Cambodia's Angkor heritage site attracts nearly 2 mln foreign tourists in 11 months

Cambodia's Angkor Wat Temple, one of the world heritage sites, had received some 1.98 million international visitors in the first 11 months of 2013, up 8 percent from 1.83 million tourists over the same period last year, a tourism report said Wednesday.

South Korea, China, Vietnam, Japan and Thailand are the largest sources of international arrivals to the 12th century temple, the Siem Reap provincial tourism department's report showed.

During the January-November period this year, the Angkor Archeological Park greeted 312,130 South Koreans, up 3 percent year-on-year; 244,330 Chinese, up 50 percent; 148,670 Vietnamese, down 26 percent; 133,280 Japanese, up 11 percent and 98,760 Thais, down 6 percent.

"Chinese tourists to the temple have sharply increased this year thanks to Cambodia-China niceties, broader promotion of the Angkor to the world, and more direct flight connection between the two countries," Chhoeuy Chhorn, administration chief of the Siem Reap provincial tourism department, told Xinhua.

Early this month, Air China has launched regular flights between China's Beijing and Cambodia's Siem Reap province, and later this month, Cambodia's national flag carrier Cambodia Angkor Air will operate its regular flight linking Cambodia to China's Shanghai.

"These new flight destinations will further encourage more Chinese tourists to the Angkor," he said.

The Angkor Archeological Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992, is the kingdom's largest tourist destination. It is located in Siem Reap province in the distance of about 315 km northwest of capital Phnom Penh.

An entrance fee to the site is 20 US dollars a day for a foreigner, 40 US dollars for a three-day visit and 60 US dollars for a week-long visit.

Last year, the temples attracted 2 million foreign visitors, up 28 percent year-on-year.

Sourced: CambodiaNews