Cambodia reaffirms its status as Asia's most important cultural destination

“This remarkable achievement reaffirms the country’s appeal as a must-visit destination for all avid culture enthusiasts,” Cambodian Tourism Minister Sok Soken said of the event.

Cambodia's main attractions include the famous Angkor Archaeological Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and three other World Heritage sites: the Sambor Prei Kuk temple area, the Preah Vihear temple and the Koh Ker archaeological site.

Tourism is one of the key sectors of the Cambodian economy. Revenue was estimated at more than $3 billion last year and was generated primarily by the arrival of 5.45 million international visitors to the country, 140 percent more than the 2.27 million in 2022.

Cambodia experienced its golden age of the so-called leisure industry in 2019 when it welcomed 6.6 million international travelers. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number fell drastically to 1.3 million in 2020 and only 200,000 in 2021.

mem/mpm