Tourists admire the sunrise over Angkor Wat in March 2023. Tourism ministry
Nearly 700,000 foreign guests purchased tickets to visit the Angkor Archaeological Park, generating over $32 million in the first nine months of the year. This marks an increase of almost one third to last year, according to data from Angkor Enterprise.
Angkor Enterprise, a public administrative institution, was established in 2016. Operating under the technical supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and financial oversight of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, it manages revenues from the Angkor park, Koh Ker Temple and boat rides at Chong Kneas Port.
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Ticket prices for the Angkor site are divided into three categories: $37 for a one-day pass, $62 for a three-day pass and $72 for a seven-day pass.
A press release from the institution stated that from January to September, 699,850 foreign tourists bought tickets to visit Angkor, reflecting a 29.71% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The total revenue from ticket sales reached $32.52 million, a 30.32% increase.
In addition to revenue from Angkor tickets, Angkor Enterprise also earned $208,050 from foreign visitors purchasing tickets to visit Koh Ker temple and $553,453 from boat ticket sales at Chong Kneas Port in Siem Reap province.
Khiev Thy, president of the Angkor Tourist Guide Association, told the Post earlier this week that while the number of foreign tourists visiting Siem Reap’s ancient temples has increased from the numbers observed in early 2023, it has not yet returned to pre-Covid-19 levels. He noted that the tourism sector should fully recover once the global economic and political situation improves.
Thy added that the foreign tourists arriving in Siem Reap lately are more diverse, with fewer visitors from neighbouring countries like China, Vietnam, and Thailand, and more from Europe and the Americas.
“The number of arrivals has increased compared to the same period last year, but is still lower than pre-2020 levels,” he said.
Nevertheless, he remained optimistic about the sector’s recovery, as the Cambodian government and private sector continue to promote tourism, improve infrastructure like roads and airports, and introduce new tourism products.
He urged the authorities and Cambodian citizens to cooperate in improving hygiene, security and the overall attractiveness of public spaces across the country.
In 2019, when Cambodia welcomed over 6.6 million foreign tourists, Angkor Enterprise earned more than $80.7 million.
Anheng Sokpheak, president of the Cambodia Chinese Tour Guide Association (CCTGA), recently suggested that Cambodia must increase its promotional efforts to attract more foreign tourists and investors.
“Cambodia has many destinations with the potential to attract foreign tourists, but proper development and environmental beautification are essential,” he noted.
According to data from Angkor Enterprise, in 2023, 798,069 foreign tourists bought tickets to visit the Angkor Archaeological Park, a 177.63% increase compared to 2022, generating a total revenue of $37,198,988 – a 222.68% increase.
In addition to the above, Angkor Enterprise recorded 14,806 visitors who generated $222,090 in ticket sales at Koh Ker Temple, and earned $564,671 at Chong Kneas Port.
