PHNOM PENH: More than 13 million national and international tourists were recorded travelling across Cambodia during the three-day Khmer New Year from 14-16 April 2023, according to a report released by the Ministry of Tourism. More than 55,000 foreign tourists were recorded among the 13 million total.

The province that received the most number tourists was Siem Reap, attributed to the Angkor Sankranta festival, which attracted more than 2 million visitors. Ranking second was Battambang, with more than 1.5 million tourists. Kampong Cham province ranked third, with close to 1.5 million tourists, while Phnom Penh ranked fourth with close to 1.1 million tourists.

The number of people travelling across Cambodia during the 2023 Khmer New Year increased by more than 5.17 million compared to 2022.

The Minister of Tourism, Thong Khon, stated that the number of tourists recorded this Khmer New Year was more than expected and also more than before the Covid-19 crisis.

He said events like Angkor Sankranta and other Sankranta celebrations across different provincial cities, towns and major tourist destinations all contributed to the rise in tourism during this festive period.

"This influx of tourists has created a lot of economic benefits, both nationally and locally," said the Tourism Minister. “Hotels, guesthouses and other accommodation services in almost all provinces were at 100% capacity. At the same time, restaurants and eateries were also full during the three-day holiday, which is a stark difference from the situation during the Covid-19 pandemic, when most people had to prepare their own food to eat [at home].”