Cambodia attracts over 3 mln foreign tourists in 9 months

[geovalin]

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has received some 3.05 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of this year, a 19 percent surge from 2.57 million for the same period last year, a tourism data showed Wednesday.

During the January-September period this year, Vietnam topped the chart among the top ten in terms of tourist arrivals to Cambodia with 644,580 tourists, up 11 percent, followed by China with 339,890, up 45 percent, and South Korea with 317,940, up 4 percent.

Lao and Thai visitors to the country have seen remarkable rises. During the period, some 302,400 Lao visitors and 164,440 Thais had visited Cambodia, up 71 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

The Southeast Asian nation has two cultural sites on the UNESCO 's World Heritage List. One is the 12th century Angkor Wat Temple in northwestern Siem Reap province and the other is the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple in northwestern Preah Vihear province.

The data showed that about 1.57 million tourists, or 51 percent of the total international arrivals, had spent their time visiting the Angkor Wat Temple during the nine-month period this year, up 6 percent year on year, as some 8,100 foreigners had visited the Preah Vihear Temple, up 54 percent.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the country's economy. Last year, the country received 3.5 million foreigners, earning over 2 billion U.S. dollars.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said early this month that the sector was expected to greet 4 million foreign tourists this year.

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/travel/2013-11/13/c_132884403.htm