Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism released a statistical report over the weekend on the number of visitors traveling to Cambodia in January of this year. There was an 8.5% increase in tourist numbers (647,206) compared to January 2018 (596,241.)

Tourism to the kingdom continues to grow year after year. In this first month of the year, a surge of 8.5% in visitor numbers was recorded compared to the previous year's January. A statistic worth taking with a grain of salt, however. Looking more closely, the figure does increase, but at a slower pace than the previous year, which had experienced a 12% rise in January compared to 2017 (532,206.)

China dominates by volume

More than 100 different nationalities visited Cambodia in January. China predictably ranks first in this standing, with 182,449 visitors to Cambodia during the first month of the year. This represents more than one in four travelers. An increase of 19.1% compared to 2018. The top 10 welcomes seven Asian countries (China, Vietnam [63,493], Laos [62,134], Thailand [44,087], South Korea [41,364], Japan [19,435], Malaysia [17,648]), the United States (30,254), France (22,189), and the United Kingdom (19,654). Laos saw its visitor numbers to Cambodia skyrocket compared to January 2018, a 47.6% increase that represents the most significant rise in this top 10.

A few records

This type of statistical report covers every conceivable figure and can sometimes reveal data that seems pointless yet indispensable. At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Chinese, for example, Monégasques were the least represented in Cambodia during January 2019 with 14 visitors versus 16 the previous year.

The United Arab Emirates is the nation that experienced the most dramatic increase in tourist numbers traveling to the kingdom of wonders, +1468% rising from 19 individuals last year to 298 this year. The Middle East has experienced remarkable growth in tourism to Cambodia with a 63% increase in visitor numbers to the kingdom this year (526 in January 2018 versus 859 in January 2019), making it the most dynamic region from this perspective.

Latvia experienced the largest decline in its tourist numbers visiting Cambodia compared to 2018. A drop of 48.7% (267, versus 137 in 2019.) The Baltic nations confirm this trend. Estonia saw its travelers plummet by 47.7% (440 in 2018, 230 in 2019), while Lithuania showed a far less significant decrease of 5.2% (402 in 2018, versus 381 in 2019.)

Thibault Bourru