Cambodia is encouraging more travelers to discover the beauty of Siem Reap during the Green Season with the launch of the 2026 Siem Reap Tourism Service Mega Sale, which officially begins on August 1. Announced by the Ministry of Tourism, the nationwide campaign offers discounts of up to 50 percent on selected tourism services, making it more affordable for both domestic and international visitors to experience one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic destinations. The initiative aims to stimulate tourism during the quieter rainy season while supporting local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and tour operators across Siem Reap.

The campaign comes at an important time for Cambodia’s tourism industry as the country works to boost visitor numbers following a decline in international arrivals to Angkor Archaeological Park during the first half of 2026. By offering significant savings and promoting online booking through the official tourism platform, the government hopes to encourage more travelers to explore Siem Reap’s cultural heritage, natural beauty, and hospitality while strengthening the local economy.

Tourism Industry Joins Forces for a Major Green Season Campaign

The Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the Siem Reap Chapter of the Cambodia Hotel Association, the Siem Reap Tourism Club Association, and tourism businesses throughout the province to make the promotional campaign a success. Their collaboration reflects a shared commitment to revitalizing tourism during the Green Season and attracting more visitors to Cambodia’s leading tourism destination.

Under this pilot initiative, participating three star, four star, and five star hotels and tourism operators will offer discounts ranging from 10 percent to 50 percent on selected tourism services. The promotion is designed to benefit travelers while helping tourism businesses maintain stronger occupancy rates and customer demand during the traditionally quieter months.

Travelers Can Easily Access Exclusive Discounts

Visitors interested in taking advantage of the Green Season promotion can conveniently reserve their travel packages through the official tourism website at http://www.cambodiawonder.com. The online platform allows travelers to explore participating offers and secure discounted bookings before arriving in Siem Reap.

The Ministry of Tourism also encouraged both Cambodian and international travelers to share the campaign with family, friends, and colleagues. Increasing awareness of the promotion is expected to generate more travel activity while contributing to the continued recovery and long term growth of Cambodia’s tourism sector.

Why the Green Season Is Worth Experiencing

Although the Green Season runs from May to October, many experienced travelers consider it one of the best times to visit Cambodia. The rainy season transforms the countryside into vibrant green landscapes, while short afternoon showers often leave mornings and evenings pleasant for sightseeing.

Another major advantage is the significantly smaller number of tourists compared with the peak travel season. Visitors can enjoy world famous attractions such as Angkor Wat with fewer crowds, creating a more peaceful and memorable travel experience while often benefiting from lower accommodation costs.

Tourism Recovery Remains a National Priority

The promotional campaign follows recent tourism data showing that Angkor Archaeological Park welcomed 387,772 international visitors during the first half of 2026. While the destination remains Cambodia’s most visited cultural attraction, this represented a 31 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The latest Green Season initiative demonstrates the government’s proactive approach to supporting tourism businesses, increasing visitor arrivals, and reinforcing Cambodia’s reputation as a competitive and attractive destination for leisure travelers, investors in hospitality, and tourism entrepreneurs.

What This Means for Businesses, Investors, and Travel Professionals

The Green Season Mega Sale creates new opportunities for hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, restaurants, transport providers, and tourism startups to attract more customers during a traditionally slower period. Higher visitor numbers can generate additional revenue while encouraging greater collaboration across Cambodia’s tourism ecosystem.

For investors and business leaders, the campaign signals the government’s continued commitment to strengthening the tourism industry through strategic partnerships, digital marketing, and destination promotion. These initiatives help improve business confidence while supporting sustainable growth across Cambodia’s hospitality sector.

Conclusion

The 2026 Siem Reap Tourism Service Mega Sale offers travelers an excellent opportunity to explore Cambodia’s cultural capital while enjoying discounts of up to 50 percent. Beyond helping visitors save money, the campaign supports local businesses, promotes year round tourism, and contributes to the recovery of one of Cambodia’s most important economic sectors. For travelers, entrepreneurs, and investors alike, the initiative reflects Cambodia’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more resilient, and globally competitive tourism industry.

Cambodia’s tourism industry faced a challenging first half of 2026 as international visitor numbers dropped sharply, leading to a significant decline in tourism revenue. According to figures released by the National Bank of Cambodia on July 30, 2026, the country earned $1.4 billion from international tourism during the first six months of the year, a decline of 31.5 percent compared with the same period in 2025. While the slowdown raised concerns for businesses that rely on overseas travelers, a remarkable increase in domestic tourism helped reduce the overall impact on the industry. The latest figures highlight both the vulnerabilities and resilience of Cambodia’s tourism sector as it adapts to changing global conditions.

