Cambodia Battles to Win Back Tourists After Scam Crisis Slashes Hong Kong Arrivals by 99%

Cambodia faces a tourism crisis unprecedented in the region. Only 62 Hong Kong residents visited between January and September 2025—a 99.5% collapse from the 13,000 visitors recorded in 2017. The cause is not typical competition but a documented crisis: an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people, many foreign nationals, have been trafficked into online scam factories operating within Cambodia's borders. While these operations do not directly target tourists on the ground, they have poisoned Cambodia's brand among Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland Chinese travelers, where horror stories circulate widely on social media. In response, Cambodia's government is deploying aggressive countermeasures—mass deportations, a new pilot visa waiver, and direct accountability for officials. Whether these steps can reverse the damage remains uncertain.

Why This Matters

• Scale of collapse: Only 62 Hong Kong residents visited Cambodia between January and September 2025—down from over 13,000 in 2017—making it one of the most dramatic tourism collapses in Southeast Asia.

• Policy response: A visa-free scheme for Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland Chinese travelers will run from June to October 2026, but tour operators say it won't move the needle on safety perceptions in the near term.

• Regional shift: Hong Kong tourists are redirecting spend to Vietnam and other neighbors, creating a competitive disadvantage for Cambodia.

The Reputation Crisis

Cambodia's image problem is rooted in documented reality, not perception. An estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people, many of them foreign nationals, have been trafficked into online scam factories that run romance schemes, fake investment platforms, and other digital cons targeting victims worldwide. While these operations do not directly target tourists on the ground, their existence has poisoned the brand for travelers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and parts of mainland China, where the horror stories circulate widely on social media.

Prime Minister Hun Manet has acknowledged the damage publicly, stating that these networks are "harming the economy and Cambodia's reputation" and vowing to "clean this out" by April 2026. His government deported more than 13,000 foreign nationals in 2025 for legal violations, many tied to scam activity, and by February 2026 had expelled an additional 7,000 suspects. A Special Commission to Combat Technology-Based Fraud, led by Hun Manet himself, is now holding provincial authorities directly accountable for dismantling operations in their jurisdictions.

A draft law targeting online scams is in the works, aligned with the United Nations Cybercrime Convention, and a new sub-decree makes business owners and officials criminally liable for harboring illegal foreign residents. The government is also tightening immigration controls to reassure investors and tourists that the situation is under control.

Hong Kong Tour Operators Remain Skeptical

Yet for Hong Kong travel agencies, the crackdown does not translate into bookings. Yuen Chun-ning, CEO of WWPKG travel agency, said it would be "very difficult" to convince Hong Kong residents to consider Cambodia in the near term. Frederick Yip, head of Goldjoy Travel, echoed the sentiment, noting that clients remain fixated on the fraudulent centers and are redirecting trips to Vietnam instead.

Kim Minea, CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Board, is undeterred. He plans to invite around 500 global travel agents—roughly 20% from China, Hong Kong, and Macau—to visit the kingdom and see the reality on the ground. The goal is to rebuild confidence through first-hand experience, a classic crisis-management approach. But the execution will be complicated by the fact that Hong Kong authorities have issued explicit warnings about online job recruitment ads promising quick money, which are often fronts for scam syndicates.

The statistical collapse is stark. The January-to-September 2025 total of 62 visitors represents a 99.5% decline from the 2017 baseline of 13,000 annual visitors. For context, Cambodia welcomed approximately 4.75 million international visitors during the same 2025 period, meaning Hong Kong's share is statistically negligible and reflects a complete loss of confidence from a historically significant market.

Implications for Regional Travelers

For Thailand-based expats and business owners who travel regionally, Cambodia's tourism crisis signals a reputational challenge that extends beyond the tourism sector. The collapse reflects deep concerns about safety and trust that investors and business travelers should weigh when considering cross-border activity.

On the positive side, Cambodia's desperation to restore tourism means competitive pricing, visa waivers, and aggressive marketing campaigns are available. The Techo International Airport, a new hub near Phnom Penh, is expanding air connectivity, and bilateral campaigns like the Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025 are flooding the market with promotions.

However, regional travelers should be aware that petty crime remains a documented concern in tourist areas. Phone snatching, pickpocketing, and ATM skimming are frequently reported, particularly near Phnom Penh's riverfront. Ride-hailing apps like Grab and Wego are recommended for transportation, as they record driver information and reduce robbery risk. Travelers should verify vehicle details before boarding, as fake Grab drivers operate at airports.

Border crossing experiences can also be problematic, with reports of visa overcharging and bureaucratic friction despite clear signage about legitimate fees. These practical concerns, combined with the broader reputational damage from scam operations, mean that regional business travelers should factor in additional logistical friction when planning Cambodia visits.

The Long Road Back

Cambodia's broader recovery strategy hinges on diversification. The Ministry of Tourism is pushing sustainable and community-based tourism, partnering with international media like the BBC to showcase cultural heritage sites. Campaigns like "Visit Cambodia in the Green Season" aim to spread visitor arrivals across the calendar year, reducing dependence on high-season traffic.

But the fundamental problem is trust. The scam factories have created a perception that Cambodia is not just unsafe for tourists, but dangerous in a way that is structurally embedded in the economy. Even with mass deportations and new laws, the question for Hong Kong travelers—and by extension, other cautious Asian markets—is whether the crackdown is genuine or performative.

For now, the answer appears to be "show me." The visa waiver starting in June 2026 will be the first real test of whether policy changes can shift consumer behavior. If Hong Kong arrivals remain in double digits by year-end 2026, the tourism recovery campaign will have failed, and Cambodia will need to reckon with a multi-year reputational rebuild.

For Thailand-based travelers and investors, Cambodia's crisis is a case study in how reputation and trust—once damaged—recover slowly, even with aggressive government intervention. Discounts and visa waivers can lower barriers to entry, but they cannot quickly erase the structural concerns that have devastated one of Cambodia's most important source markets.