About Tourism

The intricately patterned ikat silks (silks that whose threads are tie-dyed before being woven) created by the Khmer and Cham ethnic groups may come to mind when thinking of Cambodian textiles, but the peoples of Cambodia have produced many other cotton and silk textiles. Cambodians traditionally considered both domestic and imported textiles to be markers of identity, prestige, and wealth, and quantity and quality of textiles possessed by an individual or family contributed to their status within society.
Traditional dress in Cambodia is similar to traditional dress in neighboring Laos and Thailand.

Sampot is the lower garment worn by either sex. The sampot for urban lower class and peasant women is a tube-skirt (sarong) approximately one and a half meters in length with both ends sewn together and is worn wrapped around the waist and secured with a cloth belt. Women of the middle and upper classes preferred to wear the sampot chang kben on a daily basis until the beginning of the twentieth century.





This rectangular piece of cloth is approximately three meters long and one meter wide and is worn by first wrapping the cloth around the waist and stretching the ends away from the body. The outstretched ends are then twisted together and pulled between the legs and toward the back. The ends are tucked into the waist at the back, and the sampot chang kben is lastly fastened with a cloth or metal belt. Women of all social strata wear the sampot chang kben on special occasions such as religious ceremonies and weddings.

Men also wear the sampot chang kben, but the traditional textile patterns worn by males differ from those worn by females. Traditionally, neither women nor men wore an upper garment. However, when the French colonial presence grew in Cambodia in the late nineteenth century, both men and women began to wear upper garments.

Even after the French presence in Cambodia from the 1860s onwards, Cambodians continued to wear traditional clothing. The Cambodian royalty and government officials combined the shot silk sampot chang kben (in the appropriate color for the day of the week) with a formal jacket. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Cambodians adopted forms of western style clothing such as a blouse or shirt.

Men more readily adopted trousers as the lower garment for daily use, and both sexes continue to wear the sampot chang kben for formal occasions. Lower class and particularly rural women still wear a tube-skirt, but the material may be printed batik-patterned cloth bought at the market rather than hand-woven silk or cotton.

Silk Textiles

The most important silk textiles of Cambodia are the ikat silks (hol), twill-patterned, weft ikat textiles. The pattern is made by tying vegetable or synthetic fibers on sections of the weft threads before the threads are dyed. This process is repeated for different colored dye baths until the patterns are formed and the cloth is woven. The two types of hol textiles have five traditional colors: red, yellow, green, blue, and black.

The sampot hol is the lower garment mentioned earlier, made from hol cloth (hol cloth can also be used for sampot chang kben). The pidan hol is a ceremonial hanging reserved for religious or sacred purposes.

The pidan hol is an example of excellent craftsmanship. It may be presented to a Buddhist temple or hung it in homes to create sacred space around the family's personal shrine. In a temple this textile is hung behind, above, or around the base of, a Buddha image. The narrative motifs of a pidan hol often depict tales of the previous lives of the Buddha.

Cotton Textiles

The various ethnic groups of Cambodia also produce cotton material for religious clothing and other purposes, such as for bedding and for various household textiles. The royal courts also imported Indian chintz with patterns especially for the Southeast Asian market.

The kroma is the all-purpose utility cotton cloth used by either men or women throughout the country as a head or neck scarf, belt, or towel. It is also used as a bag to carry things. This rectangular textile has a checkered pattern, usually blue and white or red and white, with striped ends. Political groups such as the Khmer Rouge have used the kroma to symbolize membership.

The Cham, an Austronesian group, are highly skilled silk weavers who produce cotton tube-skirts or sarongs for both men and women. Three or four hundred years ago, the Cham reportedly used to produce batiks (wax resist-dyed fabrics) in cotton similar to that of their kin in insular Southeast Asia. Cham women weave a checked or plaid cotton sarong for men. Natural or white cotton is important in Cham religious activities; it is worn by Cham priests and used as a sacred object during religious ceremonies.

Other Mon-Khmer and Austronesian minorities living in the northeastern region of Cambodia weave cotton cloth on back strap looms for clothing and domestic use. The groups of both of these linguistic families weave similar textiles by attaching the warp beam of the back strap loom to a tree or part of a house in order the achieve the lengths of woven material needed for their loincloths.

The male loincloth is approximately 20 to 25 centimeters wide and 3 to 7 meters long. It is indigo blue or black with large red warp stripes and smaller yellow and white warp stripes. Supplementary patterns also decorate the stripes. The ends of the loincloth are patterned with red bands with supplementary patterns of animal or plant motifs. Red tassels and lead, glass, or plastic beading sometimes decorate the edges and ends of the loincloth. Men of the various Mon-Khmer linguistic groups sometimes wear a blanket over a shoulder during rituals, but otherwise do not wear an upper garment.

