M'kiri tourism surging

The number of tourists visiting Mondulkiri province has soared by nearly 50 percent this year, after a new road was built to north-eastern Cambodia. Mondulkiri’s tourist numbers, submitted to the Ministry of Tourism prior to year-end due to an upcoming ASEAN conference, hit 44,568 from January to December 10 this year, up from 30,256 in the same period of last year.

But the total number of visitors to the province was less than half that of its northeastern neighbour Ratanakkiri, which saw 118,556 visitors in the year to December 10. Ngin Sovimean, director of Mondulkiri's tourism department, said Mondulkiri saw visitor growth of 47.3 percent this year, compared with 2009. Domestic visitors increased by 51.5 percent, from 26,836 to 40,652, while foreign visitors rose by 14.5 percent, from 3,420 to 3,916.

The official put down the growth to improved road access to the province. The 127 kilometre-long National Road 76, which links the province to Snoul district in neighbouring Kratie, was completed about a year ago. Tourists were also attracted by ethnic minority cultural sites and eco-tourism attractions, as well as natural features including waterfalls and thick forests, he said

Source=phnompenhpost