Tripadvisor, a US-based online travel agency, has ranked Phnom Penh as ninth among the top 25 most popular tourist destinations in the world for 2024. With this accolade, the Ministry of Tourism anticipates attracting a greater number of international tourists to Cambodia.

A survey conducted by the agency on January 9 involved voting for the best destinations by tourists over the previous 12 months. 

The results revealed that, in Southeast Asia, five countries feature among the most popular tourist global destinations. Besides Phnom Penh, Vietnam’s Sapa City was ranked fifth, Thailand’s Pattaya seventh, Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur 10th and Indonesia’s Bandung 15th .

The agency also highlighted that tourists planning to relax in Phnom Penh can enjoy hotel rooms and meals at affordable restaurants. 

It also noted that the capital offers numerous cultural and historical attractions.

Top Sopheak, spokesperson for the ministry, said on January 10 that the company had previously rated various travel destinations in Cambodia, particularly Siem Reap, which has been lauded for having the “most friendly” populace in welcoming tourists.

He said that receiving the recognition from the agency multiple times significantly contributes to promoting the country’s tourism potential and plays a role in attracting more international visitors.

“Overall, the rating of Phnom Penh as a place of culture, history, food and affordable hotels contributes greatly to promoting Cambodia’s potential, not only for Phnom Penh but for the entire country,” he said.

According to Sopheak, the Kingdom welcomed approximately 5 million international tourists in 2023, a growth of about 139.5% compared to 2022.

He also noted that in 2023, Phnom Penh alone attracted over 1 million international tourists, with the majority coming from China, followed by South Korea, the US, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, France, Japan and the UK.