Occasionally, men wear a simple tunic made from plant fibers such as bark cloth or banana leaves. These plant-fiber tunics are reported to have been more common when the technology to weave cotton was not familiar to these groups. It is now rare to find clothing made from these fibers. Men of the Jarai and Ede Austronesian minorities wear a collarless shirt of indigo or black cotton adorned with red yarn or metal beads on special occasions.

Women of the different ethnic minorities wear tube skirts. The long tube-skirt is worn tucked in around the breasts and is made from two pieces of material sewn together to form a tube. The shorter version is made from one piece of cloth sewn into a tube and is worn tucked in at the waist. The color scheme of the women's tube-skirts is similar to that of the men's loincloth. Women either do not wear an upper garment or wear a simple tunic made from a single piece of cloth with a hole cut in the middle of the textile for the head and the sides sewn together leaving open spaces for the arms. Ede women add sleeves to the tunic and decorate them with red yarn and metal beading.

As with other Khmer and Cham ethnicities, the minority groups of northeast Cambodia presently reserve traditional dress for special occasions. Textile production in Cambodia has experienced disruption because of political conflict, particularly during the Khmer Rouge regime of the late 1970s. Textile production increased in the calmer conditions at the beginning of the twenty-first century, encouraged by renewed local and foreign interest in hand-woven textiles, particularly in mastering the dyeing and weaving of the pidan hol produced prior to the twentieth century.

Visitor arrivals to Cambodia have decreased by 2.18 percent in the first four months of 2009 compared to the previous year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Tourism on Monday.

Visitor arrivals for the first four months of 2009 hit 800,243 compared to 818,108 in 2008, with Vietnamese and South Koreans making up the greatest number of visitors.

The report also showed a considerable difference between visitor arrivals to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the country’s foremost tourism destination. Whereas Phnom Penh has experienced a 12 percent increase in visitor arrivals in the first four months of 2009, Siem Reap has seen a 14 percent decline.





According to Ho Vandy, co-chair of the government-private sector tourism working group, this is because of the sustained level of commercial activity that continues to take place in the capital.
“Siem Reap is only concerned with tourists. But Phnom Penh is a commercial place. The business people are still coming to the city,” he said.

Mr Vandy said that Phnom Penh’s three and four-star hotels were still registering occupancy levels of between 60 and 70 percent across the board. However, hotels and guesthouses catering for budget clients – namely back-packers and package-deal tourists – are feeling the affects of the downturn, he said.

A stroll through the backpacking district along Boeng Kak lake in Phnom Penh makes it clear that the tourists that once poured into the area have largely stayed away.
At Mohammed Norulla’s Indian Curry Pot restaurant, every seat in his spacious dining area stood empty during the lunchtime hours of 1 and 2 pm on Monday. Outside his restaurant he has hung up a sign with a promotion that reads “Free beer with every meal.”
Ros Sokheth, a receptionist at the Green Lake Guesthouse on the Boeng Kok lake, says the guesthouse is also feeling the pinch.

“People used to sit eating and drinking in the restaurant. Now it is very quiet,” He said, adding that he is welcoming just a third of the clients than the during the same period last year.
Despite the slump in low-budget visitor arrivals to Phnom Penh, the hotel sector in the capital has largely escaped the disastrous drop in business that is currently being experienced in Siem Reap. There, both the Allison Angkor and the Princess Angkor Hotels – two of the city’s well-known hotels – have closed their doors for the remainder of the low season.
Bun Hok Chhun, sales executive at the four-star Phnom Penh Hotel, said that working in the hotel industry in Phnom Penh was a comparative blessing, as commercial activity in the city was keeping the hospitality industry afloat.

“Business is quite low down this year, but we are still filling 60 to 70 percent of the rooms in the hotel,” he said. “Unlike Siem Reap we depend a lot less on tourists.”
Mr Hok Chhun said that 60 percent of the hotel’s client base are traveling businessmen with the remaining 40 percent representing tourists from Asia, Europe and the US.

REVENUES from Angkor Wat admission fees have shrunk by 20 percent in the first quarter, the Apsara Authority - which runs the temple complex - announced Sunday, citing the knock-on effects of Thai political turmoil.

"Most foreign tourists enter Cambodia through Thailand. So, if Thailand has a problem, we are inevitably affected by their problem," said Bun Narith, director general of the Apsara authority.

