International tourists visiting Cambodia will now pay lower e-visa fees as from January as the Cambodian government looks to attract more visitors and investments into the country.

The initiative, announced by the government on December 28, 2024, will see tourists with e-visa type T pay $30, down from the previous $36, with regular e-visas (type E) costing $35 instead of the initial $42.

The new initiative is part of Cambodia’s broader strategy to strengthen its tourism by making the country increasingly attractive for both recreational and business tourists, resulting in more revenues.

Cambodia is one of the Southeast Asian countries with a thriving tourism industry, which contributes significantly to the country’s economic growth, alongside agriculture, garment, construction, real estate, and travel goods exports.

The country’s tourism did pretty well in 2024, receiving at least 6 million visitors in 11 months, 22 percent more than in the same period in 2023. By year-end, the Asian nation projected the number of international visitors to reach 6.7 million.

Most of Cambodia’s international visitors come from the United States, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos.

Tourism Minister Thourn Sinan expressed his confidence that the reduction in the e-visa fee would boost the Kingdom's international tourist arrivals, making it more competitive in the regional tourism market, with more international tourists coming than the pre-COVID-19 numbers.

While the government views e-visa fee reduction as one of the best ways to open up the country’s tourism industry to many international visitors, industry experts are divided on the impact of such initiatives.

Some experts view the move as one that would attract more visitors and investors to the country, while others argue that Cambodia’s government should do more to make the country more appealing to tourists.

Thourn Sinan, leader of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Cambodia branch, said lowering e-visa fees for international travelers visiting the country was unlikely to significantly impact the country’s tourism posture.

In a statement reported by the Star, Sinan told Xinhua that the government should consider implementing better incentives for tourists from the top 20 source countries to enhance the country’s tourism appeal.  

Instead of lowering visa fees, Sinan urged the government to consider a full visa exemption for tourists from leading source nations, as has been done by some Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, which have recently witnessed a huge influx of visitors from most Western countries.

Other Asian Countries Have Granted Visa Exemption

In July 2024, Thailand implemented a visa exemption for international visitors from 93 nations and territories. This allowed them to stay in the country for 60 days, which an immigration officer can extend to 90 days when necessary.

As a result, tourist arrivals surpassed 35 million, which was the target for 2024, handing the island kingdom a total revenue of $53 billion.

The visa exemption policy has also played a pivotal role in boosting Vietnam’s tourism industry. As of 2024, the country had implemented visa exemption for visitors from 25 countries, allowing them to enjoy a visa-free stay for 14 to 45 days, depending on their country of origin.

As a result, the country received at least 15.8 million visitors between January and November 2024, a 40% increase from 2023 numbers.

While Sinan acknowledged that Cambodia’s economy may not be strong enough to support widespread visa exemptions at once, he emphasized that the government should do whatever possible to enhance the country’s competitiveness in the regional tourism market.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Manet, said it was not yet time for the country to waive visa fees since they are one of the key sources of revenue for the nation. In 2023, the country generated $3.08 billion in gross revenue from international tourists, playing a critical role in the country’s economic development.