Cambodia continues to be one of the best success story within the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Over three million international visitors are expected for 2012.
PHNOM PENH- Cambodia attracted approximately 2.86 million international tourists in the first ten months of this year, up 24 percent over the same period last year, a report of the tourism ministry showed Wednesday.
The report said Vietnam remains the largest source of foreign visitors to Cambodia with 638,560 tourists, up 24 percent, followed by South Korea with 337,700 visitors, up 23 percent, and China with 265,330, up 34 percent.
Its neighbouring countries, Laos and Thailand were ranked at No. 4 and 5 respectively with 201,250 Laotians and 160,030 Thais visiting Cambodia, up 90 percent and 75 percent respectively.
The country has two world heritage sites, one is Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap province and the other is Preah Vihear Temple in Preah Vihear province.
The report showed that during the January-October period this year, about 1.64 million foreign visitors had visited Angkor Wat Temple, up 28 percent over the same period last year, whilst Preah Vihear Temple attracted 14,360 foreigners, up 84 percent.
The ministry predicted that the country could attract about 3.3 million foreign tourists in the whole year of 2012. By 2020, total arrivals to Cambodia should reach seven million foreign travellers.
Tourism is one of the major four pillars supporting the economy. Last year, the sector received 2.88 million foreign tourists, earning revenues of 1.91 billion U.S. dollars.
Meanwhile, the report also recorded that during the first ten months of this year, about 656,240 Cambodians had travelled abroad, up 14 percent compared with the same period last year.
(Source: Xinhua)
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
