Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism kicked off a four-month visa-exemption program for Chinese passport holders today, 15 June 2026. Announced in Phnom Penh the previous morning, the scheme permits multiple entries of up to 14 days each through 15 October 2026. The move aims to reignite a market that delivered 1.2 million visitors last year—over 20 % of the kingdom’s total arrivals. Airlines have already added capacity: China Southern will double Guangzhou–Phnom Penh flights to 14 weekly next month, while low-cost carrier Spring Airlines is eyeing a new Kunming–Siem Reap route. For Chinese corporates, the policy simplifies short inspection trips to garment factories and infrastructure sites funded under the Belt & Road Initiative. Shenzhen-based contractor State Build reported that 80 engineers were able to deploy to a Phnom Penh ring-road project without waiting for approval letters or paying the US$35 visa fee. The hospitality sector expects an immediate boost. “We’ve partnered with Alipay and WeChat Pay to let guests complete check-in in Mandarin within 60 seconds,” says Sokha Hotels COO Samnang Chea, adding that advance bookings for July are up 35 % week-on-week. Cambodia will review the pilot’s performance in October; officials hinted that a permanent 30-day waiver could follow if visitor numbers and average length of stay hit pre-Covid targets.
Source: Asian Speech
