PHNOM PENH, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia registered a 52.5-percent rise in the number of Chinese tourists during the first 10 months of 2024, said a report released by the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday.
A total of 691,736 Chinese visitors traveled to the Southeast Asian country during the January-October period this year, compared with 453,562 over the same period last year, the report said.
The number of Chinese tourists accounted for 12.9 percent of the total 5.37 million international tourist arrivals to Cambodia during the first 10 months, with China being the third biggest source of foreign holidaymakers to the kingdom after Thailand and Vietnam.
Cambodia's Tourism Minister Huot Hak said the growth of Chinese tourists is an important opportunity, not only for boosting the development of the tourism industry, but also for creating investment opportunities in other sectors.
"Cambodia is projected to receive 7 million international tourists including more than 2 million Chinese tourists in 2025," he said.
Tourism is among the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy, along with garment, footwear, and travel goods export, agriculture, and construction and real estate.
The country received 5.45 million international tourists in 2023, generating a gross revenue of 3.08 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Ministry of Tourism. ■
