Foreign tourists to Cambodia's Preah Vihear heritage site up 19 pct in H1

PHNOM PENH, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple, one of the world heritage sites, welcomed 11,239 foreign visitors in the first half of 2016, up 19 percent over the same period last year, according to a Preah Vihear Provincial Tourism Department report on Thursday.

The department's deputy director, You Sovan, attributed the growth to the temple's world heritage status, broad promotion and good security.

"Most of tourists to the ancient temple are from China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam,"he said.

Preah Vihear, a Hindu temple, is situated on the top of a 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains bordering Thailand.

The temple had been a flashpoint of armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops between 2008 and 2011 because Thailand claimed the ownership of 4.6 square km of land next to the temple.

source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-07/07/c_135496371.htm