As tourism grows, so do questions about sustainability
While tourism officials are pleased about the healthy growth of tourism in Cambodia, the influx of visitors might not be so healthy for the Kingdom’s main attraction-the temple complex of Angkor Wat near Siem Reap. New figures from the Siem Reap tourist office show that about 1.5 million people visited the city in the first seven months of this year, up more than a third from the same period last year. Officials say the total number this year should surpass two million, since this year’s high season is still to come. … There are hopes that a move toward high-end tourism in Siem Reap might help temples withstand the visitor onslaught. And indeed, some experts say moving away from mass tourism could end up saving the sector in the long run.
