PHNOM PENH, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's tourism earned gross revenue of 1.41 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, a 669 percent rise compared to the year before, according to a Ministry of Tourism report released on Friday.
The Southeast Asian country received 2.28 million international tourists last year, up 1,058 percent from a year earlier, the report said.
"Tourism industry contributed 3.6 percent to Cambodia's gross domestic product (GDP) last year," the report said.
Averagely, a tourist stayed two nights and three days in Cambodia, the report noted.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the kingdom is expected to attract 4 million international visitors in 2023.
"This year, we hope to attract between 800,000 and 1 million Chinese tourists," he said.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. The country has three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor archeological park in northwest Siem Reap province, Preah Vihear Temple in northwest Preah Vihear province, and Sambor Prei Kuk archeological site in central Kampong Thom province.
Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching in the length of 450 km in four southwest provinces of Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong. ■
