Vietnam received more than 223,000 visitors from Cambodia in January, according to the National Statistics Office, lifting Cambodia to third place among inbound markets, ahead of Taiwan (China).
Cambodian visitors had previously ranked between sixth and tenth among Vietnam’s major source markets.
Cambodia-based newspaper Khmer Times reported that Vietnam has become among the fastest-growing destinations for Cambodian travellers in Southeast Asia, supported by easier visa policies and improved regional connectivity.
Vietnam currently grants visa-free stays of up to one month for citizens of Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos, helping boost regional travel, the report said.
Popular destinations for Cambodian tourists include Danang, Hoi An, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Vung Tau and Phu Quoc. Travel companies in Phnom Penh said many Cambodians also visit Vietnam for medical treatment, though specialised tourism products for this segment remain limited.
A senior outbound executive at a major Phnom Penh-based travel company said Vietnam and Thailand continue to be the two main overseas destinations for Cambodian travellers as both countries expand tourism offerings and transport links.
In the opposite direction, Vietnam remained Cambodia’s largest source of foreign visitors in 2025, with about 1.11 million Vietnamese arrivals in the January-November period, although that figure was down 7.3 per cent year on year, Cambodian data showed.
Vietnam overall welcomed nearly 2.5 million international visitors in January, up more than 21 per cent from December and 18.5 per cent from a year earlier, the statistics office said.
Arrivals by air reached around 2 million, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the total, while land border entries rose sharply to about 441,000, up 92.9 per cent year on year. Sea arrivals stood at about 58,500.
The Republic of Korea was Vietnam’s largest source market in January with nearly 490,000 visitors, followed by mainland China with about 460,000. Other key markets included Taiwan, Japan, the United States, Australia, Russia, India and Malaysia.