He added that the decrease happened in line with a 22-percent drop in foreign visitors this year up to the end of March. The number of visitors to Angkor Wat continued to drop by 16 percent in April, he added.






"In 2007, more than US$32 million was earned from selling tickets to Angkor Wat, and the amount decreased about 5 percent in 2008," he said.

Sokha Hotels, which belongs to Sok Kong, the owner of Sokimex, has the right to collect ticket income for the government.

According to Bun Narith, 10 percent of the income is spent on tax and the remaining 90 percent is divided following an agreed formula: each party gets 50 percent from the first $3 million in revenues, after which 15 percent is used by the Apsara Authority for conservation and development of the temples, and the rest is divided 80-20 percent between the government and Sokha Hotels respectively.

According to the Apsara Authority, this formula has been followed since the second agreement between the government and Sokha Hotels in 2005.

Svay Sothy, a representative of Sokha Hotels, said his company reviews its contract with the government every five years, and the second contract will end in 2010.

The Apsara Authority's Department of Angkor Tourism Development showed that the number of tourists who visited Angkor Wat had decreased 13 percent in January, 26 percent in February, 26 percent in March, and 16 percent in April compared with last year's figures.

"I want younger generations to love Khmer artifacts, to keep them in Cambodia"
Liv Saa Em said.

Khmer Traditional Clothing
The lines of culture distinguishing one country from another are blurring. The globalization of technology, information and finance has allowed wealthy countries to export not only their political and economic ideologies to developing countries but their traditions and values as well.

The Cambodian government has made aggressive rhetorical efforts to preserve the integrity of traditional Khmer culture, but younger generations are hungry for a change. In a seemingly uphill battle to maintain cultural identity in an increasingly homogeneous global community, one man has made it his mission to preserve the past for future generations.





From household items and clothes to jewelry and sculpture, Liv Saa Em's private collection is one of the largest in Cambodia.

"It is my favorite thing to do since I was young. I like to keep antiques in my house because my parents bought a lot of antiques from villagers to keep at their house.

Upon first glance, Liv Saa Em could be mistaken for an ancient Khmer man in his traditional dress. Ancient relics adorn his house as well, stretching from the front door into the darkest corners. The building is his sanctuary; a place Liv Saa Em says keeps him smiling. Visitors to the house, which doubles as a museum, often have offered the collector money for his goods. But Liv Saa Em's mission is to maintain Khmer culture for Cambodia. His message: History is not for sale.

The robbery of Khmer artifacts, for sale to foreign countries, is a rising concern. In efforts to preserve the integrity of Cambodia's tangible history, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts recently prohibited the exportation of artifacts from Cambodia to Vietnam and Thailand. Liv Saa Em agrees with the act's passage, as he too works to preserve artifacts so that all of Cambodia may enjoy them in years to come.

A sample of his Khmer silk collection
Since the tender age of 13, Liv Saa Em has taken the cue of his parents, who were avid collectors. Now preserving artifacts is not only a hobby--it's a mission. "I'm very upset when I see our artifacts exported to neighboring countries," he said. "We know that they are really Khmer artifacts, but I have no ability to take them back to the country." Even when it is not in transit, safeguarding art is not always easy. Liv Saa Em said artifacts kept in the National Museum cannot be promised security, and his house in Tang Yab, Prey Kabas district of Takeo province is no better. Pieces of history were shattered in 1976 when young Khmer Rouge soldiers destroyed his parents' house and the artifacts in it.

Unable to forget the loss, Liv Saa Em has made a conscious effort to buy pieces for his private collection at home. Trading medicine or rice for art, the collector has purchased relics from Takeo, Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh. Now Liv Saa Em's reputation for collecting precedes him, and tourists that visit his home hoping to make a purchase are always denied.

"I love Khmer artifacts and I love to keep them forever," Liv Saa Em said.

Liv Saa Em's love affair with the past started when he was just a boy. "I wore simple cloth like other people when I was young," he said. But after completing his studies, Liv Saa Em developed a style of his own. Entering adulthood, he wore the ancient Khmer cloth donned by people of the Funan period and shaved his head so that only a tuft of hair sat atop the middle of his crown.

Businessmen raised Liv Saa Em, the youngest son of a nine-member family that often dressed in traditional Khmer clothing. He was the most beloved of the lot then. Today he is alone. Liv Saa Em's brothers, sisters and parents perished during the war.

