Cambodia began a four-month visa-free trial for Chinese visitors on Monday, becoming the latest Southeast Asian country to ease visa policies as countries across the region compete for a larger share of China's rebounding outbound travel market.
The move reflects a broader race among Asian destinations to attract Chinese travelers, but analysts say visa-free access is increasingly becoming a baseline requirement rather than a decisive advantage as more countries roll out similar policies.
Instead, safety, flight connectivity, travel costs and destination appeal play a growing role in determining where Chinese tourists choose to go.
Under the pilot program, which runs from June 15 to Oct 15, Chinese passport holders can enter Cambodia without a visa, stay for up to 14 days and make multiple entries after completing an electronic arrival card. The Cambodian government hopes the program will attract at least 600,000 Chinese visitors during the trial period and help push annual arrivals above 1.2 million this year.
Tourism is one of the pillars of Cambodia's economy, and China has long been among its most important source markets.
