PHNOM PENH, Feb 3 (NNN-AKP) – Cambodia’s tourism, earned gross revenue of 3.63 billion U.S. dollars, last year, up 17.8 percent from 3.08 billion dollars in a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Tourism’s report, yesterday.
The kingdom received 6.7 million international tourists last year, up 22.9 percent from 5.45 million in the year before, the report said, adding that, the top five market arrivals to the kingdom last year were Thailand, Vietnam, China, Laos and the United States.
The tourism sector contributed about 9.4 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year, up from 7.5 percent in the year before, the report added.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia’s economy.
The country has four world heritage sites, namely the Angkor Archaeological Park, in north-west Siem Reap province, the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, in central Kampong Thom province, and the Temple of Preah Vihear and the Koh Ker archaeological site, in north-west Preah Vihear province.
Besides, it has a pristine coastline, stretching in the length of about 450 km, in four south-west provinces of Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong.
Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Cambodia chapter, predicts a modest growth in tourist arrivals to Cambodia this year, due to the current geopolitical climate, political changes in the United States, and various crises impacting global travel.
“Without a concerted effort to restructure our tourism products and improve air connectivity, as well as, an urgent need for effective destination marketing campaigns, I anticipate only modest growth for this year,” he said.
“Cambodia has immense potential, but we must take proactive steps to attract visitors,” he added.– NNN-AKP
