PHNOM PENH, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's famed Angkor Archeological Park attracted 1.24 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2019, down 8.3 percent compared to the same period last year, said a statement on Monday.
The ancient park earned gross revenue of 55.7 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales during the January-June period this year, also down 9.3 percent over the same period last year, said the state-owned Angkor Enterprise's statement.
In June alone, the site welcomed 126,602 foreigners, earning 5.4 million dollars from ticket sales, down 16 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively compared to the same month last year, it said.
China, the United States, and South Korea were the biggest sources of foreign arrivals to the park.
The entrance fee to the park is 37 dollars for a one-day visit, 62 dollars for a three-day pass, and 72 dollars for a week-long pass.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), said the drop in foreign arrivals to the ancient site was due to the fact that more tourists have chosen to visit coastal areas.
Located in northwest Siem Reap province, the Angkor Archeological Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1992, is the kingdom's most popular tourist destination.
