PHNOM PENH, 28 February 2019: Cambodians are travelling overseas more than ever before according to the latest assessment from the Ministry of Tourism.
Claiming higher living standards and more low-cost airlines flying
Ministry officials reported on travel trends at a media briefing on the sidelines of a campaign to honour the cleanest towns in the country earlier this week.
The m]inistry estimates suggested 1.9 million Cambodians travelled outside the country in 2018 up 13.9%. The figure is based on passport holders passing through airport checkpoints.
The Ministry of Tourism spokesperson, Chuk Chumnor, quoted by Khmer Times, said the boost in outbound travel was due to an increase in disposable income mainly on the back of rising wages and cuts to holiday package prices.
Thailand, Malaysia and China are top destinations, but packages to Vietnam are competitive.
Cambodians visiting Thailand made 882,015 trips in 2018 across all checkpoints (land, sea and air), while visits to Vietnam reached 202,954.
Traditionally, Phnom Penh’s wealthy elite travel to Europe and Australia. France due to the colonial links is a popular destination, mainly for shopping and studies.
The main reason Cambodians travel abroad are shopping, medical checkups, and business, Chumnor explained.
But Cambodia’s Pacific Asia Travel Association chapter chairman, Thourn Sinan, told Khmer Times there was downside to the outbound travel boom claiming it encouraged Cambodians to seek medical care overseas.
“Cambodians spend millions of dollars every year on medical services abroad, which is a big loss for local players in the medical sector,” he told the daily newspaper.
