Even as the recent spike in tourism numbers in Kampot is yet to scale up to the same level as those witnessed in 2018-2019, the inflow of tourists in 2024 is quite encouraging. By sheer numbers, Kampot is now the Kingdom’s second most popular count-down destination, only after Siem Reap. What’s the reason for this newfound love? Recent improvements to the city’s infrastructure by the Royal Government are no doubt paying off, but credit should also be accorded to the provincial administration for pumping a lot of money to good use on the city’s new sidewalks, cleaned-up riverside promenade and others for people to use. As a consequence, the city has turned into a safe place both for residents and travellers
In the first half of 2024, Kampot province welcomed over 1.3 million tourists, including 62,000 international guests, a 30 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to a mid-year report by Soy Sinol, Director of Kampot Provincial Department of Tourism.
Kampot also proved to be the Kingdom’s second most popular count-down destination this year, only after Siem Reap, with the province greeting nearly 390,000 guests during the New Year period.
Tourism sector insiders from one of Cambodia’s fastest-growing travel and hospitality destinations discussed what factors are driving the region’s popularity for travellers this year and beyond.
Strong growth numbers
Steve Jolly, Owner at Karma Traders Kampot, speaking to Khmer Times, said that year-on-year, his tourism business is seeing strong growth numbers, with visitor numbers up over 30 percent in 2024, compared to the same time last year.
“While international tourist numbers are still down versus the pre-Covid era, they have definitely increased versus 2022 and 2023,” Jolly added.
Domestic tourism to Kampot Province has also increased, he added, mostly due to the addition of new attractions, cafes, restaurants and infrastructural improvements across the city.
Bas Van Der Laan, Founder and Manager at the Hotel Old Cinema Kampot, speaking with Khmer Times this week, agreed that tourism numbers are on the rise this year, noting that his hotel is also seeing bookings made earlier in the year for the next high season.
Alongside a positive increase in tourists numbers, Van Der Laan added that he has also seen a big increase in travel agents starting-up in Kampot province this year, which is another good sign for the industry in the near future.
Paolo Moscardini, General Manager at Rikitikitavi, said he has witnessed considerable year on year growth in his hospitality business, as well as longer average stays by incoming guests this year.
“We often have people stay for one or two nights and then realise how much there is to do in Kampot,” he explained, adding, “If possible, they often extend another one or two days so that they can explore more of what Kampot has to offer.”
Jolly however contended that, generally speaking, tourism numbers in Kampot haven’t yet met the same level as those witnessed in 2018-2019, prior to the setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
While national public holidays bring a welcomed boost to hospitality and tourism businesses, and the dry season remains popular with both foreign and domestic visitors, outside of these times the town is still relatively quiet, Jolly said, particularly during the monsoon season, when he noted that businesses in the sector may need to scale down operations.
Despite these lower periods, Jolly said his business has still been more profitable in the last two years as compared to 2018-2019.
“Since then we have increased capacity, maintained high occupancy levels and improved our guest satisfaction ratings on booking platforms,” he added.
Looking ahead, Jolly expects these arrival numbers to keep growing in years to come.
“With the local governments and private sectors investing heavily in Kampot’s infrastructure, accommodations and services, we are expecting the 2024-2025 high season to be a strong one,” he said.
Van Der Laan said that in recent years, the type of tourists coming to Kampot has also changed a lot.
In 2024, an eclectic and diverse mix of travellers are choosing Kampot for their holidays, he explained.
“Before there used to be a lot of backpackers in Cambodia. Since Covid we have seen a lot less backpackers, but we have seen an uptake in couples and families on holiday, or flashpackers with higher budgets rather than ‘travelling’,” he said.
There is also the fact that the middle class in Cambodia is growing, so national tourism has increased too, Van Der Laan added.
Jolly said that while the most common type of travellers his business sees are younger backpackers, digital nomads settle in nicely, and travellers seeking new experiences are drawn here too – whether through cooking classes, National Park and waterfall hikes, pepper farm tours, or adrenaline adventures,” he said.
“Kampot is also popular amongst retirees seeking a peaceful town with good healthcare, varied food options, and comfortable living,” added Jolly.
Recent improvements to the city’s infrastructure are also paying off, agreed commentators, drawing more tourism to the destination this year.
