More than 6.2 million visitors were reported as attending the three-day festival in Phnom Penh. STPM
This year’s annual three-day Water Festival concluded on Sunday, with over 7.8 million domestic and international tourists participating in celebrations across Cambodia. More than 6.2 million guests flocked to the capital, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
The festival, held from November 14 to 16, showcased the nation’s rich cultural heritage but also saw isolated incidents of theft, missing relatives and minor scuffles.
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According to the General Commissariat of National Police, one significant altercation involved a Cambodian citizen and two Koreans.
The individuals were detained and sent to the police station in Daun Penh commune for further investigation.
“Authorities also reported 176 cases of missing individuals, including one Indian national, six elderly people, and 169 children,” the national police shared, via a November 17 social media post.
However, it confirmed that each of the missing persons was safely reunited with their families.
Security challenges extended to property theft, with one motorcycle reported stolen near the Neang Machha roundabout and three incidents of phone theft. Investigations are ongoing to recover the stolen items and apprehend the culprits.
Despite these minor incidents, the tourism ministry hailed the festival as a major success. A ministry report revealed an impressive 21.4 per cent increase in domestic tourism compared to the previous year.
This year’s annual three-day Water Festival concluded on Sunday, with over 7.8 million domestic and international tourists
Of the 7.8 million tourists, 7.7 million were Cambodian citizens, while 89,296 were international guests –a 28.7 per cent surge from 2023 figures.
Phnom Penh emerged as the centerpiece of the festivities, hosting over 6.2 million domestic tourists and 52,498 international visitors.
Siem Reap received more than 330,000 domestic tourists and 13,292 foreigners, while Preah Sihanouk province welcomed over 300,000 local arrivals and more than 80,000 international guests.
Pailin province saw more than 180,000 domestic tourists and over 7,000 international visitors, while Kampot province figures showed 130,000 Cambodians and over 2,000 international arrivals chose to enjoy the festival in the southern province.
