The number of international visitors to Cambodia continued to rise between January and May this year compared to the same time last year, data received from the Ministry of Tourism indicated.

The number of international tourists visiting Cambodia increased 26.3 per cent to 1,505,734 visitors in the first five months of the year compared to 1,191,757 tourists in the same period last year.

The figure revealed that international visitors travelling by land increased by 35.7 per cent, 19.2 per cent by air and 12.5 per cent by sea.

Cambodia’s tourism market may be affected by the European market because of Greek’s debt crisis.

The Cambodian tourism market will be able to attract visitors from the nearby Asia Pacific and ASEAN regions, tourism minister Thong Khon said.

The growth in the number of tourists visiting Cambodia is more than was expected in 2011, which was 15 per cent.

The factors pushing the increase consist of Cambodia’s ASEAN chairmanship, international standard restaurants and more direct flights and political stability, said Ang Kim Eang, President of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rann Reuy at [email protected]