Angkor Archaeological Park, a key attraction in Cambodia, has seen a substantial increase in Chinese tourists in the first half of 2024, as per a report from the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. This surge in visitors is a significant development for Cambodia’s tourism industry.
The report said that some 38,066 Chinese visitors toured Angkor during the January-June period this year, up 39.3 percent from 27,308 during the same period last year.
It added that China was the fifth largest source of international tourist arrivals to Angkor after the United States, Britain, France, and South Korea.
According to the report, 521,950 international tourists from 182 countries and regions visited the ancient site in the first half of this year, up 35.3 percent from 385,769 foreign guests over the same period last year.
Located in northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park is the kingdom’s most popular tourist destination.
The 401-square-km site is home to 91 ancient temples, built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
Top Sopheak, the Secretary of State and Spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, expressed the country’s eagerness to welcome more Chinese tourists, particularly to Angkor. He highlighted the crucial role of Chinese tourists in Cambodia’s tourism development, economic growth, and poverty reduction.
Top Sopheak is optimistic about the potential of the Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, which began commercial operations in November 2023. He believes that the airport will play a significant role in attracting more international tourists, especially from China, to Angkor.
The official also hoped that the 2024 Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year will also be a magnet for Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian country. Xinhua