Cambodia, a country with strong Buddhist routes and a wealth of sacred sites, is keen to build on its potential as a sanctuary for spiritual tourism.
Despite the appeal of World Heritage-listed ancient Khmer Empire temples, Angkor Wat and Koh Ker, local tourism bodies believe Cambodia’s spiritual appeal often goes underrepresented in mainstream tourism narratives compared to the attention paid to countries such as India, Indonesia and Thailand.
Last year, Angkor Wat launched a two-and-a-half hour ‘Religious Tour’ to recognise that spiritual tourists are looking for a dedicated experience when visiting Cambodia’s ancient temples.
Randy Fadlila Nasser, marketing and communications manager, Novotel Phnom Penh, said Bali and Thailand have well-established yoga and other spiritual retreat routes.
“These countries are further strengthened by a multitude of factors, including core influencers documenting their spiritual journeys and easily attained visas,” he told the Khmer Times.
Jeremie Clement, GM, Peninsula Phnom Penh, said Cambodia could draw inspiration from Bhutan’s emphasis on holistic well-being and eco-friendly tourism practices, “as well as its focus on high-value, low-impact tourism that prioritises quality experiences”.
“With the rise of technology, Cambodia should leverage virtual platforms to make these spiritual experiences accessible to a global audience, even if they can’t physically travel to the country,” he added.