“I think there has been a lot of money put to good use in Kampot over the past few years,” Moscardini explained, noting the city’s new sidewalks, cleaned-up riverside promenade and the addition of several beaches with areas for people to use.
“For residents and travellers, safety is a high priority. So the recent addition of extra security cameras and brighter street lights in the city centre streets make for a safer environment,” added Van Der Laan.
Jolly, Moscardini and Van Der Laan also agreed that the recent addition of the seahorse statue, giant clock and improving the riverside area have dramatically boosted domestic tourism to Kampot, increasing the energy in the city’s downtown area.
“No doubt the anticipated giant Buddha statue atop Bokor Mountain will also certainly attract a lot more international and national tourism,” added Van Der Laan.
Sea Festival 2024
This upcoming weekend, the Ministry of Tourism’s (MoT) Sea Festival series will also be hosted in Kampot, scheduled from December 13-15.
Prime Minister Hun Manet and First Lady Pich Chanmony will preside over the official opening ceremony of the Sea Festival 2024 in Kampot.
The Sea Festival is a culture and arts event highlighting the Kingdom’s idyllic coastal regions.
This year’s event in Kampot represents the 11th iteration of the festival, and is expected to draw a significant crowd of domestic and international tourists and dignitaries to the region.
Cambodia Travel Match (CTM) 2024 will also coincide with the Sea Festival in Kampot this month, a tourism sector trade show expected to provide an exclusive platform for tourism suppliers to engage with international buyers, media, sponsors, and other key industry leaders.
Scheduled on December 14-15, CTM 2024 is organised by the MoT and Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia Chapter (PATACC), along with Cambodia Tourism Federation (CTF), Cambodia Hotel Association (CHA), and Cambodia Restaurant Association (CRA).
The event and others like them offer a welcome boost for tourism businesses in the province, who expect Kampot to be busy this weekend during the festivities.
Outside of improvements to the city’s aesthetics and more draw cards for travellers, regional tourism trends have also benefited the tourism sector in Kampot.
Alongside a drop in Sihanoukville tourism numbers, Moscardini said that more of that tourist capacity is now choosing to visit Kampot instead.
On top of this, now that road logistics connections have improved hugely nationwide, Kampot is now increasingly part of the country-side tourist trail.
“We are also on a great route for people to start in Siem Reap – go to Phnom Penh – and then onto Kampot – before then going either to Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem islands, or over to the Ha Tien border into Vietnam,” Moscardini explained.
Jolly summarized that “the town is currently at the final end of a facelift,” with new roads being sealed, footpaths being retiled for pedestrians, and public lighting to increase visibility and safety.”
In terms of road accessibility to the region, Jolly added that major Highways 3 and 41 from Phnom Penh are now fully sealed meaning “travel time has been cut considerably from the capital, resulting in more weekend trips from the city folk.”
Highway 3 to Sihanoukville is also currently being upgraded, with expectations for completion in early 2025, significantly improving connectivity between the two cities.
He added that travel from Vietnam via the Ha Tien border is also a breeze these days, with sealed roads the whole way and ample travel options for cross-border travellers.
While not open yet, Jolly and Van Der Laan noted that the Kampot International Tourist Port is also now under its final stages of completion, and is expected to significantly increase accessibility primarily from Phu Quoc, Vietnam, but also Sihanoukville, Koh Kong and beyond.
Cruise ships are rumoured to be stopping over in Kampot at this port in future too, Jolly said, hopefully bringing intermittent boosts of international tourists to the region.
If that wasn’t enough options, train services now also run between Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep and Phnom Penh, with recently upgraded carriages for traveller comfort and safety, explained both Jolly and Van Der Laan.
The expansion of domestic and international flights to Cambodia will also prove integral for encouraging growth in tourism numbers, added Jolly.
Also the development of the overall image of Cambodia’s south coast has improved tourism in the area broadly.
Kep’s beachside area has been completely revamped, Jolly explained, and nearby Rabbit Island is currently seeing major infrastructural improvements and sizable private sector investments.
“Naturally, coastal towns in countries all over the world are tourist hotspots,” pointed out Jolly. “Hence, it’s high time Cambodia started taking advantage of its beautiful coastline and islands.”
