According to a report from the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Tourism Bureau, on the first day of Pchum Ben, 10 October 2026, Preah Sihanouk province received a total of 47,522 visitors, a year-on-year decrease of 26.78%, of which 45,838 were domestic visitors and 1,684 were international visitors.
In terms of visitor mix, domestic visitors still made up the vast majority, but their numbers fell 27.42% year on year; international visitors fell 3.71% year on year, a comparatively smaller overall decline.
Beaches and various resorts remained the main tourist destinations, receiving a total of 46,759 visitors, down 26.69% year on year. Of these, 45,423 were domestic visitors and 1,336 were international visitors, with international visitor numbers rising 7.05% year on year.
For island tourism, 636 people travelled to the islands off Sihanoukville that day, down 34.22% year on year. Of these, 413 were domestic visitors and 223 were international visitors, with both categories showing a marked decline.
Air traffic was likewise subdued. Sihanouk International Airport recorded 3 arriving flights that day, carrying a total of 127 passengers, down 15.33% year on year, of which 125 were international passengers.
Overall, visitor numbers in Sihanoukville on the first day of Pchum Ben fell noticeably year on year, with particularly steep drops among domestic visitors and the island tourism segment. However, the number of international visitors heading to beaches and resorts increased, and the performance of tourism in the days ahead remains to be seen.