional tourism, Vietnamese tourists maintain their leading position in Cambodia thanks to the advantage of convenient transportation connections by both road and air.

The two countries currently maintain the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Tourism Working Group mechanism among tourism management agencies at the departmental level. This is considered an important foundation for unifying cooperation directions and promoting bilateral tourism development.

Vietnam and Cambodia also have a significant advantage thanks to their shared border and visa-free policy for holders of ordinary passports. The road, river, sea, and air transport systems directly connect major cities, making it easy for businesses to organize multi-country tours between the two countries.

A Cambodian tour guide helps Chinese tourists take photos at the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province, 2024. Photo: CFP.

Tourism is currently one of the key pillars of Cambodia's economy, alongside agriculture , construction, and the export of manufactured goods such as textiles and footwear. In recent years, the country has significantly increased investment in aviation infrastructure to enhance its ability to attract international tourists.