Angkor Wat temple, Cambodia’s prime tourist attraction, experienced nearly stagnant growth for the first five months of this year, according to data released by Angkor Institution yesterday.

The archaeological park generated almost $28 million in ticket sales at 1.27 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. Visitor arrivals increased by only 0.25 per cent compared to the same time last year, admitting 972,753 people.

Chao Sun Kerya, a spokesperson for the Apsara Authority, responsible for protecting the archaelogical site of Angkor, said that despite seemingly low growth, the tourism sector was satisfied with the large amount of visitors that came to Siem Reap despite the high temperatures of the hot season.

“Receiving this amount of visitors is a good result for the tourism sector since it is the hot and the low season,” she said. “The results are not of concern. Flocks of visitors aren’t expected until August.”

Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodia Travel Agent Assoication, said that Angkor Wat temple is still popular throughout the world but that visitor frequency has declined as a result of flight safety concerns in other countries.

“When the amount of supplies, hotels and restaurants increase, but demand is neutral or slightly decreases, it will negatively impact local businessmen and the national budget,” he said.