Photo by: Will Baxter
A tourist snaps photographs at Bayon Temple in the Angkor Wat temple complex in November last year.
Phnom Penh Post
Revenue from Angkor Wat ticket sales rose 45 percent last month, compared with January 2009, as visitor numbers were boosted from Chinese charter flights.
According to the Apsara Authority, which manages the temple, revenue reached US$4.5 million last month compared with $3.1 million the year previous.
Despite sector concerns that ongoing border tensions would affect tourism, Director General of the Apsara Authority Bun Narith said that good security and the economic recovery had led to the increase.
“Tourists visiting the temples didn’t feel worried about anything,” he said.
Ngov Seng Kak, director of Siem Reap Tourism Department, said yesterday that more than 4,000 people now visited Angkor Wat each day.
“We noted that Chinese tourists visiting Angkor Wat were increasing everyday, because we have had a lot of charter flights from there,” he said.
Minister of Tourism, Thong Khon, added that international tourist numbers to the temple complex had increased by 36 percent in January over the year previous.
Visitors from South Korea, Europe and the United States were on the rise he said, touting future flights from Chinese cities such as Nanjing and Kunming as a potential area for growth.
Thong Kong also claimed that national tourist numbers had not been affected by border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand.
The statement came despite six travel associations appealing this week to both Cambodia and Thailand to end the border dispute in order to avoid damaging tourism in the two nations. Tourism Working Group co-chair Ho Vandy had said the conflict risked the reputation of the two countries, as well as possibly damaging the temples.
“We are very worried about the border dispute area,” he said on Tuesday. “If they continue fighting each other, it will seriously affect the tourism.”
Thong Kong said he had yet to receive information about cancellations from tour agencies.
The Ministry of Tourism has forecast a growth in tourist numbers in Siem Reap this year, with visitors expecting to reach around 1.7 million.
In 2010, ministry figures showed international visitors to the Kingdom increased by 16 percent on 2009, with around 2.5 million foreigners entering Cambodia.
Revenue from Angkor Wat ticket sales rose 45 percent last month, compared with January 2009, as visitor numbers were boosted from Chinese charter flights.
According to the Apsara Authority, which manages the temple, revenue reached US$4.5 million last month compared with $3.1 million the year previous.
Despite sector concerns that ongoing border tensions would affect tourism, Director General of the Apsara Authority Bun Narith said that good security and the economic recovery had led to the increase.
“Tourists visiting the temples didn’t feel worried about anything,” he said.
Ngov Seng Kak, director of Siem Reap Tourism Department, said yesterday that more than 4,000 people now visited Angkor Wat each day.
“We noted that Chinese tourists visiting Angkor Wat were increasing everyday, because we have had a lot of charter flights from there,” he said.
Minister of Tourism, Thong Khon, added that international tourist numbers to the temple complex had increased by 36 percent in January over the year previous.
Visitors from South Korea, Europe and the United States were on the rise he said, touting future flights from Chinese cities such as Nanjing and Kunming as a potential area for growth.
Thong Kong also claimed that national tourist numbers had not been affected by border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand.
The statement came despite six travel associations appealing this week to both Cambodia and Thailand to end the border dispute in order to avoid damaging tourism in the two nations. Tourism Working Group co-chair Ho Vandy had said the conflict risked the reputation of the two countries, as well as possibly damaging the temples.
“We are very worried about the border dispute area,” he said on Tuesday. “If they continue fighting each other, it will seriously affect the tourism.”
Thong Kong said he had yet to receive information about cancellations from tour agencies.
The Ministry of Tourism has forecast a growth in tourist numbers in Siem Reap this year, with visitors expecting to reach around 1.7 million.
In 2010, ministry figures showed international visitors to the Kingdom increased by 16 percent on 2009, with around 2.5 million foreigners entering Cambodia.
1 comment:
Why do Kos Trol, sea and lands proximately over 10 000 km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty? Why don’t Cambodia goverment transparencies explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 and what's about over 10 000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Kos Trol, Sea and lands over 10 000km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty at 1979 to 1985 treaty! Treaty! Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protect a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group rather in the real name of protecting Khmer nation?
Cambodian army at front line suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition, their families have no health care help, no securities after they die but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning with young girls message, have super health care from oversea medical treatment, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make Cambodian people suffer everyday as Cambodian people know already.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that result lost over 10 000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why don't they transparency inform all Cambodian and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't include Kos Trol (Kos Trol size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapoor with heap of great natural resources) in education system in Cambodia.
Look at Hun Sen families, relatives; friends are billionaires, millionaires where do they get the money from if we all just get out of war with empty hands? Hun Sen always say in his speech Cambodia just get up from war, just get up from Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% innocent Cambodian people are so poor struggling with living every day.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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