The Diplomat: Expert Unveils 7 Strategies to Reshape and Revive Cambodia's Tourism

The Diplomat: Expert Unveils 7 Strategies to Reshape and Revive Cambodia's Tourism

PHNOM PENH, July 9, 2026 – Cambodia's tourism sector is facing a critical moment, with international arrivals plunging 47.8 percent in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to an analysis published by The Diplomat.

The analysis, written by Peter J. Brongers, a former vice president of the Cambodia Tourism Federation and current PhD candidate at Paragon International University, identifies two main drivers of the decline: the country's association with online scam centers and the border conflict with Thailand.

However, the author argues that the damage is not evenly distributed. While land arrivals fell 68 percent, air arrivals—the visitors who contribute more to the economy—fell by only 20 percent. The analysis suggests that the real challenge is not safety concerns but Cambodia's overdependence on Angkor Wat as its primary attraction.

"A properly resourced tourism board with a mandate to promote the country internationally" is the key to recovery, the author writes. The Cambodia Tourism Board (CTB), established in July 2024, lacks the budget and autonomy of its Thai counterpart, which spends approximately US$140 million annually on international marketing.

Brongers proposes seven strategies to revitalize the sector: offering incentives to low-cost carriers to restore flight connectivity; developing Mekong River tourism packages; promoting "dark tourism" around Khmer Rouge memorial sites; attracting digital nomads to Phnom Penh through special visas; branding Khmer cuisine internationally; preserving heritage architecture in Kep and Kampot; and correcting safety misconceptions through verified data and journalist visits.

"The expensive part—the product—is already present in Cambodia," the analysis concludes. "What decides the next decade is whether Cambodia funds the institution that turns its attractions into arrivals."

Source: The diplomat

https://thediplomat.com/2026/07/how-cambodia-can-fix-its-tourism-problem/

Reported by The Khmer Today