VI
EN
Short videos shared on social media show a trend of running the Temple Run around Angkor Wat, depicting tourists running on the steps and climbing around Cambodia's nearly 1,000-year-old cultural heritage site.
Some videos have garnered over 2 million views and inspired others to follow suit, SCMP reported. Angelina Dougherty, a Cambodian-American who was crowned Miss Asia Pacific in the 2023 beauty pageant, also joined the trend with a video of her and another woman running and jumping over a temple, mimicking moves from a video game.
A series of videos participating in this trend have been posted on the TikTok platform.
"Temple Run," a video game developed by Imangi Studios in 2011, features a player controlling a character running through the ruins of a temple, avoiding obstacles and pursuing demonic creatures. The setting of Temple Run includes stone structures and pathways very similar to the ruins of Angkor.
This incident highlights the challenges of managing historical sites, balancing attracting tourists with preserving local values. According to a report by American Express, social media is a leading source of inspiration for those planning to travel.
Temple Run is a popular game where the objective is to escape from a temple.
Simon Warrack, a conservationist who has worked at the Angkor archaeological site for over 30 years, worries that the nearly 1,000-year-old religious monument is at risk of damage. He also expressed disappointment at the indifference of many tourists towards culture and religion. “You don’t run around in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome or any church in the West. So why do people do that in Cambodia?”
With Cambodia's tourism industry showing signs of recovery, approaching pre-COVID-19 levels, some believe that easing restrictions could attract more tourists, while others worry about the negative impact of irresponsible behavior on cultural heritage.
Tourism contributes significantly to the Cambodian economy. Therefore, people believe that tourists should be encouraged to visit and explore the country. As long as it doesn't negatively impact heritage sites, minor actions like climbing are not considered a serious problem.
