Cambodian tourism to downplay Angkor Wat site

via Pattaya Mail, 12 April 2023: The Cambodian tourism ministry is signalling a potential move away from Angkor as the main tourism draw for the country, and looking to alleviate the conservation pressure on the archaeological site.

The Cambodian government is determined to put a new focus on international tourism, stressing that visitors should be dispersed throughout the country. The move follows concerns that the traditional attraction, the Angkor Wat ancient temple complex, is suffering environmentally from mass tourism (notably Chinese) and more controversially from the semi-forcible eviction of 10,000 local residents to “protect” the park.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said that, in the past, overseas visitors had restricted themselves mostly to the capital Phnom Penh and the provincial Siem Reap with the neighboring temple complex. He explained that new packages were now offering more nature tourism, adventure activities, ecotourism and learning about local culture and food. Cambodia had many poor areas throughout the country which still needed development.

Source: Cambodian tourism to downplay Angkor Wat site – Pattaya Mail