Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Recently, at a special event on “Expanding Travel Routes for Indian Tourists to Cambodia,” President Chae Soo Ling publicly called on the Cambodian government to refer to its preferential visa policies for Chinese tourists and grant Indian tourists the same visa-free treatment, in order to further tap the huge potential of the South Asian tourist market.
In an interview with the media, President Chae Soo Ling pointed out that India, as one of the world's most promising source markets for tourists, has seen a significant increase in the number of visitors to Cambodia recently. However, the current visa application process—whether e-visa or visa on arrival—still requires tourists to prepare various documents and consumes additional time, which to some extent affects the entry experience and overall attractiveness.
“If a visa-free policy equal to that for Chinese tourists could be implemented for Indian tourists, it would greatly enhance Cambodia's competitive advantage as a top tourist destination,” Chae Soo Ling emphasized. “This is not only an administrative facilitation measure, but also a core driving force for attracting and retaining high-end Indian tourists.”
Regarding the feasibility of implementing the policy, Chae Soo Ling suggested that the government could adopt a “trial implementation followed by dynamic evaluation” model. She proposed a 4-6 month pilot visa-free program to evaluate its effectiveness by observing tourist growth, spending power, and market feedback. She believes a seamless entry process would significantly improve tourist satisfaction and generate positive word-of-mouth, attracting more Indian tourists to Cambodia.
It is understood that to revitalize the tourism industry, the Cambodian government has announced a pilot visa-free policy for Chinese citizens from June 15 to October 15, 2026. Tourists will not need to apply for visas or pay related fees; they only need to fill out an online electronic arrival card (Cambodia e-Arrival). Each entry allows a stay of up to 14 days and supports multiple entries.
Industry experts analyze that India and China are both populous countries and emerging consumer markets. If Cambodia can replicate a similar preferential scheme for the Indian market, it will effectively change the current situation of heavy reliance on a single source market and promote a more balanced and sustainable international development of Cambodia's tourism industry.
