Angkor gains 28% more visits

SIEM REAP, 22 January 2013: Visitors to Siem Reap’s historical Angkor Wat increased by a substantial 28% in 2012, the provincial tourism department reported earlier this week.

The department said 2012 closed with 2.06 million international travellers visiting the temple compared to 1.61 million in 2011.

The top five suppliers were: South Korea; Vietnam; China; Japan; and Thailand.

South Korean visitors led the field with 339,530 visits increasing 23% followed by Vietnamese with 220,050 visits (-13%), Chinese with 184,965 (+51%), Japanese with 134,630 (+9%), and Thais with 129,660 (+153%).

The Siem Reap Provincial Tourism Department administration chief, Chhoeuy Chhorn, said the increase was due to the country’s positive record for security and safety and also direct flights connections improved from major markets.

“We think that international visits to the temple can grow by another 15% in 2013,” he said.

The entrance fees to Angkor Wat cost US$20 for international visitors for a single day, US$40 for a three-day visit and US$60 for an entire week.

The Angkor historical park is Cambodia’s largest cultural tourism destination located 315 km from the capital Phnom Penh. The temple was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992.

Sourced: TTR Weekly