The renowned Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia’s premier tourist destination, has witnessed a substantial increase in foreign visitor arrivals during the first ten months of this year.
According to Angkor Enterprise which oversees the Angkor entrance pass sales, the Archaeological Park received 774,203 foreign tourists in the first ten months this year, a year-on-year increase of 28.4 percent.
The Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1992, is the most popular tourist destination in the Southeast Asian country.
The revenue generated from the entrance pass sales rose by 29 percent to $36 million, read the report.
Tourism Ministry’s Secretary of State and spokesman Top Sopheak expressed delight at the significant uptick in tourist arrivals to Angkor Wat.
“These figures are a clear indication that Cambodia’s tourism sector is on a strong recovery path despite the number having not yet reached the level of the pre-pandemic period,” Sopheak told Khmer Times.
The spokesman also attributed the surge in tourists to the better air connectivity and airport facility of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport.
The ministry, in collaboration with relevant parties and the private sector, will make efforts in creating new attractive tourism products, improve quality of tourism service and facilitate travels to foreign tourists in order to attract more tourists, he said.
In October alone, the enterprise earned income of $3.4 million from 74,353 foreign tourists visiting the park.
The entrance fee for a one-day visit to the park is $37, a three-day visit costs $62 and a week-long visit $72.
Situated in northwest Siem Reap province, the Angkor Archaeological Park is home to 91 ancient temples, built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
In 2023, more than 790,000 foreign tourists bought entrance passes to visit Angkor Wat, earning $37 million, an increase of 222 percent compared to a year before.
The tourism sector plays a pivotal role in Cambodia’s economy.
Last year, the Kingdom welcomed 5.45 million foreign tourists, a 139 percent rise from 2022, with foreign tourist revenue reaching about $3.04 billion, a 115 percent increase from $1.41 billion in 2022, as reported by the tourism ministry.
