Wikipedia

Tourism in Cambodia

Tourism in Cambodia is one of the most important sectors in the country's economy. In 2013, tourism arrivals increased by 17.5 percent year on year, with business travelers increasing 47 percent.[2]

Every year nearly 2.6 million[1] tourists visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Annual statistics

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Tourists at Angkor Wat.
Year Tourism arrivals Change References
2023 5,453,231   139.5% [3]
2022 2,276,626   1058.6% [4]
2021 196,495   85.0% [5]
2020 1,306,143   80.2% [6]
2019 6,610,592   6.6% [7]
2018 6,201,077   10.7% [8]
2017 5,602,157   11.7% [9]
2016 5,011,712   4.95% [10]
2015 4,775,231   6.1% [11]
2014 4,502,775   7.0% [12]
2013 4,210,165   17.5% [13]
2012 3,584,307   24.4% [14]
2011 2,881,862   14.9% [15]
2010 2,508,289   16.0% [16]
2009 2,161,577   1.7% [17]
2008 2,125,465   1.5% [18]
2007 2,015,128   18.5% [19]
2006 1,700,041   19.6% [20]
2005 1,421,615   34.7% [21]
2004 1,055,202   50.5% [22]

Ranking of international visitor arrivals[23]

Rank Country or territory 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
* ASEAN 2,067,504 2,161,254 2,121,220 2,097,758 1,918,130 1,831,507 1,514,267 1,101,111
1   China 2,024,443 1,210,782 830,003 694,712 560,335 463,123 333,894 247,197
2   Vietnam* 800,128 835,355 959,663 987,792 905,801 854,104 763,136 614,090
3   Laos* 426,180 502,219 369,335 405,359 460,191 414,531 254,022 128,525
4   Thailand* 382,317 394,934 398,081 349,908 279,457 221,259 201,422 116,758
5   South Korea 301,770 345,081 357,194 395,259 424,424 435,009 411,491 342,810
6   United States 250,813 256,544 238,658 217,510 191,366 184,964 173,076 153,953
7   Japan 210,471 203,373 191,577 193,330 215,788 206,932 179,327 161,804
8   Malaysia* 201,116 179,316 152,843 149,389 144,437 130,704 116,764 102,929
9   France 170,844 166,356 150,294 145,724 141,052 131,486 121,175 117,408
10   United Kingdom 162,395 171,162 159,489 154,265 133,306 123,919 110,182 104,052
11   Taiwan 134,430 121,023 104,765 109,727 97,528 96,992 92,811 98,363
12   Australia 127,430 143,852 146,806 134,748 134,167 132,028 117,729 105,010
13   Germany 98,976 118,265 108,784 94,040 84,143 81,565 72,537 63,398
14   Philippines* 98,499 108,032 84,677 93,475 118,999 97,487 70,718
15   Singapore* 86,251 81,063 70,556 67,669 65,855 57,808 53,184 47,594
16   India 65,882 59,571 46,131 36,671 28,529 23,610 18,999 15,240
17   Russia 64,726 65,275 53,164 55,500 108,601 131,675 99,750 67,747
18   Canada 61,551 69,077 60,715 56,834 52,264 50,867 47,829 42,462

* Country in ASEAN

Major attractions

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World Heritage Sites

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For a more comprehensive list, see List of World Heritage sites in Cambodia.
 
Angkor Wat
 
Preah Vihear Temple
 
Sambor Prei Kuk

Museums

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For a more comprehensive list, see List of museums in Cambodia.
 
Angkor National Museum
 
Cambodian Cultural Village
 
National Museum, Phnom Penh

Natural areas

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Bou Sra Waterfall
 
Phnom Kulen
 
Tonle Sap

National parks

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Further information: List of protected areas of Cambodia
 
Kirirom National Park
 
Ream National Park
 
Phnom Bokor

Cities

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Siem Reap
 
Phnom Penh
 
Sihanoukville

Other

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Banteay Srei
 
Silver Pagoda
 
Royal Palace of Cambodia
 
Bars in Koh Rong

Orphanage tourism

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Whilst there are approximately over half a million orphans in the country, only 1% of Cambodian orphans live in orphanages with most parentless children cared for by their extended family or community.[24] Yet, these institutions receive a huge amount of support both in donations and volunteer applications. According to UNICEF, the largest financial support comes from Australia, particularly from faith-based organisations, with 51% of churchgoers and over 3,000 local churches supporting care institutions both in Cambodia and throughout Southeast Asia.[25]

