Tourist arrivals in 2008 less than expected
January 4, 2009
Cambodia received less foreign tourists in 2008 than expected due to the global financial crisis and the instability in neighboring Thailand, national media said on Sunday.
The total number of foreign tourist arrivals in the kingdom in 2008 stood at 2.15 million or so, a 6 percent rise over 2007, but much less than the expected 15 percent to 20 percent, Chinese-language newspaper the Commercial News quoted Tourism Minister Thon Khong as saying.
Six percent growth is still respectable. Unfortunately, that increase represents strength in the first half of the year, before the Preah Vihear conflict and the global economic downturn kicked in. This year will surely be worse. The only question is by how much.
