This Week in Asia Economics
Tourist arrivals have collapsed by nearly 50 per cent this year, forcing local operators to rethink Cambodia’s entire pitch
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Watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat once meant fighting for elbow room, a hundred phone screens glowing in the dark as tour buses disgorged crowds chasing the same postcard-perfect shot
These days, the 12th century temple complex is comparatively quiet, with operators reporting an emptying of Cambodia ’s most recognisable landmark.
“Angkor is as quiet as I have seen it in years,” said Akim Ly, founder of the Siem Reap-based tour company Adventures Cambodia and a member of the Cambodia Tourism Association.
“The travellers who do come are standing at sunrise with space around them – and that is worth saying out loud.”
Cambodia’s tourism industry is in retreat: squeezed by safety concerns, border clashes with Thailand and reputational damage caused by the scam compounds that proliferated within its borders.