THE number of tourists visiting Preah Vihear province increased by more than 50 percent in the first nine months of the year, compared to the same period last year.

Officials said improved infrastructure and increasing security in the northwestern province brought more visitors to the country yesterday.

Some 97,812 visitors made the trip to the province this year to the end of September, up 51.29 percent from the 64,652 visitors during the same period of 2009.

“Tourism has been increasing every month because security along the border is improving, and provincial road connections are getting better,” said Kong Vibol, director of the Preah Vihear province Tourism Department.

The statistics showed over 90 percent of total visitors were Cambodian nationals, with 90,109 local tourists travelling to the province in the first nine months, up 54.65 percent on the same period last year.

Some 7,703 foreigners travelled to the province this year to the end of September, a 15.25 percent increase on the same period last year.