Cambodia is setting its sights on significantly increasing the number of Indian tourists this year through its new initiative, “India Tourism Year.” As India’s tourism sector continues to expand rapidly, Cambodia sees immense potential in attracting more Indian visitors.

According to a Cambodian tourism ministry official, the country aims to boost Indian tourist arrivals by 3-4 times in 2024. This initiative marks the first time Cambodia has launched such a focused campaign targeting the Indian market. The goal is to capitalize on the positive momentum in India’s tourism industry and bring a larger number of Indian travelers to Cambodia.

In 2023, Cambodia welcomed 68,836 Indian tourists, reaching over 91% of the pre-Covid levels seen in 2019 when the country had 75,286 Indian visitors. In the first six months of 2024 alone, around 32,000-33,000 Indian tourists visited Cambodia, representing a 17% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

The initiative includes participation in the Business, Leisure, Travel, and MICE Tourism Exhibition 2024 (BLTM) to enhance Cambodia’s tourism potential and promote the “1st Cambodia and India Tourism Year 2024” campaign. This effort aligns with the ministry’s “BUILD + 3Ds” strategic initiative and the “Visit Siem Reap 2024” campaign, aiming to attract more Indian tourists and investors to Cambodia.

To increase awareness of its various destinations, Cambodia has launched digital campaigns and partnered with travel influencers. Additionally, there are currently four direct flights between India and Cambodia, with IndiGo expected to introduce a new flight in November, connecting Siem Reap with India. This will bring the total number of direct flights between the two countries to five per week.

For Indian travelers, Cambodia offers visa-on-arrival facilities, as well as e-visa and embassy-issued visas. The country attracts a mix of leisure, religious, and medical tourists, and it is also positioning itself as a capable destination for large business events, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), and weddings.

With these efforts, Cambodia hopes to establish itself as a preferred destination for Indian tourists and strengthen the tourism ties between the two countries.