Chinese tourist arrivals to Cambodia's Angkor up significantly

Tourists visit the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province, Cambodia on Feb. 10, 2024.(Photo by Sao Khuth/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has recorded a significant rise in the number of Chinese tourists to its famed Angkor Archaeological Park in the first two months of 2024, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise's report on Thursday.

The report said 16,074 Chinese holidaymakers visited the Angkor during the first two months this year, up 140 percent from 6,690 over the same period last year.

China was the fifth largest source of international tourists to the Angkor after South Korea, the United States, France, and Britain, it added.

According to the report, a total of 235,850 foreigners from 169 countries and regions toured the ancient park in the reporting period, up 50 percent from 156,951 in the same period last year.

Officials hope that the 2024 Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year starting in January would help bring Chinese tourists to Cambodia, especially to the Angkor.

"I'm strongly confident that the 2024 Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year will become a new driving force to attract more Chinese tourists and investors to Cambodia," Cambodian Tourism Minister Sok Soken said at the launching event held at the Terrace of the Elephants in the Angkor complex.

Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the ministry Top Sopheak said Cambodia is eager to see more Chinese tourists to come, especially to the Angkor, saying their presence has significantly contributed to the kingdom's tourism development, economic growth and poverty reduction.

He is confident that the Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, which officially launched its commercial operations in November 2023, would help attract more international tourists, especially from China.

Located in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province, the 401-square-km Angkor Archeological Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1992, is the most popular tourist destination in the kingdom.

The Angkor is home to 91 ancient temples built between the 9th and the 13th century.