Viral temple run trend among tourists in Angkor Wat raises concerns about damage to sacred ruins | Travel

Simon Warrack, a conservationist who has spent three decades working to preserve the nearly millennia-old ruins of Angkor, is concerned about the potential damage, as well as the cultural and religious insensitivity that is being trampled on. “You wouldn't run through St. Peter's Basilica or any Western church in Rome – so why is it OK to do that in Cambodia,” Warrack said. “It's not just about potential damage to the stones from people bumping into them and falling or knocking things over – which is entirely possible – but also damage to the spiritual and cultural value of the temples.”

Warrack said he had spoken to Cambodian colleagues and officials who oversee the complex who share his concerns. “Angkor Wat is still deeply revered by people,” he said. “Every stone is said to contain the spirits of ancestors.” The incident highlights the challenge many historic sites face today in balancing increasing tourism, sustainability and local life, especially in a post-Covid world where revenge travel still plays a role. The trend also highlights the impact of influencers and social media on tourism.

Cambodia is not the only destination experiencing a rise in bad behavior. While other tourist hotspots such as Indonesia and Spain have taken measures to keep unruly visitors in check – Indonesia turns away the worst offenders – the authority that oversees the Angkor temple complex has taken no action against the viral trend. The number of international visitors to Cambodia has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, and even some Cambodians themselves have taken to social media to say the trend is good for boosting much-needed arrival numbers.

According to a trends report from American Express, social media is a top source of travel inspiration for many vacation seekers. Nearly three in four millennials and Gen Z surveyed said they participated in social media trends while on vacation, while about half said they wanted to show off their travels to impress their followers.

The Temple Run Challenge features many videos of people in their 20s, some wearing dresses and scarves. Angelina Dougherty, a Cambodian-American who won Miss Pacific Asian American in a beauty pageant last year, also joined the trend, posting a video of herself and another woman running and jumping through the temple, similar to the moves in the video game. Doughtery did not respond to a request for comment.

Hollywood in the spotlight

Hollywood introduced Angkor Wat to much of the world when the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was shot in the complex's Angkor Thom temple. Then came Temple Run, a 2011 video game developed by Imangi Studios in which players control a character who must run through temple ruins while avoiding obstacles and demonic creatures that pursue them. Temple Run's backdrop consists of stonework and corridors that closely resemble the ruins of Angkor.

Angkor, which is on the United Nations World Heritage List and consists of more than 100 temples, is one of Southeast Asia's most important archaeological sites. The ruins are a major economic driver for the predominantly rural country. Before the pandemic hit, the 400-hectare site received a record 6.6 million tourists, bringing in more than $80 million in ticket sales. So far this year, the ruins have attracted around 630,000 visitors.

The complex, which includes the famous Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom temples, is built from sandstone blocks and has survived war, earthquakes and forest encroachment. Over the years, international restorers have contributed to the ongoing restoration work.

“While this trend has temporarily increased online interest in Angkor, it is important to promote safe access, educational visits and respect for the local religious, spiritual and social significance of the sites,” said Ginevra Boatto, country director in Cambodia for the World Monuments Fund, which works with local authorities responsible for the sites to protect them. New visitor trends should be “carefully managed to avoid negative impacts.”

Some videos point out that the reenactments are done out of appreciation for the temples. And most reactions from viewers are positive, with many excited to get to know the temples through the challenge. But Hans Leisen, who has led a German government-funded conservation project at Angkor Wat for 30 years, didn't mince his words when describing his reaction to the videos.

“This is nonsense,” says Leisen, who works to preserve the temples' delicate bas-reliefs and carvings that tell religious stories. “When you run through the temple, you don't see the beauty of the carvings. And when you fall or stumble, you touch a wall to steady yourself, endangering the fragile carvings.”

Leisen fears this trend could spread to other temple complexes in Southeast Asia. In Bali, the Indonesian government set up a tourism task force and a hotline last year where locals can report tourist misbehavior. Authorities recently updated their guidelines for the 14 million visitors expected to come to the island this year, urging visitors to respect local laws and customs, which include wearing head coverings in temples and respecting the sanctity of religious sites.

In Cambodia, the Apsara National Authority, the government agency that oversees the Angkor complex, issued a code of conduct for visitors at least eight years ago that prohibits touching carvings and leaning on temple structures. According to local media, the kingdom's tourism minister recently expressed concern about potential damage to the ruins from the viral trend. Apsara declined to comment, while the tourism ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Still, at least one Cambodian isn't bothered by the viral challenge. Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the videos could help bring much-needed tourism to Cambodia, which contributed 18% to gross domestic product in 2019. Tourism in Cambodia in general is helping to drive the country's expected 5.8% economic growth this year, according to the Asian Development Bank.

“As long as they don't damage the temples and don't bother other people, it's OK,” said Seun, who noted that some videos show visitors running on paths that serve as walkways. “Tourism is very important to Cambodia's economy. When foreign visitors come, they buy things, spend money on hotels and transportation. That's what we want to encourage.”