Cambodia (file photo)

PHNOM PENH, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Some 360,783 Chinese holidaymakers had visited Cambodia in the first four months of 2017, up 31 percent over the same period last year, the Tourism Ministry's latest data showed on Tuesday.

China ranked the largest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia, the data said, adding that the Chinese visitors accounted for 18.8 percent of the 1.9 million foreigners visiting the Southeast Asian country during the January-April period this year.

Kong Sopheareak, director of the Tourism Ministry's statistics and planning department, told Xinhua last month that the excellent relations between Cambodia and China, Cambodia's attractive tourism sites, and direct flights between the two countries are the key factors attracting more Chinese tourists and business people to Cambodia.

He said, currently, 12 airlines are operating about 120 flights per week between Cambodian and Chinese cities.

"It is expected that Chinese tourists to Cambodia will reach 1 million in 2017," he said.

Cambodia is famous for the 12th century Angkor Archeological Park in northwestern Siem Reap province. Besides, it has a 450-km pristine coastline stretching across four provinces in the country's southwestern part.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the Cambodian economy. In 2016, the country welcomed 5 million foreign tourists, including 830,000 Chinese, earning gross revenue of 3.4 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Tourism Ministry.