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Foreign air arrivals soar 244% in Jan-Apr

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Passengers arrive at Phnom Penh International Airport on March 16. Heng Chivoan

Foreign air arrivals soar 244% in Jan-Apr

A total of 131,864 foreign visitors entered Cambodia by air in the first four months of this year, through the Kingdom’s three international airports, marking an increase of 243.9 per cent from the 38,346 recorded in the same period in 2021, tourism ministry figures show.

Phnom Penh International Airport accounted for the largest share at 113,406 people, up from 31,369 in the same period last year, followed by Siem Reap International Airport (15,171; up from two) and Sihanouk International Airport (3,287; down from 6,975).

Moreover, total foreign arrivals registered a 191.5 per cent year-on-year increase in January-April to 241,485, which in turn marks a 92.9 per cent drop versus the same period in 2020 before the Covid-19 crisis took off.

Vietnam was the main source market for inbound tourists, at 74,643, representing a 30.9 per cent share, followed by Thailand (50,279; 20.8 per cent), China (15,403; 6.4 per cent), and the US (13,279; 5.5 per cent).

The resurgence in the number of travellers comes as a result of the government's push started in early November towards the full resumption of socio-economic activity, as the Covid-19 community transmission in Cambodia was brought under control.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Cambodia plunged 84.96 per cent from 1,306,143 in 2020 to just 196,495 in 2021, the latter of which represents a nearly 97.03 per cent drop from the all-time peak of 6,610,592 in 2019, ministry data indicates.

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