STORY: Cambodia expects more Chinese visitor arrivals to drive tourism growth
DATELINE: Oct. 20, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:59
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the park
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): CHEY SREYKHUOCH, Souvenir vendor at the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap
3. various of tourists
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): HONG PENG, Chinese-speaking tour guide at the Angkor Archeological Park
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): PENG WANGXI, Chinese businessman from Shanghai

STORYLINE:

Chey Sreykhuoch, a souvenir vendor at the Angkor Archeological Park in Cambodia, is eager to see more Chinese tourists coming, saying they were the major source of her income in the pre-COVID era.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): CHEY SREYKHUOCH, Souvenir vendor at the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap
"There were many Chinese tourists before the COVID-19, but it went quiet during the pandemic, and now, they have started to come back gradually.
We want more Chinese tourists to come and visit Cambodia because the country is very safe, unlike some media reports that have published negative news about our Cambodia."

The Angkor Archeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most popular tourist destination in Cambodia, and Angkor Wat is the main temple in the park.

On Monday, the Chinese-invested Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) started commercial operation, which is located around 40 km away from the Angkor Archeological Park.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): HONG PENG, Chinese-speaking tour guide at the Angkor Archeological Park
"The COVID-19 pandemic in the last three years had impacted the tourism sector, resulting in a sharp decline in tourist numbers.
With the opening of the new airport, we hope the number of tourists will return to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): PENG WANGXI, Chinese businessman from Shanghai
"Angkor Wat is so impressive. If you like culture and history, it's definitely worth a visit. It's rich in heritage with unique charm."

According to the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia received over 364,000 Chinese visitors from January to August this year, a year-on-year increase of 611 percent, making China one of the largest sources of international tourists to the Southeast Asian country.

The ministry's Secretary of State Top Sopheak said he expects more Chinese tourists to arrive in Cambodia, as they have contributed to the country's economic and touristic development as well as poverty reduction.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)