Cambodia is preparing to temporarily waive visa requirements for Chinese travelers, and tourism officials in Phnom Penh are already raising the possibility that European visitors could be next. Tourism Minister Huot Hak said the government may consider extending visa-free access if a four-month pilot program for Chinese tourists produces the results authorities want.

The move matters because it would mark a sharper break from Cambodia’s cautious visa approach and could help steady a tourism sector still trying to recover from a slump. EuroCham’s 2027 White Book says the country should consider visa-free entry for 15, 30 or 45 days for both business and leisure travelers, arguing that the current system remains traditional and still requires non-ASEAN passport holders to pay a visa fee no matter how long they stay.

Huot said the ministry values tourism recommendations and is looking at more progressive policies to strengthen Cambodia’s competitiveness as a global destination. He said the pilot visa-free scheme for Chinese citizens has been approved and will let the government measure the logistical, economic and security effects of targeted exemptions during the Green Season, Cambodia’s low tourist season. If the trial works as expected, he said, the strategy would be expanded to other major and high-value markets, including the European Union.

That possibility is being watched closely in Europe because Cambodia received 684,386 visitors from the European Union in 2025, a 12.3% increase from a year earlier. But the broader picture remains weak: Cambodia welcomed more than 5.5 million international tourists in 2025, down 16.9% from 6.7 million in 2024. In that context, visa relief is being treated not just as a tourism perk but as a test of whether easier entry can help reverse the slide.

EuroCham wants the policy push to go further. Alongside longer visa-free stays for business and leisure travelers, the group is recommending a dedicated visa category for digital nomads and says the recently launched pilot for Chinese tourists should be extended to other markets. Cambodia’s next step will show whether it sees visa policy as a temporary marketing tool or as a broader shift in how it competes for travelers and investment.