Cambodia monitors travel growth

24 Mar 2017 2051 | Cambodia Travel News

PHNOM PENH Cambodia’s tourist arrivals improved 14.2% in January this year, according to the Statistics and Tourist Information Department.

Released by the Ministry of Tourism, Tuesday, the data showed the country welcomed 532,206 international travellers in January compared to 466,086 during the same month last year.

China led the supply markets with 80,407 visits up 20.4% from 66,764 visits during the same month in 2016.

Although showing a decline of 10.7%, Vietnam ranked second with 62,908 visits compared to 70,435 visits year-on-year.

South Korea in third place supplied 57,684 visits up 3.8% from 59,945 during the same month last year.

Laos in fourth place with 43,518 visits increased 83.8% from 23,679 visits, while Thailand in fifth place supplied 32,857 visits up 7.1% from 30,673 visits.

The next top five markets were: the United States (31,540; +18.0%); Japan (20,149; +18.4%); France (19,786; +24.5%); the United Kingdom (19,010; +17.1%); and Australia (17,842; +3.2%).

By region, Asia Pacific accounted for a 69.1% market share and posted an increase of 11.0%, or 368,017 visits from 331,690.

Africa recorded an increase of 42.1% with 1,307 visits followed by Americas (+26.0; 50,678), Europe (+20.5%; 109,594), the Middle East (+11.5; 2,610) and the Oceania (+4.4%; 21,027).

Tourism Minister, Thong Khon, said to boost the country’s tourism industry, a seven-step plan would be adopted to improve standards.

The core points focus on professional management of business licences and strengthening revenue collection.

Other objectives cited by the minister included improve the quality of tourism services and strengthen standards, especially in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.

The country is projected to welcome as many as 5.4 million international tourists this year.

There are also plans to issue individual QR codes to tourist guides to better assess and guarantee service quality.