PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the momentum of national and international tourists increased by nearly 1 million people (about 150.45%) as of the second week of October, as a result of Provincial Water Festival celebrations and the launch of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.

According to a weekly report from the Ministry of Tourism, from 10-16 October 2022, the number of general tourists increased to 938,928 people in the second week, including 914,543 national tourists and 24,385 international tourists, indicating a 150.45% increase in tourists compared to the previous week.

According to the Tourism Ministry, the increase in domestic tourists over the past week was due to the organization of Water Festival celebrations in certain provinces such as Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Pursat.

The Ministry added that the province of Sihanoukville has continued to receive tourists for two consecutive weeks after the launch of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway from 1 October 2022 onwards.

The seven provinces that attracted tourists the most tourists in the second week of October include: Kampong Cham (401,929 people), Sihanoukville (139,591 people), Battambang (135,899 people), Prey Veng (68,525 people), Pursat (59,845 people), Siem Reap (27,822 people) and Kampot (23,246 people).

On Wednesday afternoon, 19 October, the APSARA Authority stated that it predicts the growth of tourists will return to normal after a lull of more than two years caused by Covid-19, as it has observed the number of national and international tourists visiting Angkor Wat beginning to rise again.