The recent three-day Pchum Ben festival ended last Thursday recorded nearly 1.8 million tourists travelling across the Kingdom providing a significant boost to the country’s tourism industry and local economies.
Battambang province received the most number of tourists at 215,559, while Siem Reap province and Preah Sihanoukville provinces received 173,000 and 165,595, respectively, a report from the Ministry of Tourism showed on Friday.
The long weekend, coupled with favourable weather conditions, encouraged Cambodians to explore their own country.
Popular tourist destinations across Cambodia witnessed a significant influx of visitors during the Pchum Ben holiday.
Popular destinations, including Sihanoukville, Battambang, Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and Kep, also recorded substantial increases in tourism.
Kampong Chhnang province and Kampot province received 153,792 and 123,330, the report added.
“During the three-day Pchum Ben festival from October 1-3, 2024, there were a total of 1,748,986 national tourists and 37,091 foreign tourists,” the ministry stated in the report.
The surge in domestic travel has provided a significant boost to the country’s tourism industry and local economies, said the ministry’s Secretary of State and Spokesman Top Sopheak.
“People travelling during the Pchum Ben festival and holiday reflects the significant growth in the country’s tourism sector,” Sopheak told Khmer Times on Sunday.
He attributed the record number of tourists to the efforts made by the government, relevant ministries and institutions and local authorities in promoting tourism activities and facilitating people’s travel.
The Ministry of Tourism has expressed optimism about the future of Cambodia’s tourism sector, noting that the Pchum Ben holiday has demonstrated the strong potential for domestic travel to drive economic growth.
“The presence of domestic tourists at tourism destinations across the country contributed to local economies,” he added.
Pchum Ben, celebrated over a period of 15 days, typically falls in September or October. During this time, Cambodians visit pagodas and temples to make offerings to their ancestors and perform religious rituals.
The holiday also coincided with a period of cooler weather, making it an ideal time for domestic travel.
The ministry recorded nearly 2 million tourism trips during the three-day holiday of Pchum Ben Festival last year.
(Source: khmertimeskh)