Cambodia earns over $3 bn from tourism

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday announced that the country's tourism sector earned $3.4 billion in 2016.

The Southeast Asian nation attracted 5 million international visitors last year, a 5 per cent rise year-on-year, according to a tourism data, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We predict that Cambodia will welcome 5.4 million foreigners in 2017 and up to 7 million in 2020 with estimated revenue of $5 billion," Hun Sen said.

He said that tourism industry currently provides some 620,000 direct jobs and the number of jobs will reach 1 million in 2020.

According to the Prime Minister, the country's peace and political stability were the prerequisites for the attraction of tourists.

"Tourists will not risk their lives to visit dangerous or war zones...so maintaining peace and political stability and preventing terrorism from happening in Cambodia are very important," he said, vowing to maintain the country's peace "at any cost".

Cambodia is famous for the 12th century Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap province.

Besides, it has a 450-km pristine coastline stretching across four provinces in the country's southwestern part.

--IANS

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