Foreign tourist arrivals to Cambodia rise 10pc in first 9 months

The country attracts 4.81 million foreign tourists in this period

Published: November 04, 2019 12:23:31 | Updated: November 06, 2019 11:52:46

File Photo (Collected)

Cambodia received 4.81 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2019, up 10 per cent over the same period last year, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said on Monday.

About 70.5 per cent of the tourists arrived in Cambodia by air, 27.4 per cent by land and 2.1 per cent by waterways, he said, adding that China, Vietnam and Laos were the largest sources of foreign arrivals to the kingdom.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the country's economy, reports Xinhua.

Last year, Cambodia received 6.2 million foreign tourists including 2.0 million Chinese, earning gross revenue of 4.35 billion US dollars, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

The sector contributed 12.7 per cent to the country's GDP (gross domestic product).

The Southeast Asian nation is famous for three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park, the Preah Vihear temple, and the Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site.

Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep.