Cambodia’s tourism sector is bracing for a potential surge in Chinese visitors and investment following the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 17–18. During the two-day visit, 37 wide-ranging cooperation agreements were signed, reinforcing what both governments describe as an “ironclad friendship.”

One of the key highlights was the official designation of 2025 as the “Cambodia-China Tourism Year.” Plans include joint tourism route development, improved safety cooperation, and major marketing efforts to boost bilateral travel. Industry leaders such as Anheng Sokpheak, president of the Cambodia Chinese Tour Guide Association, say the visit signals high-level encouragement from China for outbound tourism to Cambodia.

China was once Cambodia’s top tourist source, accounting for 35% of international arrivals in 2019. Though numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels, signs of recovery are clear. Chinese tourist arrivals jumped 67.6% in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. With international tourist numbers projected to reach up to 7.5 million in 2025, Cambodia hopes to recapture and surpass past successes.

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