Cambodian Minister of Tourism Thong Khon has called on Vietnamese investors to further strengthen their investment to the country’s tourism sector, aiming to boost trade and friendship between the two countries.

Speaking at a Cambodia-Vietnam trade and investment promotion conference recently in Phnom Penh , he noted that tourism investment in Cambodia last year made up 30 percent of the country’s total investment capital, with 16 projects valued at more than 3.5 billion USD.

He cited that in the first quarter of this year, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Cambodia reached over 190,000, a 4.2 percent rise year on year.

According to Nguyen Thi Hong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee , Vietnam has been the third largest trade partner of Cambodia , with a total investment of more than 3 billion USD and 128 underway projects.

The city in particular has invested in 46 projects worth of 326 million USD in the country, she added.-VNA