The decline reflects several external challenges, including regional border disruptions, geopolitical instability, reduced international flight connectivity, and concerns surrounding Cambodia’s international image. Despite these obstacles, local travel continued to grow rapidly, demonstrating strong domestic demand and creating new opportunities for tourism operators, investors, hospitality businesses, and destination developers across the country.

International Tourism Revenue Records Sharp Decline

The National Bank of Cambodia reported that international tourism revenue reached $1.4 billion during the first half of 2026, representing a 31.5 percent decline compared with the same period last year. Tourism sector growth also slowed significantly, expanding by only 0.1 percent compared with 6.1 percent a year earlier.

International visitor arrivals dropped to 1.8 million, a steep decline from 3.4 million visitors during the first half of 2025. Even after excluding travelers from Thailand, foreign arrivals still decreased by 29.6 percent, highlighting broader weakness across Cambodia’s international tourism markets. More details are available from the National Bank of Cambodia’s official reports.

Key Tourism Markets Continue to Support Cambodia

Despite the overall decline, China remained Cambodia’s largest international tourism market, contributing 25.8 percent of total arrivals. Vietnam ranked second with 25.6 percent, while the United States accounted for 6 percent of all foreign visitors.

These figures show that regional markets continue to play a vital role in Cambodia’s tourism recovery. For tourism businesses, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and investors, strengthening relationships with these core markets will remain essential for rebuilding visitor numbers during the second half of the year.

Multiple Factors Behind the Slowdown

Several issues combined to weaken Cambodia’s tourism performance during the first half of 2026. One of the biggest challenges was the closure of the Cambodia Thailand land border, which significantly reduced cross border travel. At the same time, international media attention surrounding online scam operations affected Cambodia’s tourism reputation.

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East also contributed to weaker travel demand. Weekly flights between Cambodia and Middle Eastern destinations fell from approximately 52 services to just 44, reducing connectivity and limiting travel options for international visitors.

Air Travel Declines While Angkor Revenue Falls

Foreign arrivals through Cambodia’s airports declined by 22.8 percent during the first half of the year. Visitor arrivals by land and waterways experienced an even steeper fall of 66.4 percent, reflecting the heavy impact of border restrictions.

The slowdown also affected Cambodia’s most iconic tourism destination. Ticket revenue at Angkor Archaeological Park declined by 29.8 percent to $18.5 million, demonstrating how fewer international visitors directly impacted one of the country’s most important tourism assets.

Domestic Tourism Becomes the Bright Spot

While international tourism weakened, domestic travel expanded rapidly. Cambodian residents made 21.9 million domestic trips during the first half of 2026, representing impressive growth of 50.5 percent compared with the previous year.

Phnom Penh attracted the largest share of domestic travelers at 63.4 percent, followed by Cambodia’s coastal destinations with 24 percent. Siem Reap welcomed 6.8 percent of domestic visitors, while ecotourism destinations accounted for 1.3 percent. According to the National Bank of Cambodia, new tourism products, festivals, and supporting events helped encourage more Cambodians to travel within the country.

Industry Sees Long Term Recovery Opportunities

Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia chairman Thourn Sinan said the slowdown reflected global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and intensifying competition in ASEAN, but welcomed the government’s crackdown on online scam networks, saying it could help restore Cambodia’s image.

His assessment suggests that while current challenges remain significant, improving Cambodia’s international reputation could strengthen traveler confidence and support future tourism recovery.

Second Half Recovery Becomes Increasingly Important

Cambodia welcomed 5.57 million international visitors in 2025, a decrease of 16.7 percent from the previous year. However, tourism revenue still increased by 6.6 percent to $3.88 billion, showing that visitor spending remained relatively strong.

The government is targeting between 5.6 million and 5.8 million international tourists in 2026. Achieving that goal will depend heavily on stronger performance during the second half of the year. For businesses, investors, airlines, hotels, and tourism operators, the coming months will be critical in determining whether Cambodia can regain momentum and restore confidence in one of its most important economic sectors.

Conclusion

Cambodia’s tourism industry is navigating a difficult period shaped by regional disruptions and global uncertainty. Although international arrivals and tourism revenue have fallen sharply, the strong growth in domestic travel demonstrates that demand for tourism remains active within the country. Continued efforts to improve Cambodia’s international image, strengthen connectivity, develop new tourism experiences, and attract key overseas markets will be essential to achieving a stronger recovery. For investors and tourism businesses, the sector continues to present long term opportunities as Cambodia works toward rebuilding visitor confidence and sustainable growth.

