The Political Economy of Tourism in Cambodia

This paper provides an overview of the historical development of the Cambodian political economy and the role of tourism in shaping it since the early 1990s when Cambodia opened its door to the world. The paper provides a general overview of tourism products and the government's policies in tourism development in Cambodia and then examines the perceived impacts of tourism on socio-economic development. It is argued that tourism plays an important role in socio-economic development and national identity promotion, but that proper management of tourism is required to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and child sex tourism.