PHNOM PENH - Chinese tourists have remained the largest source of international visitors to Cambodia as the government prepares to launch a pilot visa-free entry scheme aimed at boosting tourism recovery.
According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, the country welcomed 331,199 Chinese visitors during the first four months of 2026.
The figure made China Cambodia’s top source of international tourists, surpassing neighbouring countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.
Despite retaining the leading position, arrivals from China declined by 14.5 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
The decline reflects broader challenges facing the global tourism sector amid economic uncertainty and changing travel patterns.
Tourism Minister Huot Hak described China as one of Cambodia’s most promising tourism markets.
He expressed confidence that the upcoming visa exemption policy would help accelerate the recovery of visitor arrivals.
Speaking to more than 11 Chinese media organisations on June 13, Hak said the initiative demonstrated Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening tourism cooperation with China.
“Chinese tourists ranked first among international visitor arrivals to Cambodia, reflecting the strong potential of the Chinese tourism market for Cambodia’s tourism sector,” he said.
The government’s pilot visa-free programme will take effect on June 15 and remain in place until October 15.
Under the initiative, Chinese citizens from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau will be allowed to enter Cambodia without obtaining a visa.
Authorities hope the measure will encourage more leisure and business travellers to visit the country during the pilot period.
The programme also forms part of wider efforts to revitalise Cambodia’s tourism industry following disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, China was Cambodia’s largest tourism market, with millions of Chinese visitors travelling annually to destinations such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and the coastal city of Sihanoukville.
Chinese tourist arrivals declined sharply during the pandemic because of international travel restrictions and slower outbound travel recovery from China.
