Cambodian visitor arrivals increase

HCMC – Vietnam has seen a significant rise in high-spending tourists from Cambodia.

The neighboring country has emerged as one of Vietnam’s top ten tourism source markets, with 198,000 visitors in the first half of this year. Notably, Cambodian arrivals have soared by 338% against the same period in 2019, placing it among the top five fastest-growing source markets, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

A source from a leading tourism company in HCMC said that while medical examination and treatment used to be the primary reason for their visits, post-pandemic trends now include longer stays and weekend trips through border gates.

There are three categories of Cambodian guests coming to Vietnam. Traditional visitors primarily come from three provinces adjacent to Tay Ninh Province and usually make day tours. Luxury tourists from major cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap travel to Vietnam to seek medical care. The third category includes tourists who opt for long-stay holidays, often choosing Tay Ninh-Phu Quoc-Da Lat-Vung Tau tours.

The close proximity, stunning beaches, and delectable cuisine make Vietnam an attractive destination for Cambodian travelers. The number of Cambodians visiting Vietnam through travel agencies also increased by 10% in the first five months against the pre-pandemic same period in 2019.

Due to reasonable costs, convenient transportation, and smooth border checks, Cambodian visitors often enter Vietnam by road. The Moc Bai border gate serves as one of the key entry points for Cambodian visitors to Vietnam.

Tay Ninh, a province in the southeast region of Vietnam that shares a border with Cambodia, saw a 14% year-on-year increase in Cambodian visitor arrivals during January-June, reaching a total of 3.5 million. Tourism has contributed VND1,450 billion to the province, up a staggering 71% over last year.

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