PHNOM PENH, 27 February 2019: Cambodia earned an estimated USD4.35 billion in 2018 from tourism, an increase of 19.8% when compared with USD3.63 billion in 2017, Tourism Minister Thong Khon reported on Monday.
He was addressing a gathering in Phnom Penh to mark the country’s seventh annual National Clean City Day.
Quoted by the Xinhua news service he said: “We attracted more than 6.2 million foreign tourists in 2018, up 10.7% noting China was the biggest source market with nearly 2 million visits.
Cambodia is forecasting 6.8 million foreign tourists this year and 7.5 million by 2020. Revenue should rise to around USD5 billion.
Claiming around 1 million people rely on tourism for their income, the industry is poised to grow rapidly amassing as many as 15 million visitors by 2030 and revenue reaching USD10 billion.
The country’s economy grew by 7.5% and the poverty rate declined 10% last year.
Tourism described as “green gold,” by Hun Sen the country’s prime minister, is now one of the key sectors supporting the economy.
