Cambodia’s China Visa Waiver Trial Seen Dependent on Scam Crackdown, Global Promotion

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 4, 2025) — As Cambodia prepares to launch a trial visa-exemption program for Chinese tourists from June 15 to Oct. 15, 2026, a leading private-sector voice is warning that its success hinges on stronger crackdowns against online scams and aggressive international promotion.

Thourn Sinan, chairman of the PATA Cambodia Chapter, called the visa waiver a historic first and a major opportunity to capture a larger share of the world’s biggest outbound tourism market. But he cautioned that Cambodia must project itself as a safe destination and eliminate criminal syndicates in key hubs such as Sihanoukville’s Dara Sakor and Kampot’s Bokor.

“China is a huge and high-potential market. To make this trial effective, we must focus on strong global promotion and a deep cleanup of scam groups,” Sinan said.

The government has intensified its campaign against online fraud and transnational crime under Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, stepping up arrests, prosecutions, and deportations.

Between January and September 2025, police investigated 48 online fraud cases, leading to the deportation of 2,722 foreign nationals. Overall, Cambodia deported 21,000 foreigners during the sixth government mandate and 15,000 more in the first two years of the seventh.

Sinan said these measures are directly tied to the visa trial’s credibility. Without strong enforcement, he warned, scam networks could undermine Cambodia’s promotion efforts and discourage legitimate Chinese travelers.

Under the trial, Chinese tourists may stay up to 14 days without a visa, requiring only an E-Arrival Card, with multiple entries allowed during the four-month period.

Chinese Ambassador Wang Wenbin welcomed the decision, saying it would make the “China-Cambodia Tourism Year” more fruitful and deepen cooperation.

Cambodia hosted 4.75 million international tourists in the first 10 months of 2025, down 11.6% from last year. China, however, showed strong recovery with about 1 million visitors, up 44.6%, while arrivals from Vietnam and Thailand dropped sharply amid border tensions and shifting travel patterns. In 2024, Cambodia received 6.7 million international visitors, a 22.9% increase from 2023.

Sinan expressed hope that if the China visa trial proves successful, Cambodia could expand visa-free access to other major markets, including Europe and the United States.