PHNOM PENH: Cambodia attracted some 4.4 million international tourists in the first 10 months of 2023, a sharp increase of around 180 percent from 1.57 million over the same period last year, Tourism Minister H.E. Sok Soken said.
H.E. Minister shared the figures in the closing ceremony of the 10th Sea Festival held in Kep province on Dec. 3. “Cambodia is expected to receive approximately 5.4 million foreign visitors in 2023,” he said.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia’s economy, in addition to garment, footwear, and travel goods exports, agriculture, construction, and real estate.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the number of international visitors to Cambodia is predicted to reach 7 million by 2025, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level of 6.6 million in 2019.
Cambodia is well known for its world cultural heritage sites, namely the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province, the Preah Vihear Temple and Koh Ker Temple in Preah Vihear province, and the Sambor Prei Kuk Archaeological Site in Kampong Thom province.
Besides, the Kingdom has a 450-kilometer-long pristine coastline stretching across four southwestern provinces of Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep, and Koh Kong.