AKP Phnom Penh, May 04, 2020 --

Number of foreign tourists visiting Cambodia decreased by 38 percent in the first quarter of this year due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
 
From January to March this year, only 1.15 million foreign visitors arrived in the Kingdom, according to a report from the Ministry of Tourism. 

Arrivals of Chinese tourists, Cambodia’s biggest tourism market, dropped by 62 percent to 259,732 during the period, while those from Vietnam, the U.S., and South Korea, also saw a remarkable decline to 179,450; 52,979; and 51,651, respectively, it pointed out.

Tourists from Thailand, on the other hand, increased by 56 percent to 152,654 during the first three months, the report stated. 

The top five tourism markets of Cambodia are China, Vietnam, Thailand, United States, and South Korea. 

Meanwhile, the number of Cambodia outbound tourists decreased by 32 percent to 308,350, it added.

H.E. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, has said recently that he expected tourism sector to be restored to normal once the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end.
 
According to the World Tourism Organisation, the Asia Pacific region will be most severely affected by the global pandemic, with international arrivals in the region contracting by 9 percent to 12 percent this year. 

Last year, 6.6 million foreign tourists visited Cambodia or a year-on-year increase of 6.2 percent, generating some US$5 billion as income. 

By Chea Vannak