How to attract Chinese tourists to Cambodia?

Cambodia is making a serious push for Chinese tourists in 2026. The country attracted 2.36 million Chinese visitors in 2019, making China its top source of foreign tourists. Then COVID hit, and everything stopped. Now, with Chinese outbound travel fully back the question for Cambodian tourism businesses is not whether Chinese tourists will return, but how to make sure they choose Cambodia over competing destinations.

Tourism is Cambodia’s second-largest source of revenue. The Cambodian Tourism Ministry has signed cooperation agreements with Chinese travel platforms and airlines to restore direct routes and boost visibility. But government efforts alone will not be enough. Individual hotels, tour operators and attractions need their own digital strategy to capture this demand.

Why Chinese Tourists Love Cambodia

Angkor Wat is the obvious draw. For Chinese visitors who want a world-class UNESCO heritage site with dramatic photography potential Cambodia delivers immediately. The temples at Siem Reap are highly photogenic and they generate massive amounts of user content on Douyin and RED. When a Chinese traveler posts a sunrise video at Angkor Wat it can reach hundreds of thousands of viewers and it drives real booking interest.

Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville add different dimensions. Phnom Penh offers history, food and a growing urban scene. Sihanoukville has beaches, and although the city has gone through a difficult period it is rebuilding its appeal for family and couples travel. Visa-free entry for Chinese citizens since 2023 removes one of the main friction points, making Cambodia an easy choice for spontaneous or first-time travelers to Southeast Asia.

“Cambodia is one of the most accessible destinations in Asia for Chinese outbound travelers, but it is still underrepresented on Chinese digital platforms compared to Thailand or Vietnam,” said Philip Chen, digital marketing expert at GMA. “Businesses that build their presence on Ctrip, Mafengwo and RED now are getting in early while competition is still manageable. Chinese tourists do a lot of research before they travel, and the brands that appear in that research process are the ones that get booked. Waiting for them to find you organically is not a reliable strategy.”

The Digital Gap in Cambodian Tourism Marketing

Most Cambodian tourism businesses are behind on Chinese digital marketing. Common problems include no listing on Ctrip or Mafengwo, no Chinese-language content and no presence on the platforms Chinese travelers actually use for inspiration and planning. Some larger hotels have a basic Ctrip listing but have not updated it in years and have not responded to reviews. This signals to potential guests that the property does not care about Chinese visitors.

Douyin is also underused. Cambodian destinations are visually spectacular and short-form video is the format Chinese travelers use most for destination discovery. A 30-second clip of Angkor Wat at golden hour, or a food market in Phnom Penh, can reach millions of viewers at very low cost if the content is right. For businesses that want to build a direct relationship with Chinese customers, a WeChat Official Account is also worth setting up. You can learn more about this through our WeChat marketing services.

Case Study: How a Siem Reap Tour Operator Changed Its Business

Dara Sok had been running Angkor Discovery Tours for six years. His company offered guided tours of the Angkor temple complex with a focus on small groups and local storytelling. European and Australian tourists loved his tours: he had 4.8 stars on TripAdvisor and a steady stream of word-of-mouth bookings. Revenue was comfortable but had been flat for three years.

When Chinese tourists started returning to Siem Reap in 2023 Dara noticed they were booking through large Chinese tour operators and getting generic group experiences. He saw buses of 40 people rushing through temples in two hours. He knew he could offer something better. The problem was how to reach Chinese individual travelers who might prefer a smaller, more personal experience.

A Cambodian tourism association connected him with a Chinese digital marketing specialist in early 2024. The plan was straightforward: build a Mafengwo profile with detailed Chinese descriptions of each tour itinerary, list on Ctrip with special pricing for small groups of 2-6 people, and produce six Douyin videos showing behind-the-scenes moments at the temples. The total budget for the first three months was $1,800.

The Douyin videos performed better than expected. One clip showing a 5am bicycle ride to Angkor Wat before the crowds arrived got 89,000 views in the first week. Comments were full of Chinese travelers asking for booking information. The Mafengwo profile received 8 reviews in the first month, all positive, from guests who had found the listing through a Douyin post.

By month four Dara was booking 6-8 Chinese-speaking small group tours per week. His average revenue per tour was higher than his European group tours because the premium small-group pricing held. By the end of 2024, Chinese tourists accounted for 44% of his total bookings, up from under 5% at the start of the year. His annual revenue grew by 67%.

The key lesson for Dara was that Chinese individual travelers, especially younger ones, were actively looking for alternatives to mass group tours but could only book what they could find online. By showing up in their search he captured demand that already existed. He now runs a dedicated WeChat group for past Chinese guests who refer new customers regularly: the platform does part of his marketing work for free.

Practical Steps to Attract Chinese Tourists to Cambodia

Start with Ctrip and Mafengwo listings in Chinese. Then build a small content presence on RED or Douyin. Work with a partner who understands both the platforms and the cultural expectations of Chinese travelers. For a full picture of what Chinese social media strategy looks like for tourism businesses, see our guide on Chinese tourists and social media.

According to Ctrip, Cambodia was among the top 10 fastest-growing destinations for Chinese outbound travelers in 2025, with bookings growing 58% year-on-year. Data from Mafengwo shows that Angkor Wat remains one of the most-saved destinations among Chinese travelers aged 25-35, driven largely by short video content on Douyin.

Cambodia Chinese Tourism: Key Numbers

Topic	Data
Chinese tourists to Cambodia (2019)	2.36 million
Revenue from Chinese tourists (2019)	$1.8 billion USD
Visa requirement for Chinese visitors	Visa-free since 2023
Top destination	Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
Key platforms for Chinese travelers	Douyin, Mafengwo, Ctrip, RED

How GMA Can Help

GMA helps Cambodian hotels, tour operators and tourism boards reach Chinese travelers through digital marketing. Our services include:

• Douyin (TikTok China) campaigns
• WeChat Official Account management
• Baidu SEO and PPC
• RED (Xiaohongshu) influencer marketing
• Chinese website design and localization
• KOL/KOC partnerships

About GMA

GMA is a Shanghai-based digital marketing agency that helps international brands reach Chinese consumers. Since 2012, GMA has worked with tourism boards, hotels, real estate developers, luxury brands and more. The team covers Douyin, WeChat, Baidu, RED and Chinese website design. Whether you are entering the Chinese market for the first time or scaling an existing program, GMA has the tools to help. Visit our services page to learn more.

Claire is a content strategist at GMA with 6 years of experience in Chinese digital marketing. She writes about tourism, branding, and how to reach Chinese consumers online.