The pandemic began in early 2020, and that year, Cambodia’s tourism industry saw an 80% drop in visitors. In 2021, that number has dropped another 85%. At the same time, people who once relied on tourism have had to diversify their income sources. Even those who don’t rely heavily on tourism are feeling the pinch.
The dark clouds of Covid-19 have cast a shadow over Cambodia’s tourism industry – one of the four pillars supporting the country’s economy. A spokesman for the Apsara National Authority – which manages the “crown jewel” Angkor Wat – said that at its peak, the site welcomed 8,000 tourists a day. But now, the number of visitors to Angkor Wat is only a quarter of that, about 2,000 a day.
Tourists from China once accounted for 40% of international arrivals to Cambodia, but strict restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the world’s most populous country have seen that flow dry up.
Stimulating international visitors
During the pandemic, tourism businesses received government support such as tax breaks. Meanwhile, workers in the industry who lost their jobs received support of 40 USD/month. In 2021, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism released a recovery roadmap to restore and promote the tourism industry during and after the pandemic.
In October 2021, the country tested a “sandbox mechanism” - a tourism opening model that allows international tourists to visit Sihanoukville city, Koh Rong island and Dara Sakor from November 30 without quarantine. This is the first step in an overall strategy to gradually reopen to international visitors.
At the same time, the country is speeding up the construction of a new international airport in the capital Phnom Penh and building more roads and bridges. As new infrastructure is completed, tourists will be able to travel to less-explored parts of Cambodia.
Siem Reap Night Market.
At Angkor Wat, the Apsara National Authority has used the Covid-19 shutdown to restore parts of the temple, allowing more than 4,000 workers at Angkor Wat to keep their jobs during the pandemic.
“Before the pandemic, we welcomed many tourists from all over the world. During the pandemic, Angkor Wat was restored. In addition, the entrance to Angkor Wat was cleaned. The stalls, which were previously concentrated near the temple entrance, have been moved to another area,” said Mr. Long Kosal, spokesman for the Apsara National Authority.
Currently, the Apsara National Authority plans to start local cultural tours around Angkor Wat and in Siem Reap, and at the same time, restart ox cart tours that will focus on nearby villages, where tourists can discover local craftsmen making traditional drums from tree trunks and wooden souvenirs.
In mid-July 2022, the “doors” of Cambodia’s tourism industry were fully opened. Cambodia was one of the first countries to “roll out the red carpet” for international tourists, after taking steps to control the Covid-19 epidemic situation. To date, about 95% of Cambodia’s 16 million people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 – one of the countries with the highest vaccination rates in the world. In the first seven months of 2022, Cambodia welcomed more than half a million international tourists.
Focus on domestic tourism
While foreign tourists have plummeted over the past two years, domestic tourists have been a much-needed lifeline for Cambodia's "smokeless industry".
In both 2020 and 2021, about 300,000 domestic tourists visited ecotourism sites. In 2021 alone, the number reached about half a million. Cambodian Environment Minister Neth Pheaktra hopes that locals can spread the image of their homeland to the rest of the world.
Cambodia's tourism industry is gradually recovering.
"Ecotourism is very important to us because these are new destinations that exploit the landscape of Cambodia. We have forests, rice fields, and communities that play a role in preserving cultural values. They have the ability to attract more foreign tourists to visit, and at the same time, make domestic tourists love the country more," said Mr. Pheaktra.
According to Khmer Times, tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the Cambodian economy. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the country attracted 6.61 million international tourists in 2019, generating total revenue of $4.92 billion. The tourism industry is expected to reach pre-Covid-19 levels by 2026 or 2027.
Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism spokesman Tith Chantha said that in the first seven months of 2022, Cambodia welcomed more than 500,000 international tourists, an increase of 394% over the same period in 2021, but still down 84.8% over the same period in 2019.