Nearly 400 residents living and working around Siem Reap’s famous Pub Street and Old Market are urging local authorities to strengthen smoking controls in one of Cambodia’s busiest tourism districts. The petition, submitted to the Siem Reap Provincial Administration on July 22, 2026, calls for stricter enforcement of existing tobacco regulations or the creation of designated smoking areas. The initiative aims to protect public health while ensuring that the city’s tourism industry continues to thrive in a cleaner and more welcoming environment.

As Siem Reap attracts thousands of domestic and international visitors every evening, residents say secondhand smoke has become an increasing concern for workers, business owners, families, and tourists who do not smoke. Rather than opposing smokers, the community is asking for practical solutions that balance tourism, business activity, and public health, reinforcing Siem Reap’s vision of becoming a smart and environmentally friendly city.

Residents Seek Better Protection from Secondhand Smoke

The petition was signed by nearly 400 residents who live and work around Pub Street and the nearby Old Market. They are asking provincial authorities to either enforce Cambodia’s existing smoking ban more effectively or establish dedicated smoking zones to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.

According to the petition, smoking outside restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and along public walkways allows smoke to spread throughout the district, creating an uncomfortable environment for employees, local residents, and visitors alike. Community members believe better management would improve the overall experience for everyone while protecting public health.

Community Says the Issue Has Been Ignored for Too Long

Resident representative Pho Socheat explained that people working and living in the area have become increasingly frustrated by the widespread smoking that occurs outside entertainment venues every day.

“Pub Street is an entertainment area where many tourists smoke, but the secondhand smoke affects shop owners, workers, residents and visitors who do not smoke,” he said.

Although the Ministry of Health has instructed local authorities to enforce tobacco control regulations and educate the public about penalties for violations, Socheat said many businesses have yet to fully comply with the rules.

He noted that smoking has been a long standing concern in the area, but residents had never previously submitted a formal request to authorities. He emphasized that the petition is intended to encourage better management rather than criticize people who smoke.

“We don’t oppose people who smoke,” he said. “We oppose the impact their smoke has on other people’s health.”

Socheat also warned that prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke may contribute to respiratory illnesses, headaches, and dizziness, with pregnant women and young children facing the greatest health risks.

Workers Hope for Practical Solutions

Among those supporting the petition is Pov Sreyleap, who works at a spa on Pub Street. She said cigarette smoke drifting from a nearby bar has repeatedly caused her to experience a sore throat and nausea during working hours.

She joined hundreds of other residents by adding her thumbprint to the petition, expressing hope that provincial authorities will introduce practical measures that better protect workers, local residents, and visitors without disrupting tourism.

Supporters believe designated smoking areas would provide a balanced solution by allowing smokers to continue enjoying the district while reducing unnecessary exposure for everyone else.

Authorities Review the Proposal

Siem Reap Provincial Administration spokesperson Ly Vannak confirmed that officials are reviewing the residents’ request and considering possible solutions that support both public health and the tourism industry.

“We want to welcome tourists while also protecting the health of residents,” he said.

Authorities are expected to evaluate options that maintain Pub Street’s vibrant nightlife while creating a healthier environment for businesses, employees, residents, and visitors.

Cambodia Already Has a Smoking Ban

Cambodia already enforces tobacco control regulations through Sub Decree No. 43 on Measures to Ban Smoking and Tobacco Smoke Emissions in Workplaces and Public Places, issued on March 16, 2016. The law prohibits smoking in workplaces and public places to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.

Individuals who violate the smoking ban may face a fine of 20,000 riels, or approximately $5. Business owners and operators who fail to enforce the regulations can be fined 50,000 riels, or about $12.36, with penalties doubling for repeat violations.

What This Means for Businesses, Investors, and Tourism?

For business owners, investors, and tourism operators, the petition reflects a growing focus on creating healthier and more sustainable destinations. Cleaner public spaces can enhance visitor satisfaction, improve employee wellbeing, and strengthen Siem Reap’s reputation as a world class tourism destination.

As Cambodia continues investing in high quality tourism experiences, effective public health measures could further increase the city’s appeal to international travelers while supporting hospitality businesses, restaurants, hotels, spas, and retail operators that depend on a positive visitor experience.

Conclusion

The petition from nearly 400 Siem Reap residents highlights the growing demand for healthier public spaces in one of Cambodia’s most visited tourist destinations. Rather than seeking to ban smoking altogether, the community is calling for practical solutions that protect workers, residents, and visitors while preserving Pub Street’s vibrant atmosphere. If implemented thoughtfully, stronger smoking controls or designated smoking areas could enhance Siem Reap’s image as a modern, sustainable, and visitor friendly city, benefiting public health, local businesses, and the tourism industry alike.