This support is ensured thanks to a booming orphanage tourism industry which has become a major problem across the country. An increasing number of travel agencies, charities, universities and high schools advertise placements to Cambodian orphanages.[26] As visitor numbers grow, there has been an explosion in the number of orphanages - between 2005 and 2015, there was a 60% increase, with half concentrated in the tourist destinations and two largest cities of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.[27] Facility owners have recognized an opportunity to profit significantly from an increased pool of foreign donors and volunteers, with around half being completely unlicensed or unregulated.[28]  

The industry is also fuelled by poverty with poor families latching on to the false hope of a better education for their children within these institutions. According to the Department of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation: “There is a general idea amongst ordinary people that ‘our children can lead a good life in the RCIs (residential care institutions)’.’’. Due to a lack of strong state assistance in education and social services for children, poor families are tempted to give up their children to RCI’s with the hope that they will be more adequately provided for.[29]

Many facilities are poorly run, incentivized by the prospect of lucrative profits. Research has shown that since the neediest institutions are likely to receive the most money from the altruistic donors, some are kept deliberately in bad conditions despite substantial donations. Sometimes, children are also paraded through the streets, taught to beg, sell goods, and perform to tourists for money. In this way, they become an exploited commodity, lining the pockets of institution owners.[30][31]

Even in legitimate, well-run orphanages, such facilities can still be damaging; institutionalised children are more likely to experience developmental delays, behavioural issues, poor physical health and reduced intellectual capability compared to those living at home with parents or extended carers.[32] Volunteers that come to these orphanages are usually unskilled and only stay for a short while. Not only does this create a child safeguarding risk, but it can also cause long-term emotional stress for already vulnerable children as they are encouraged to form close attachments with strangers only to be abandoned repeatedly.[33]

The Roles of Content Creators in Promoting Cambodia's Tourism

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With the rise of young generation Cambodian content creators, they play an important role in promoting the country's tourism sector. During an interview with Kiripost, Thay Chheangmeng, Managing Director at Kampucheers, suggested that the government should create an agency similar to that of Thailand, and the that agency is under Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)Tourism Authority of Thailand.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Angkor hosts 2.6M visitors | Phnom Penh Post".
  2. ^ Calderon, Justin (6 May 2013). "Asia Hotels In Investor Spotlight". Inside Investor. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  3. ^ "NAGA Corp" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Tourism Cambodia" (PDF).
  5. ^ "NAGA Corp" (PDF).
  6. ^ "NAGA Corp" (PDF).
  7. ^ "NAGA Corp" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report Year 2018" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report 2017" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report Year 2016" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report Year 2015" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  12. ^ "Cambodia closes 2014 with 7% growth". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report 2013" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  14. ^ "Tourism Statistics Annual Report 2012" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report in 2011" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report 2010" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  17. ^ "Tourism Statistics Report 2009" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  18. ^ "Tourism Statistical Report 2008" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  19. ^ "Tourism Statistical Report 2007" (PDF). Ministry of Tourism. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Statistic Tourist 2006". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  21. ^ "Statistic Tourist 2005". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  22. ^ "Statistic Tourist 2004". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Statistics and Tourism Information Department, MOT". tourismcambodia.com. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Orphanages – ConCERT Cambodia". Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  25. ^ Knaus, Christopher (2017-08-18). "The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  26. ^ Knaus, Christopher (2017-08-18). "The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  27. ^ Knaus, Christopher (2017-08-18). "The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  28. ^ Louis (2019-05-28). "The Harms of 'Orphanage Tourism' in Cambodia". ONETrack International. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  29. ^ Louis (2019-05-28). "The Harms of 'Orphanage Tourism' in Cambodia". ONETrack International. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  30. ^ Louis (2019-05-28). "The Harms of 'Orphanage Tourism' in Cambodia". ONETrack International. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  31. ^ "Responsible volunteering". www.responsibletravel.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  32. ^ van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.; Palacios, Jesús; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J. S.; Gunnar, Megan R.; Vorria, Panayiota; McCall, Robert B.; Le Mare, Lucy; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Dobrova-Krol, Natasha A.; Juffer, Femmie (December 2011). "I. Children in Institutional Care: Delayed Development and Resilience". Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development. 76 (4): 8–30. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5834.2011.00626.x. PMC 4130248. PMID 25125707.
  33. ^ "Volunteering with children". www.responsibletravel.com. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  34. ^ Rov, Hongseng (26 August 2023). "Explainer: How Content Creators Can Promote Cambodia's Tourism Industry". Kiripost Explainer Article. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cambodia.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tourism in Cambodia.
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