World Travel Guide
Cambodia's ancient Angkor Wat complex is facing one of its biggest threats yet - the fastest-growing tourist onslaught of any World Heritage site.
Conservationists warn that visitors are already damaging Angkor's treasures irreparably. In 1993, after Angkor was added to Unesco's World Heritage List, 7,650 visitors ventured to the site. Last year almost 900,000 tickets were sold, worth US$25m (£12.8m), and three million visitors are expected in 2010.
Unesco is said to be very concerned by the unprecedented acceleration, which they say is critically damaging the monuments and the local environment.
The director of tourism at Angkor is said to be finalising regulations for controlling visitors, training guards to watch the temples and educating visitors to help protect the monuments.
Damage is being caused by tourists climbing over temples and manhandling the vulnerable stonework. Other temples are sinking into their sandy foundations as the hospitality industry drains underground water reservoirs.
Meanwhile, the site's serenity is thought to be overwhelmed by commercialisation, with shopping malls and even a theme park cropping up in the booming nearby town of Siem Reap.
Conservationists warn that visitors are already damaging Angkor's treasures irreparably. In 1993, after Angkor was added to Unesco's World Heritage List, 7,650 visitors ventured to the site. Last year almost 900,000 tickets were sold, worth US$25m (£12.8m), and three million visitors are expected in 2010.
Unesco is said to be very concerned by the unprecedented acceleration, which they say is critically damaging the monuments and the local environment.
The director of tourism at Angkor is said to be finalising regulations for controlling visitors, training guards to watch the temples and educating visitors to help protect the monuments.
Damage is being caused by tourists climbing over temples and manhandling the vulnerable stonework. Other temples are sinking into their sandy foundations as the hospitality industry drains underground water reservoirs.
Meanwhile, the site's serenity is thought to be overwhelmed by commercialisation, with shopping malls and even a theme park cropping up in the booming nearby town of Siem Reap.
7 comments:
Let Debate:
Khmer Rouge's trial in Cambodia is just a myth, a political oriented trial and an instrument of Vietnam to legitimize its invasion, influence and occupation in Cambodia. Or it is important to try few surviving KR cadres for people justice? Which one is more serious than? Or do we have other good solution?
The debate for our young generation and everybody would significantly focus on:
1. Which one is more important between the invasion of Vietnam and the ignorant leading of the KR in the past?
Tip:
- Present Cambodia situation, the Khmer Rouge (KR) is already powerless and dead...so all Khmers still happy with Vietnam's invasion in January 7, 1979-till now or revenge the dead KR regime between 1975-79?
Answer the question, please Khmer compatriots, especially young generaiton!
YOU STUPID IDIOT KHMERROUGE ARE ALL OVER PHNOM PENH.
GIVE YOU FUCKING TIP AH HUN XEN WAS AND IS KHMERROUGE.
Who care about Angkor Wat's damage or will be gone in the future. All the see pee pee care now are $$$$.
If Vietnam Communist still remain in Cambodia maybe gone already to eleminate the proof of Khmer territory. Khmer King build those
PRASAT for us to remember our land.
PRASAT IS OUR SEIMA.
Bati
They just kill people and replace by Youn.
they keep Ankor for money, the world know that south eas assia is bolong to Khmer empire! but is not protecting us from slaving and killing bu youn vietname.
No one can chang history!
But they can change present and future.
If we were not protect ourselves now, Khmer country may be exist only in history in the futute.
Stand up Khmere vote for SRP!
Well, if you want to protect Khmer,
CPP is the way to go, not the Super
Retarded Party (SRP).
So far we did great, in term of
keeping peace in the region.
CPP, CPP, CPP!!!
CPP, CPP, CPP!!!
CPP, CPP, CPP!!!
CPP, CPP, CPP!!!
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