Struggling to overcome the loss of his family, Liv Saa Em filled his time honing his skills as a silk maker. He mixes together a rainbow of colors to produce the vibrant fabric that is exported to Japan today and earned him the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts' Award for Best Quality Producing in 1993. His Excellency Nut Narang, the former Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, personally recognized Liv Saa Em as the first successful producer of best quality silk following Pol Pot's regime. His creativity is unceasing. Liv Saa Em rearranges the relics in his house to assume a new look every week. In the afternoon visitors can find the collector sitting amidst his artifacts, which he says are a comfort to him. The house, an increasingly popular tourist destination, has drawn curious visitors from around the country and the world. Movie production companies have made the trip as well, using his traditional house for the backdrop to particular scenes.

Liv Saa Em preserves the past to protect the future. Concerned that irresponsible development could damage ancient artifacts, the collector suggested that Cambodia develop a tourism industry based on the riches of Khmer artifacts and temples.

Tourism Number To Fall Further in February, Minister Says.

Tourism in Cambodia got off on the wrong foot this year as the number of visitors in January dropped by roughly 2.2 percent, officials with the Ministry of Tourism said Wednesday.

Although the numbers have yet to be crunched, officials believe February will show another reduction, however at a gentler gradient, in Cambodian tourism.


Kong Sopheareak, director for the Ministry of Tourism’s Statistics and Tourism Information Department, estimated the number of visitors would fall by about 1 percent for February 2009. He attributed the slight improvement over January to the government’s waiver of visa fees for travelers coming from Vietnam and Laos.

“I think, in February, the number of visitors might be better because of [waiving visa fees] along the border with Laos and Vietnam,” he said.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon reiterated the anticipated 1 percent decline for February and said the figure for that month should be finalized by early next week.

Last year in February, there were 214,902 arriving tourists, about 2,150 fewer sightseers if the 1 percent drop holds true. Cambodia counted 218,691 foreign tourists during the opening month of 2009, Kong Sopheareak said, a decrease of 4,890 travelers when compared to January 2008.

He cited the global financial meltdown as well as the problem in the airline industry as reasons behind this year’s slowdown.

“The world financial crisis, the increasing price of plane tickets and the lack of flights from Taiwan are the factors for the slump in the tourism industry,” he said, adding that fewer direct flights connecting Cambodia to Taiwan are hurting tourism.

Businesses have braced themselves for a slowdown since late 2008, with some of them now reporting empty guestrooms and dinning halls that beforehand were frequented by groups of tourists.

Working as the front office supervisor at the Golden Sand Hotel in Preah Sihanouk provice, Ek Tola said the number of guests staying at the hotel’s 110 rooms has been falling each month. He said from December to January room occupancy dropped off by an estimated 30 percent and again by another 30 percent from January to February.

“The number of guests have dropped since January,” he said. “We are now so worried about the decline, and we might have no foreign guests during the low [tourists] season,” which runs from April to September.

Ho Vandy, co-chairman of the government-private sector working group, said the regional slump in tourism is a serious problem but is not beyond repair. He said a joint task force between the government and the private sector has brainstormed several solutions, such as reducing visa fees and making visits to the Angkor Wat temple complex more flexible.

Eco-tourism in Cambodia? Community based tourism in Cambodia? Whilst Cambodia is best known for the mighty Angkor Wat temples, beyond these temples the natural beauty of the country is waiting to be discovered. Cambodia offers many opportunities for adventure travel, eco-tourism, and community based tourism such as: trekking in tropical forests; home stays with ethnic highlanders; sighting rare wildlife; water-based adventures on rivers and beaches; cycling along dirt roads through traditional villages, and more…


Cambodia has unique ecosystems and impressive landscapes within the country’s 23 protected areas, from pristine beaches and coral reefs to evergreen and deciduous forests. Its abundant natural resources and rich biodiversity hold huge untapped potential for eco-tourism development. Because of decades of war and isolation Cambodia’s countryside remains largely unexplored by travelers. Eco-tourism and community based tourism in Cambodia are new introductions for the traveler with a sense of adventure.

There are over 60 rare of endangered species of wildlife in Cambodia, many of which are now extinct elsewhere in South East Asia, including: the Asian Elephant; Tiger; Clouded and Common Leopards, Asiatic Black Bear; Asiatic Wild Dog; Eld’s Deer; Irrawaddy Dolphin; Siamese Crocodile; Banteng; Bengal Florican; Douc Langur; Pileated Gibbon; Elongated Tortoise; Freshwater Sawfish; Giant Catfish; Giant Carp; Grey Ox; Javan; and Sumatran Rhinoceros. Cambodia’s seasonally flooded forests also provide an ideal habitat for several highly endangered water birds: the White Shouldered Ibis; Sarus Crane; and the Greater and Lesser Adjutant Storks.

