PHNOM PENH, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has once again been elected as Asia's leading cultural destination by the World Travel Awards for 2023, the country's Tourism Minister Sok Soken said on Wednesday.
"This remarkable achievement further reaffirms our destination appeal as an absolute must-visit for all avid cultural enthusiasts," he said in a message released in his official Telegram channel.
The Ministry of Tourism's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Top Sopheak said Cambodia is a cultural and ecological tourism destination.
"The kingdom is renowned for the Angkor Archaeological Park, a world heritage site, in northwest Siem Reap province, and a beautiful bay in southwest Sihanoukville," he told Xinhua.
Besides, the country has three other world heritage sites -- the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk in central Kampong Thom province, and the Temple of Preah Vihear and the Koh Ker archaeological site in northwest Preah Vihear province.
Tourism is one of the four major sectors supporting Cambodia's economy.
The Southeast Asian country reported some 5.45 million international tourist arrivals in 2023, earning a gross revenue of 3.08 billion U.S. dollars, which contributed 7.5 percent to gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Ministry of Tourism.
The tourism sector has created approximately 450,000 direct jobs for local people. ■
