On Wednesday, February 28, Cambodia's Minister of Tourism, Mr. Sok Soken, proudly announced that Cambodia has once again been recognized as Asia's Leading Cultural Destination for 2023 by the World Travel Awards.
At the World Travel Awards (WTA), the country received two prestigious awards, namely Asia's Leading Cultural Destination 2023 and Asia's Leading Youth Travel Destination 2023.
For the second consecutive year, Cambodia has won the cultural destination award. Six other countries competed for the nomination, including India, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
This year also marks the second year that Cambodia has been honored as Asia's Leading Youth Travel Destination. The country also achieved similar success in 2022. Meanwhile, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have also been nominated by the WTA as Asia's Leading Youth Travel Destination for 2023.
With this success, Sok Soken emphasized that this remarkable achievement further solidifies Cambodia's appeal as a must-visit destination for culture enthusiasts.
The country is famous for the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the northwestern province of Siem Reap. Its natural charm extends to the enchanting bay in southwestern Sihanoukville. In addition, there are three other world-renowned historical destinations: the temple area of Sambor Prei Kuk in the central province of Kampong Thom, and the temple and archaeological site of Preah Vihear and Koh Ker in the northwestern province of Preah Vihear.
The tourism industry has become one of the four key sectors supporting Cambodia's economy, providing approximately 450,000 direct jobs for local residents.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia welcomed 5.45 million international tourists in 2023, a significant increase of 140 percent from the 2.27 million visitors in 2022. Gross earnings from Cambodia's tourism sector reached $3.04 billion in 2023, contributing 7.5 percent to gross domestic product (GDP), a 115 percent increase from $1.41 billion in 2022.
Known as the "Oscars" of the travel industry, the World Travel Awards have been a platform to recognize, reward and celebrate achievements in various key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry since 1993.
Cambodia's win in this prestigious category reaffirms its unique appeal as a cultural hub, attracting travelers from around the world to explore its ancient temples, royal palaces and historic sites.
