Cambodia receives nearly half million Chinese tourists in 11 months

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia attracted 498,250 Chinese visitors during the first 11 months of 2023, said a report from the Ministry of Tourism released on Monday.

The number accounted for 10.1 percent of a total of 4.91 million international tourist arrivals to the Southeast Asian country during the January-November period this year, the report said.

China was the third biggest source of foreign tourists to the kingdom after Thailand and Vietnam, the report said, adding that some 1.65 million Thais and 920,093 Vietnamese traveled to Cambodia during the above-mentioned period.

Ministry of Tourism's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Top Sopheak said Cambodia is keen to see more Chinese holidaymakers.

"We want more Chinese tourists as they have importantly contributed to our economic and tourism development as well as poverty reduction," he told Xinhua.

Sopheak believes that the Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, which officially launched its commercial operations last month, will attract more international travelers to Cambodia.

"We hope it will attract new international airlines, so they will bring more tourists and investors to Cambodia, particularly to Siem Reap province, the home of the famed Angkor Archeological Park."

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy, in addition to garment, footwear and travel goods exports, agriculture, and construction and real estate.