Van Der Laan suggested that one of the biggest drivers for the current boost to Kampot’s tourism economy is that the first layers of business and logistics connections are now fully established.
“For instance, it used to take us six hours to travel from Phnom Penh to Kampot ten years ago, whereas now the trip will take less than two and a half hours by road,” he said.
Meanwhile, there are also lots of modern amenities along the road now, with clean toilets and nice minimarts, he added, as well as passenger train services daily.
Connectivity changes alone mean more tourists wanting to come and visit the whole of Cambodia, including Kampot – and not just for the Temples, Van Der Laan said.
Influencing these relative growth trends, Jolly however explained that Cambodian visa policies may still be hindering tourism increases to locations such as Kampot.
“While neighbouring countries offer free visas, multiple entry possibilities, or extended durations, Cambodia doesn’t incentivise international visitors as much as say Vietnam or Thailand,” he said.
This means that foreigners interested in visiting Cambodia are presented with the task of obtaining a visa beforehand or at arrival.
“While that doesn’t sound like much of a cumbersome task, it still presents itself as a barrier to entry when compared to our neighbouring countries,” he said.
Flights to Cambodia also often involve stopovers in nearby countries, which can increase travel times and costs, said Jolly.
Kampot budget-friendly
While Cambodia and Kampot are great budget-friendly destinations, he said, the ongoing cost of living crisis is affecting many global economies resulting in tourists naturally choosing locations with more affordable flights, meaning Cambodia is not always the first choice.
Moscardini, however, noted these trends may also be gradually changing in Cambodia’s favour.
“Thailand is becoming more expensive and more difficult for visas in recent periods, and the same for Vietnam,” he said, noting that he has witnessed an influx of expats moving to Cambodia from Vietnam due to the comparative visa simplicity.
Alongside regional changes, Moscardini said, “Cambodia is gaining an exciting buzz of a new tourist destination around the world – pretty much like Thailand was 30 years ago.”
With this awareness, commentators agreed that Cambodia is growing beyond a destination dedicated to the temples of Angkor Wat.
“We have the feeling that tourists are starting to consider Cambodia as a holiday destination now; rather than just a quick visit to Angkor Wat and then going back to Thailand or Vietnam,” Van Der Laan explained.
“There’s much more to see, taste and experience here, and the word is getting out there through social media for sure,” he said.
Supporting this opinion, Van Der Laan said his hotel is also seeing a big uptick in the number of days that guests stay in Kampot compared to previous years.
“Before it used to be 1-2 days, with most of the one-night stays acting as a gateway hub between Phnom Penh and the islands around Sihanoukville,” he said.
However, having arrived, many such guests then regret not planning a longer stay in the Kampot, because there’s actually a lot to do, he said.
Increasingly visitors are staying longer, allowing more time to check out Kampot’s wealth of attractions, and enjoy the city’s laid-back vibe, Van Der Laan explained.
According to Jolly, as of 2024, the average stay of travellers in Kampot is about three nights, though he too has experienced that many guests choose to extend their visit after discovering how much Kampot has to offer.
The variety of activities available in Kampot ensures that visitors can fill any itinerary, no matter the length of their stay, he added.
Jolly said that while Angkor Wat is still the main drawcard for tourists visiting the country, other Cambodian cities offer fantastic attractions for tourists to see out the full 30-day tourist visa.
“Kampot offers a slower pace of life. With most of the attractions set just out of town, meaning renting a tuk tuk or motorbike is the best way to see the region at your own pace,” he said.
Guests to the region soon realize that the hustle and bustle of the larger cities doesn’t really exist in Kampot, so visitors can enjoy a laid back stay away from crowds, explained Jolly.
Kampot’s relaxed atmosphere and range of outdoor activities, like hiking, kayaking, and cooking classes, offer a refreshing change from more traditional destinations like Angkor Wat, said Jolly.
Moscardini added that for future growth of Kampot’s tourism economy, “we need the tourist authorities, travel agents and the government to continue to promote Kampot as a ‘destination to go to – not through’.”
Promoting Kampot widely to international and local travellers means that they know more of what can be done here before they arrive, and then realise they can stay for longer to experience and fulfil it all, he said.
