PHNOM PENH - Cambodia has received 230,100 Chinese tourists in the first six months of 2014, an increase of 19 percent over the same period last year, according to a tourism report released on Wednesday.

The report shows that China is the second largest source of tourists to Cambodia after Vietnam.

Kong Sopheareak, chief of the statistics and planning department at the Ministry of Tourism, attributed the steady and remarkable rise in Chinese tourists to Cambodia to more direct flight connections between Cambodia and China and Cambodia's attractive tourism destinations.

"More importantly, excellent ties and cooperation between the Cambodian government and the Chinese government have encouraged more Chinese tourists and businesspeople to Cambodia," he told Xinhua.

He predicted that Cambodia could greet about 500,000 Chinese visitors this year and up to 1.5 million by 2020.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the Cambodian economy. The Southeast Asian nation is renowned for its two world heritage sites. One is the 12th century Angkor Wat Temple and the other is the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple.

In addition, it has a pristine coastline, which is one of the World's most beautiful Bays, stretching in the length of 450 km in four Southern provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot and Kep.

The country received a total of 2.2 million foreign visitors during the first six months of this year, up 5 percent over the same period last year, according to the report.

Vietnam, China, South Korea, Laos and Japan are the largest sources of tourists to the country.

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