Cambodia targets 1 million foreign tourists in 2022

Cambodia expects to attract 1 million international tourists in 2022. (Photo: VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) - Cambodia expects to attract 1 million international tourists in 2022, much higher than the figure  of 200,000 last year, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said on July 14.

The Southeast Asian nation received 510,000 foreign visitors in the first half of this year, up 394% compared to the same period last year, he said, adding that Vietnam and Thailand were the largest sources of tourists to the country.

The number of international tourists would rise to 2 million in 2023, the minister said.

Thong Khon said tourism, one of the four pillars supporting the country's economy, is forecast to reach its pre-COVID level in 2026 or 2027.

In the pre-pandemic era, Cambodia welcomed 6.6 million international tourists in 2019, generating 4.92 billion USD in revenue, according to the Tourism Ministry.

Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Cambodia was among the first countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that had reopened borders and eased travel restrictions for international travellers.

Currently, there are 24 airlines operating in Cambodia, with 2,214 flights recorded in the first half of this year, up 141% year-on-year./.

VNA