Tourism threat to Angkor
Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most famous tourist attraction, is under serious threat from soaring visitor numbers, prompting officials to call for restrictions to be implemented.
The Angkor temple complex is experiencing the fastest growth in tourist numbers of the 830 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Last year, almost one million entrance tickets, worth a total of US$25million (£12.8million), were sold, a huge increase from the 7,650 visitors received during 1993. If the current trend continues, visitor numbers are expected to reach three million by 2010.
“We are concerned by this uncontrolled acceleration, which is damaging the monuments and local environment,” said Teruo Jinnai, a UNESCO official at Angkor. “Preservation of
the park for future generations has to be the number one priority, over and above commercial exploitation.”
The Angkor temple complex is experiencing the fastest growth in tourist numbers of the 830 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Last year, almost one million entrance tickets, worth a total of US$25million (£12.8million), were sold, a huge increase from the 7,650 visitors received during 1993. If the current trend continues, visitor numbers are expected to reach three million by 2010.
“We are concerned by this uncontrolled acceleration, which is damaging the monuments and local environment,” said Teruo Jinnai, a UNESCO official at Angkor. “Preservation of
the park for future generations has to be the number one priority, over and above commercial exploitation.”
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