Cambodia tourism receipts up 7,690% in 2022

The percentage of GDP attributed to tourism was just 3.6 per cent, compared to 12.1 per cent in 2019.

Cambodia.- The Ministry of Tourism has reported that Cambodia’s international tourism receipts rose by 7,690 per cent in 2022 to US$1.41bn. However, the figure is still a 71.2 per cent decline compared to the US$4.91bn record set in 2019. 

The percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) attributed to tourism was just 3.6 per cent in 2022. In 2019 the country received 6.6 million international tourists and generated US$4.92bn in revenue, equivalent to 12 per cent of the country’s GDP.

In January, the government reported that 2.28 million international tourists visited the country in 2022, with China accounting for 106,000. Cambodia has said it aims to attract at least 1 million Chinese tourists in 2023.

Cambodians made some 13.93m domestic trips last year, up nearly 200 per cent yearly and 68 per cent compared to 2019. Cambodians spent around US$650m on internal tourism.

Although the rise in internal demand was positive, Cambodia still seeks improvements as Chinese travel recovers following the country’s reopening on 8 January. 

This year’s international visitor estimates are around four million, with up to one million expected to be from mainland China. A pilot campaign launched by China in February allows Chinese tour groups to visit select destinations including Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia.