Prime Minister Hun Manet addresses a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Venerable Pin Sem Museum in Siem Reap on July 18. STPM
Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that in the first half of the year, over 300,000 international tourists visited Siem Reap province via its international airport, an increase of more than 36 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.
“According to the data, in 2023, Siem Reap received domestic and international tourists totalling 2.5 million, of which more than 480,000 traveled via its international airport. In the first half of [2024], the number of tourists arriving at the airport, not counting those arriving by land, was 310,000,” he said.
Responding to comments posted on social media that Siem Reap is “quiet” for tourists, Manet explained that tourism is divided into three seasons, high, shoulder (medium) and low, much like the difference between the country’s rainy and dry seasons.
“The important thing to understand is that tourism, like agriculture, has its seasons. Foreign countries have specific vacation and work periods,” he said.
During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Venerable Pin Sem Museum in Siem Reap on July 18, Manet noted that during the high season from October 2023 to March 2024, the country saw more than 3,000 international tourists per day. In February 2024 alone, the country welcomed over 5,000 daily.
He explained that during the low tourist season, starting from June this year, there were about 1,300 tourists per day, which has now increased to 1,900, and nearly 2,000 on July 17.
“These are the figures we have. Why do we share these numbers? To inform the public. Assessing whether the number of tourists is low or high depends on different perspectives, but our numbers are based on scientific data.
“I receive regular reports from the Siem Reap provincial governor, as well as from the Ministry of Tourism and the private sector through face-to-face meetings. I often meet with private sector leaders. Even though we get these reports, we still need to know more. I also have a team that conducts field visits to compile the reports,” Manet said.
The prime minister emphasised that tourism is a critical driver for boosting the national economy, creating jobs and reducing poverty, which is the main goal of the government during its seventh mandate.
Siem Reap provincial governor Prak Sophoan said at the event that tourism in Siem Reap has been gradually growing. In 2023, the province received more than 2.5 million national and international visitors, an increase of over 32 per cent compared to 2022.
He added that in the first six months of 2024, the province welcomed more than 1.9 million tourists, an increase of over 44 per cent compared to the same period in 2023, which saw more than 520,000 international and over 380,000 national visitors.
“Currently, there are between 14 and 19 flights a day to Siem Reap and between 1,000 and 1,500 passengers a day," said Sophoan.
The tourism ministry announced on social media on July 16 that, within the week from July 8-14, the country had more than 290,000 national and over 50,000 foreign tourists.
It stated that during that week, nearly 13,000 foreign tourists purchased tickets to Angkor Archeological Park, an increase of 6 per cent, generating a total revenue of more than $580,000, an increase of 8 per cent.
During the same period, a total of 456 international flights entered Cambodia, with 337 arriving at Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), 102 at Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) and 17 at Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS), according to the ministry.
