Angkor Archaeological Park Tourist One-day Tickets Streamlined From September 2024
In an ongoing raft of changes to boost and streamline tourism procedures across Cambodia, the Angkor Institute has announced it will reduce the amount of tourist information required such as photos, nationality, age, and gender for one-day Angkor entry tickets - which come into effect from the end of September 2024.
The news follows the Angkor Institute Board of Directors meeting on August 27 2024, chaired by Mr Aun Porn Moniroth, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance. There is no change to the 3 or 7 day tickets which still require additional information of the nationality, age group, and gender of the ticket holder, but this information is not displayed on the ticket.
In the second half of 2024, new paperless immigration arrival forms have been introduced, electronic payments announced to be accepted for tourist visas at international airports, and the Bakong Tourists App has been soft-launched - all of these have been embracing digitalisation and hoping to make the Kingdom of Cambodia more attractive for foreign visitors.
Furthermore, the Angkor Institute agreed to develop IT systems for card sales which will enable guests to utilise Self-Service Machines and they will also develop a mobile app, as well as promote electronic payments. There will also be a study on the provision of wristband tickets to make it easier for visitors.
Cambodian citizens and long-term expats in Cambodia can still visit the UNESCO park near Siem Reap for free.
What Changes Are There For Tourists To Know When Visiting Angkor Archaeological Park In 2024
Based on local media reports, the Angkor BOD meeting in August 2024 yielded the following:
- One-day Angkor Park tickets: Eliminate the need to collect tourist information such as photos, nationality, age group, and gender from the end of September 2024 onwards.
- 3-day and 7-day Angkor Park tickets: Continue to apply guest requirements for tickets until the end of 2024.
- Modify Control Systems: Reduce the checkpoints at the four entrances and maintain checkpoints only at the temple entrances. This has even been further elaborated as removing the ticket-checking stations at the four main entrances to the park but this will need to be verified.
Ly Se, director-general of Angkor Enterprise also told local media that they have requested to allow tourists to travel through the park area without purchasing a ticket if they don't intend to visit the temples themselves (which relates to point 3 above). He said, “We will cease checking tickets on the roads and will place them only at the temple entrances. We don't want to inconvenience tourists by making them stop unnecessarily.” This would allow visitors to explore vast expanses outside of the temples and enjoy the green spaces.
A joint working group will review and analyse the reforms implemented with a target of implementing further changes in ticket sales from January 1, 2025, onwards.
Angkor Park - Tourism Numbers 2024
Angkor Archaeological Park attracted 521,950 international visitors in the first six months of 2024 generating USD $24.35 million in ticket sales. At its peak in 2019, more than 2.2 million foreign visitors generated more than USD $90 million in ticket sales by visiting the iconic Cambodian temples.