Indonesian tourists to Cambodia jump eleven-fold in 5 years

Indonesian tourists to Cambodia increased by eleven-fold during the past five years, according to the latest data released by the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh.

The number of Indonesian tourists coming to Cambodia has increased drastically in the last five years, the diplomatic mission said on Friday.

“In 2024, 166,795 arrivals were recorded, an 11-fold increase compared to 2020 with 14,564 arrivals. In fact, Cambodia is now among the top 10 destinations most visited by Indonesian citizens,” the embassy pointed out.

The rising tourist numbers from Indonesia are in line with the growing bilateral ties between the two nations.

In December last, both countries agreed on four key points to further promote their bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector. The agreement was inked during a meeting between Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism and Santo Darmosumarto, Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, at the ministry’s headquarters in Phnom Penh.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the four points include promoting halal tourism in Cambodia, encouraging Indonesian air operators to launch direct flights between Bali and Siem Reap, fostering cooperation in the tourism sector through private players and devising strategies to organise tour packages involving the two countries.

Both sides also agreed to enhance cooperation between the tourism ministries of the two nations.

Speaking to Khmer Times, Hassan J Hassan, Managing Director of Salaf Travels in Jakarta, said the number of tourists from Indonesia to Cambodia will substantially rise in the coming days.

“Along with Indonesian citizens, there is a growing population of expatriates across Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta, Batam and Bali, who are ready to explore all major destinations of Southeast Asia, and Cambodia is well positioned in the region to offer the best tourism products to them.”

He emphasised that a direct flight between Bali and Siem Reap would be a total game changer. “This will enable the creation of joint tourism products and joint packages.”

In 2024, Indonesia saw a significant increase in outbound tourism, with Indonesian residents making 7.38 million trips last year, a 19.48 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023, though the number is still below pre-pandemic levels. The most popular destinations for the country’s travellers include Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan, among others.

Cambodia attracted 6.7 million foreign visitors in 2024, up 22.9 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

According to Hun Dany, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia’s top five tourism markets last year were Thailand, Vietnam, China, Laos, and the United States.

She attributed the Kingdom’s significant growth to its peace, political stability, attractive tourist destinations, and good hospitality.

“For 2025, we expect to attract some seven million international tourists,” she said.

Since the start of this year, the Royal Government has lowered the visa fee for tourist type (e-Visa T) to $30 from $36 and for regular type (e-Visa E) to $35 from $42.

The move is aimed at attracting more foreign tourists, especially from Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia.