PHNOM PENH, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia is projected to receive about 1.7 million Chinese tourists in 2018, an expected increase of 40 percent from 1.21 million in 2017, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said Tuesday.

"There has been a rise in the middle class in China. Chinese people are now rich, and they are keen to spend their holidays overseas," he told reporters on the sidelines of a Tourism Ministry's annual conference.

Thong Khon also attributed the remarkable rise in Chinese tourists to Cambodia to excellent ties between Cambodia and China, Cambodia's attractive tourism sites and increasing direct flights between the two countries.

The Southeast Asian nation attracted 5.6 million international tourists last year and was expected to receive 6.1 million this year, said the minister.

Tourism is one of the four sectors supporting the economy. The country has three world heritage sites, namely the Angkor Archeological Park, the Preah Vihear Temple, and the Sambor Prei Kuk Archeological Site.

Besides, it has a pristine coastline stretching in the length of 450 km in four southwestern provinces of Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, Kep and Koh Kong.