Tourists explore the ancient ruins of the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province. (photo: Heng Chivoan/phnompenhpost.com)

The organizing board of the Angkor Wat complex said a total of 1.2 million foreign tourists visited the site between January and June, about 13% more than during the same period in 2016. Chinese tourists made the biggest number. There are 31 direct flights from China to Siem Reap to visit Cambodia’s top tourist draw.

A spokesperson for the Apsara Authority, which manages Cambodia’s antiquities sites including Angkor Wat, said the increases in both revenue and admissions during the first half of the year were proof that the revised ticket prices did not discourage tourists from visiting the temple complex. The cost of the one-day pass is 37 USD, 62 USD for a 3-day tour, and 72 USD for a weeklong tour. Cambodian and children under 12 years old enjoy free pass.

Angkor Wat was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1992. Located in the northwest of Siem Reap province, Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It was built on the vestiges of many Khmer regimes from the 9^th to the 15^th century.

In its most developed period, the temple city had more than 1 million residents and was one of the world’s most crowded pre-industry hub. Parts of the complex have been excavated in many decades to expose architectural wonders that attract more than 2 million tourists a year. Cambodia’s tourism has developed rapidly in recent years.

Besides Angkor Wat, Cambodia attracts tourists to many other beautiful places such as Tonle Sap Lake, beaches and islands in Sihanoukville, Koh Rong, and Koh Thmei. Cambodia targets to welcome 7.5 million tourists, earn 5 billion USD, and generate 1 million jobs in 2020.