Cambodia’s Angkor records 33.4% rise in Chinese tourists in 7 months
Cambodia’s Angkor records 33.4% rise in Chinese tourists in 7 months
Cambodia’s famous Angkor Archaeological Park received 44,053 Chinese visitors in the first seven months of this year, up 33.4% over the same period last year, the state-owned Angkor Enterprise said in a report on Wednesday.
The number accounted for 7.5% of total international tourist arrivals to the ancient park during the January-July period this year, the report said.
China was the fifth largest source of foreigners to Angkor after the United States, Britain, France, and South Korea, it added.
Situated in northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park is the most popular tourist destination in the country.
The 401-square-km site is home to 91 ancient temples built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
Cambodian Ministry of Tourism’s Secretary of State and spokesperson Top Sopheak said the Kingdom is eager to see more Chinese holidaymakers, saying that their presence has importantly contributed to the country’s economic and tourism development as well as poverty reduction.
He said that the Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, which was put into commercial operations in November last year, will help attract more international travellers, including Chinese visitors, to Cambodia.