Cambodian Angkor Wat temples attracts 1.12 mln foreign tourists in first half

Cambodia's Angkor Wat temples, one of the world heritage sites, greeted 1.12 million international visitors in the first half of this year, up 6 percent compared with the same period last year, the figures of Siem Reap provincial tourism department showed Tuesday.
South Korea, China, Vietnam, Japan and Thailand are the largest tourist sources to the temples.
The temples welcomed 202,700 South Koreans during the first six months of this year, up 4 percent year-on-year; 137,820 Chinese, up 76 percent; 78,600 Vietnamese, down 38 percent; 68,780 Japanese, up 6 percent and 54,200 Thais, down 12 percent.
"We see a steadily sharp rise in Chinese tourists to the temples in recent years and believe that the upward trend will continue thanks to Cambodia-China niceties, broader promotion of the Angkor to the world, and more direct flight connection between Cambodia and China," Chhoeuy Chhorn, administration chief of the Siem Reap provincial tourism department, told Xinhua.
The 12th century Angkor archeological park, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992, is the kingdom's largest cultural tourism destination, which is located about 315 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
An entrance fee to the temples is 20 US dollars a day for a foreign visitor, 40 US dollars for a three-day visit and 60 US dollars for a week-long visit.
Last year, the site attracted 2.06 million foreign visitors, earning around 30 million US dollars from ticket sales, Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An said on July 7.

Sourced: Cambodia News