PHNOM PENH, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Revenue from ticket sales to foreign tourists visiting Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat Temple reached 43.3 million U.S. dollars in the first nine months of 2015, up 0.24 percent year-on-year, according to a news statement on Friday.

From January to September this year, the ancient site received 1.52 million international visitors, an increase of 1.8 percent over the same period last year, said the statement released by the state-run Apsara Authority, which manages the site.

Three largest sources of foreign tourists to the temple are China, South Korea and Japan.

Angkor Wat Temple, inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1992, is the kingdom's most popular tourist destination. It is located in Siem Reap province, some 315 km northwest of capital Phnom Penh.

An entrance fee to the site is 20 U.S. dollars a day for a foreigner, 40 dollars for a three-day visit and 60 dollars for a week-long visit.

read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/02/c_134680572.htm

Well that is great. Hopefully can put more money into reclamation.

How much does Hun Sen retain?

I wait for the headline from TAT : "Thailand to build copy of Angkor Wat to lure Tourists"

That would equate to less than 2 million tourists over 9 months so say 3 million a year.

Seems low to me - someone's creaming off!

I thought that Siem Reap had something in excess of 200,000 tourists accommodated on average. Doesn't stack up

Am I right in saying that 50% of the profits go outside the country

Would be nice if they used some of it to build some decent places to sit and relax, and have some decent food, across the road from the big main temple instead of the grubby stuck together dirty restaurants that are there. The only thing I risked was a coconut juice drink because it was still in the coconut.

That would equate to less than 2 million tourists over 9 months so say 3 million a year.

Seems low to me - someone's creaming off!

I thought that Siem Reap had something in excess of 200,000 tourists accommodated on average. Doesn't stack up

Correct, and according to my friends that live in close proximity, on apsara land, hs sold it off some time ago with the new owner known to the locals. Also building is now selectively allowed on the protected land, in direct conflict with the agreement with Belgium for it to be retained as natural. All Normal for Cambodia!

Private company SOKIMEX (known to be close to the ruling CPP - obviously!) has leased the rights from the government since 1990.

This is from an article published in 2000 "A Government official says Sokimex agreed to hand over 50 percent of its income if ticket sales to the Angkor park are lower than $3 million,

and 70 percent if sales exceed $3 million. Currently Sokimex pays the Government a flat fee of $1 million a year and keeps all revenue from ticket sales."

The original had been for $1 million per year only, however, as the revenue reached almost $4 million in 1999, the government requested re-negotiation..

Edited October 5, 201510 yr by mrdome