During January and February, the country greeted a total of 988,574 foreign visitors, marking an 18% increase from the 837,446 recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Thailand emerged as the primary source with 247,530 tourists, constituting 25% of the overall arrivals, followed by Vietnam (185,385 or 18.8%), China (109,990 or 11.1%), and Laos (54,546 or 5.5%).
Khieu Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tourist Guide Association (KATGA), highlighted a notable rise in international tourists exploring Siem Reap province’s temples in early 2024, featuring a more diverse visitor demographic than during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic when most visitors hailed from neighboring countries.
He noted that the upsurge in foreign tourist numbers has spurred stakeholder job opportunities and income generation, particularly following the tourism sector's near-halt amid the pandemic's peak from 2020 to 2022.
They attributed the growth to factors such as the rebound of global economic activity, promotional campaigns for the country’s tourism, improved road and airport infrastructure, and the establishment of direct flight connections, all attracting more foreign guests.
Foreign tourists in Cambodia up 18% Jan-Feb. Thais lead with 250K
News in Asia
In the initial two months of 2024, Cambodia experienced an 18% surge in foreign tourist arrivals compared to the same duration in 2023, with Thailand leading the influx, contributing 250,000 visitors, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism.