Cambodia plugs Western tourist leak with Viet tourists

Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat remain the two major tourism drawcards for Cambodia

Thursday, 14 October 2010
eTravel Blackboard

Cambodia’s tourism industry has rebounded surprisingly well since the global economic crisis, though the sector still has a long way to go to get back to pre-crisis levels and encourage more tourism from Western countries.

According to government figures, arrival numbers to the Kingdom show a 15 per cent rise in total arrivals in the first eight months of 2010 compared to the same period last year, The Phnom Penh Post reported.

Most of the tourism gains came from the near 50 per cent increase in Vietnamese visitors – the largest inbound market for the Kingdom.

US visitors fell more than four per cent and UK visitors dropped 3.75 per cent to the end of August, a sign of lagging recovery.

Efforts by the government to counter the drop in tourists from the West by reducing traffic restrictions with Vietnam have been successful, but have also contributed to a shift in the visitor demographic towards lower-spending, shorter-term visitors.

The average international visitor spent about US$1 less per day in 2009 compared to 2008 – just under $112 – which resulted in a fall of around $2 million across the industry. The average visitor also stayed for a briefer period.

Cambodia’s tourism industry remains heavily reliant on its two major attractions – Angkor Wat and the capital, Phnom Penh.

The major obstacle for the tourism industry is encouraging visitors, Western in particular, to venture beyond these hotspots and explore more of the country.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism is targeting 2.4 million arrivals this year and 2.8 million for 2011, representing an optimistic year-on-year growth of 11 per cent and 16.7 per cent respectively.