PHNOM PENH, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's renowned Angkor Archaeological Park attracted a total of 14,334 Chinese tourists in January and February, down 39 percent from 23,536 over the same period last year, according to a report released on Thursday.
China was the fourth biggest source of international tourist arrivals to the UNESCO-listed world heritage site after the United States, France and Britain, said a report of the state-owned Angkor Enterprise.
Located in northwest Siem Reap province, the 401-square-km Angkor Archaeological Park, the kingdom's most popular tourist destination, is home to 91 ancient temples built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the drop was likely linked to online scam issues and border tensions with Thailand.
"Supported by strong air connectivity and effective promotion, I believe that Cambodia's pilot visa-free policy for Chinese nationals, set to run from June 15 to Oct. 15, 2026, will help attract more Chinese tourists to Cambodia, especially to the Angkor complex, this year," he told Xinhua.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet assured on Wednesday that the Southeast Asian country will eradicate online scam centers by April 2026. ■