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THE number of foreign tourists visiting Cambodia in 2016 rose five percent to five million, bringing in about US$3 billion in revenue, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday.
“Cambodia has clearly established itself as an attractive destination for cultural and natural tourism,” Hun Sen said at an international tourism conference in Siem Reap province. He projected there would be seven million tourist arrivals by 2020, which should earn the country US$5.5 billion and create 800,000 jobs.
Despite its beaches and Angkor temples, Cambodia, for the longest of time, had a reputation for war, genocide and violent political instability.
But it has been a favorite with backpackers and budget travelers over the past decade or so and has recently begun to establish itself as a luxury destination.
Foreign tourist arrivals rose 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017, according to figures from the Tourism Ministry, with a total of 1.5 million visitors from January to March.
Chinese tourists accounted for the biggest group of visitors in the first quarter, data showed.
Tourism Ministry’s statistics department director Kong Sopheareak told Reuters good ties between Phnom Penh and Beijing had contributed to an increase in Chinese arrivals.
“There are more direct flights now and Chinese tourists also seek investment opportunities when they visit,” he said. – Reuters
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Source: travelwireasia.com