Planning a trip to Cambodia is becoming easier with the latest health guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published in the CDC Health Information for International Travel, widely known as the Yellow Book, the Cambodia chapter provides practical advice for tourists, business travelers, investors, expatriates, volunteers, and professionals preparing to visit the Kingdom. Compiled by experts in travel medicine, infectious diseases, and public health, the guide helps travelers reduce health risks while enjoying Cambodia’s diverse destinations.

Whether visiting Phnom Penh for business, exploring the ancient temples of Angkor in Siem Reap, relaxing along the southern coast, or working in rural provinces, understanding local health conditions is essential. The recommendations are based on scientific research, regional surveillance data, and years of clinical experience across Southeast Asia, giving travelers reliable information before departure.

Health Risks Differ Across Cambodia

The CDC explains that Cambodia’s tropical climate, rapid urban development, and vast rural and forested landscapes create different health risks depending on where travelers go. Conditions in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, coastal provinces, and border regions vary significantly, meaning visitors should prepare according to their itinerary.

Understanding these regional differences allows travelers to make informed decisions before arrival. Vaccination requirements, mosquito protection, food safety measures, and access to healthcare can all vary depending on the destination, making proper preparation one of the most important steps for a safe journey.

Vaccinations and Food Safety Remain Top Priorities

The CDC recommends that all travelers ensure their routine vaccinations are current before traveling to Cambodia. In addition, hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations are strongly recommended because these diseases remain common throughout the country.

Typhoid continues to be endemic in Cambodia, with increasing antimicrobial resistance making prevention even more important. Vaccination is particularly advised for long term visitors, people staying in rural communities, and travelers who frequently enjoy local street food.

Because travelers’ diarrhea remains one of the most common health issues affecting visitors, the CDC encourages careful food and water hygiene. Drinking bottled or properly treated water, avoiding raw or undercooked food, and consulting a healthcare provider about carrying medications such as azithromycin and antidiarrheal treatments can help reduce travel related illness.

Mosquito Protection Is Essential

Mosquito borne diseases remain among the most significant health concerns for visitors to Cambodia. According to the CDC Yellow Book, dengue fever is currently the most common serious mosquito transmitted illness affecting travelers and has been reported in both cities and rural areas.

Anyone who develops a high fever during or shortly after visiting Cambodia should seek medical attention immediately and request evaluation for dengue if appropriate. Early diagnosis is important because severe dengue can become life threatening.

Malaria remains concentrated mainly in forested and border regions rather than major tourist destinations. Travelers spending nights in these higher risk areas may require preventive medication in addition to using insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito nets.

The CDC also advises pregnant travelers or individuals planning pregnancy to discuss Zika virus risks with their healthcare provider before traveling. Although first identified in Cambodia in 2010, the virus continues to require careful consideration for vulnerable travelers.

Long Term Visitors Should Consider Tuberculosis Screening

The CDC recommends additional health precautions for people planning extended stays in Cambodia, especially healthcare workers, volunteers, aid workers, students, and professionals serving in higher risk environments such as hospitals or correctional facilities.

Because Cambodia continues to experience a relatively high burden of tuberculosis, the CDC recommends baseline TB testing before travel and follow up testing after returning home. Tuberculin skin testing is widely available throughout Cambodia, while interferon gamma release assays are also available, primarily in Phnom Penh.

These recommendations are particularly valuable for development professionals, international organizations, business executives managing long term projects, and investors relocating staff to Cambodia for extended assignments.

Reliable Health Information Supports Better Travel Decisions

The CDC Yellow Book serves as an important planning resource for anyone traveling to Cambodia, whether for tourism, investment, business, education, or humanitarian work. Following evidence based health recommendations allows travelers to minimize health risks while focusing on the opportunities Cambodia offers.

As Cambodia continues welcoming growing numbers of international visitors and investors, being well prepared before departure contributes to a safer, healthier, and more enjoyable experience throughout the country. Readers can find the complete official guidance in the CDC Yellow Book Cambodia chapter at https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/asia/cambodia.html.

Conclusion

Cambodia remains one of Southeast Asia’s most attractive destinations for tourism, business, and investment. Preparing with reliable health information before departure helps visitors travel with greater confidence while reducing avoidable health risks. By following the CDC Yellow Book recommendations on vaccinations, food safety, mosquito protection, and long term health precautions, travelers can better protect themselves and enjoy everything Cambodia has to offer.