Cambodia to host world conference on tourism, culture in 2015

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will host a world conference on tourism and culture on Feb.4-6 in the tourism city of Siem Reap province, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said Thursday.

Prime Minister Hun Sen will preside over the opening ceremony of the conference and King Norodom Sihamoni will host a gala dinner for the participants, he said.

"We have planned to invite guests from 151 countries to attend the conference," he said during a meeting with foreign diplomats in Cambodia, adding that the conference will be organized by the World Tourism Organization and the UNESCO.

He briefed the foreign diplomats on the details of the upcoming conference and urged them to help promote the event among peoples in their respective countries.

"The event is aimed at promoting tourism and preserving culture, " he said.

Siem Reap province houses Angkor Wat Temple, a world heritage site, which is the kingdom's largest tourist destination.

It is situated about 315 km northwest of capital Phnom Penh.

The temple attracted 1.74 million foreign tourists during the first nine months of this year, up 11 percent over the same period last year, according to a tourism data. The top five countries visiting the site are South Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand.