Cambodia expects to attract from 250,000 to 500,000 foreign tourists during the SEA Games-ASEAN Para Games 2023 to be hosted by Cambodia.

The expectation was unveiled by Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and Permanent Vice President of the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) in the closing ceremony of the 3rd National Games and 1st National Para Games here in Phnom Penh on November 30.

Sports event is considered as a vital tourism event in the modern tourism industry, said Thong Khon.

After SEA Games, Cambodia will host the Asian Youth Games 2029 in Phnom Penh, which would attract participants from 45 countries, he added.

According to the World Tourism Organisation, there are approximately 12 million to 15 million international sports tourists per year, equivalent to 10 percent of the global tourism industry generating $800 million annually. The ongoing FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar is expected to attract up to 1.5 million visitors. AKP-Lim Nary

• Tags: CAMSOC, SEA Games 2023