Koh Rong, Cambodia's Tourist Gem: Over 100,000 Visitors in the First Quarter of 2025, At What Cost?

The island of Koh Rong, pearl of the Cambodian coastline, confirms its growing appeal among local and international tourists at the beginning of 2025. With more than 100,400 visitors welcomed during the first quarter of 2025, including nearly 38,000 foreigners, Koh Rong establishes itself as a flagship destination, a catalyst for a sustained and promising regional economic dynamic.

Royal Sands Koh Rong

Spectacular Tourism Growth

The tourism boom recorded in recent years on Koh Rong reflects a broader trend affecting the entire Cambodian tourism sector. In 2023, the island had already attracted about 93,000 visitors, with an international share of 37,275 tourists.

In just one year, these figures nearly doubled, as 2024 saw about 184,600 visitors arrive, including 68,257 foreigners. The first quarter of 2025 confirms this rise with attendance exceeding 100,000 travelers, a progression illustrating the regained confidence of tourists and sector operators after a difficult period caused by the pandemic.

A Major Economic Driver

Tourism on Koh Rong plays a key role in local and national economic vitality. It generates substantial financial returns that far exceed the simple revenues related to accommodation, since tourist expenses extend to a whole value chain including transport, catering, trade, and ancillary services.

At the national level, tourism injected more than 23 million dollars into the Cambodian economy in the first quarter of 2025, supported by emblematic sites such as Angkor Wat, whose ticket revenues increased by 25% year-on-year.

Modernized Infrastructure and Strategic Positioning

The success of Koh Rong is also explained by significant investments in tourist infrastructure and strategic positioning. The rise of fast maritime connections with Sihanoukville, widespread availability of electricity and 4G internet access, as well as the development of quality accommodation ranging from charming bungalows to luxury resorts, have transformed the tourist experience.

The development of high-end projects, such as the future Port Yves Palace, a five-star hotel-apartment, illustrates this desire to attract a demanding and luxury international clientele.

The Cambodian government, through its Ministry of Tourism, vigorously supports this growth with targeted campaigns like the promotion of the "green season" to smooth tourist attendance throughout the year.

In 2025, the Cambodia-China tourism year further strengthens diplomatic and economic ties, attracting more investments and Chinese visitors who increased by more than 50% in the first quarter.

Prospects and Challenges

With a forecast of international arrivals between 7.2 and 7.5 million for the entire year 2025, the Cambodian tourism sector is on track for a record year. Koh Rong, affirming itself as both an authentic and modern destination, could contribute significantly to this growth.

However, this rapid transformation brings crucial challenges, notably in the sustainable management of natural resources, cultural preservation, and the integration of local communities into the tourism economy. The balance between economic development and environmental conservation will be decisive to ensure the sustainability of Koh Rong's success.

Environmental Degradation

The excessive influx of tourists to Koh Rong generates considerable pressure on the island's fragile ecosystems. Pollution from plastic waste and visitor incivility could become problematic, with beaches increasingly at risk of being sullied by uncollected debris. This accumulation of waste not only harms aesthetics: it also destroys the natural habitats of marine and terrestrial species, accelerating biodiversity loss.

Coral reefs, notably around Koh Rong Samloem, suffer increasing damage related to boat anchoring, destructive fishing, and pollution. These damages compromise coral health, essential for coastal protection and the balance of marine ecosystems. Without rigorous management measures, these vital natural resources risk irreversible decline.

Tourism construction projects, notably large hotel complexes, lead to accelerated deforestation, destruction of mangroves essential to coastal biodiversity, and soil erosion. These activities weaken natural balances and increase the island's vulnerability to extreme climatic events.

Social and Economic Pressures

Mass tourism's impact could also affect local communities. The strong orientation towards consumer tourism can create pressure on local resources such as drinking water and food, leading to partial food insecurity.

Furthermore, competitiveness in the tourism sector often favors external interests at the expense of indigenous populations, sometimes marginalized and little involved in the generated economic benefits.

The rise of festive and mass tourism, notably attracting a young clientele less respectful of the environment and social norms, could contribute to the degradation of the island's image and harm the quality of life locally. The absence of waste management and constant noise affect residents and may deter a more responsible and ecotourism-sensitive clientele.

Risks for Sustainable Tourism

In the medium term, tourist overcrowding threatens to degrade the natural and cultural assets that make Koh Rong unique and attractive. Without strict regulation and sustainable management, the island risks losing its authenticity and seeing its economic potential diminish with the deterioration of the tourist experience. The balance between economic growth and conservation is therefore a crucial issue.

Initiatives exist, such as community mobilization for reef protection or promoting more responsible tourism, but they must be actively supported by authorities and private actors to be effective.

Koh Rong thus faces the classic dangers of excessive tourism: ecological destruction and threats to the economic sustainability of the tourism sector itself if nothing is done to regulate and make tourism practices responsible.