Phnom Penh, Sep 1 (IANS) Cambodia’s famed Angkor Archaeological Park received 393,293 foreign visitors during the first eight months of 2020, down 74 per cent over the same period last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a statement said on Tuesday.
The ancient site earned gross revenue of $18.33 million from ticket sales during the January-August period this year, down about 73 per cent over the same period last year, said the state-owned Angkor Enterprise’s statement.
In August, the park attracted 3,663 foreigners, earning $161,021 from ticket sales, down 97.6 per cent and 97.7 per cent, respectively compared to the same month last year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Located in Siem Reap province, the Angkor Archaeological Park, inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List, is the kingdom’s most popular tourist destination.
The huge decline in foreign tourists to the park was due to the pandemic that forced the country to impose entry restrictions for all foreign travellers since March to stem the virus spread.
The Southeast Asian nation has recorded a total of 274 confirmed cases to date, said a Ministry of Health’s statement on Tuesday, adding that 266 have recovered with not a single death.
–IANS
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