Phnom Penh, Oct 2 (IANS): Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat received 6,167 foreign visitors during the first nine months of 2021, down 98.4 per cent from 396,241 over the same period last year, according to authorities.

The 12th century temple complex site made a gross revenue of $253,809 from ticket sales during the January-September period this year, also down 98.6 per cent from $18.45 million year-on-year, Xinhua news agency.

In September alone, the famed site welcomed 228 foreigners earning $9,281 from ticket sales, down 92 per cent and 92.5 per cent, respectively, compared to the same month last year, it said.

The remarkable drop was due to the Covid-19 pandemic that had forced the Southeast Asian nation to suspend tourist visas to all foreign citizens since March last year.

"We hope that Cambodia will be able to reopen its door to fully vaccinated foreign tourists by the end of this year after the country has achieved herd immunity," Ministry of Tourism sspokesman Top Sopheak told Xinhua.

Located in northwest Siem Reap province, the 401-sq-km temple complex site, inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List, is the country's most popular tourist destination.

Prior to Covid-19, the site attracted up to 2.2 million international tourists in 2019, generating a gross revenue of $99 million from ticket sales.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the form of a temple complex in the world by land area.