Tourist Numbers Drop in Angkor Archaeological Park

In 2019, Angkor Archaeological Park welcomed a total of 2.2 million overseas visitors – 15 percent less than during the previous year when 2.5 million foreign travellers bought passes to the archaeological complex. Similarly, the revenue from the ticket sales also dropped – in 2019, it hardly reached USD99 million while in 2018 ticket sales generated USD116 million.

To handle the problem of decreasing numbers of foreign tourists in Siem Reap and Angkor, the government has mapped out a strategic plan for 2020–2021. The plan in major part focuses on tourism diversification. According to the authorities, one of the issues that is to blame for such a decrease is a limited array of tourism products on offer. Introducing alternative tourism products like community tourism and agritourism will attract more tourists and encourage visitors to stay longer in the area.

To stimulate tourist arrivals, it is suggested to launch more direct flights between Siem Reap and international and regional destinations. To enhance travellers experience, access to tourist sites and infrastructure will be improved. 

Speaking on the subject, Prime Minister expressed optimism: “The decline of tourist arrivals in Siem Reap does not mean that fewer tourists visited Cambodia... The overall number of tourists coming to Cambodia has increased. For example, the number of tourists in Sihanoukville is on the rise."

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