Community and eco-tourism in Cambodia is helping to protect this wildlife as well as the natural environment and local cultures while offering opportunities for much needed employment and sustainable development to poor, often remote, local communities. A much welcomed alternative to the exploitation of the wildlife and local natural resources.

Come to discover the ‘real’ Cambodia, enjoy its wildlife, learn about the different cultures whilst chatting with local villagers, and become a part of the solution by supporting eco-tourism in Cambodia!

Mondulkiri is new destination for visitors. With real nature and tourism destination, the province presents a host of tourism activities to suite the interest of travel.


Ethnic groups provide the opportunity to experience local way of live while mountains, forests, waterfalls, stre
ams and wildlife suite not only the interests of adventurers but also those seeking authentic nature for relaxation. Moreover, the most popular tourism destinations are readily accessible by many kinds of transportation.

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, sits on the banks of the Tonle Sap river, at the confluence of two other rivers, the Bassac and the mighty Mekong, and it holds an undeniable charm despite its recent tumultuous and violent past. In the early 1900’s, the height of French colonialism, Phnom Penh was known as ‘The Paris of the East’, and colonial style villas set along tree-lined boulevards still remain - however they are slowly being consumed by development and replaced by modern glass and concrete structures.



In 1975 Phnom Penh suffered a forced evacuation by the Khmer Rouge and became a ghost town for five years, followed by many years of international isolation.

Today the city has revived and is fast sharpening its contemporary cosmopolitan edge.

Chic new hotels and restaurants, shops and bars are springing up all over the city, plus the emerging art scene is attracting international acclaim. Visits to the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum are a must, as is a late afternoon stroll along Sisowath Quay, alive with exciting riverside life - the restaurants and bars along here being ideal spots for a relaxing drink whilst enjoying the beautiful light shows caused by the setting sun. Phnom Penh is also home to many impressive wats or pagodas such as Wat Phnom, Wat Ounalom, and Wat Langka, and browsing the many local markets such as the Central Market (Phsar Thmei), and the Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung), interacting with the Cambodian people, are great experiences, as is experiencing your Phnom Penh city tour by cyclo.

Of course, you cannot talk about Phnom Penh without mentioning its more recent harrowing history at the hands of the infamous Khmer Rouge, and the sites of the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21), and the 'Killing Fields' of Cheoung Ek. Although visiting these sites can be emotionally straining it allows an insight of what the Cambodian people have endured, and an understanding of today’s Khmer society.

Phnom Penh is a charming city to explore yet far too many people rush through it in a day or two at the most.

With its elegant colonial architecture, alfresco lifestyle and laid-back locals it retains an irresistibly provincial charm, so base yourself in Phnom Penh for a few days more, not only visiting many of the new shopping and eating outlets (many offering employment to the less privileged), but also taking day trips to surrounding attractions such as: the hill top temple of Oudong - a former capital; a Mekong river cruise to Koh Dach ‘silk weaving island’; or the small, yet beautiful ancient temple at Tonle Bati, to name but just a few...

Preah Vihear Temple (Prasat Preah Vihear) is a Hindu temple situated atop 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains in the Preah Vihear Province. In 1962 the International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled that it belonged to Cambodia. The adjacent land to the north is under Thailand's control. Affording a view for many kilometers across a plain, Prasat Preah Vihear has the most spectacular setting of all the temples built during the six-hundred years-long Khmer Empire. As an edifice-complex of the Khmer empire's spiritual life, it was temples in being constructed along a long north-south axis, rather than having the conventional rectangular shape plan with orientation toward the east.




The temple gives its name to local province Preah Vihear, in which is located. On July 7, 2008, Preah Vihear was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ground Plan of Prasat Preah Vihear

Construction of the first temple on the site began in the early 9th century; After that many building has been added in the following centuries it was dedicated to the Shiva Hindu god in his manifestations as the mount
ain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara. The remaining part of the earliest structure of the temple, however,
date from the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century, when the empire's capital was at the city of that name. Today, elements of the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century can be seen, but most of the templ
e was constructed during the reigns of the kings Suryavarman Ⅰ(1002–1050) and Suryavarman Ⅱ(1113–1150). An inscription found at the temple provides a
detailed account of Suryavarma
n II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants, to his spiritual advisor, the aged Brahman Divakarapandita. The Brahman himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, donating to it a golden statue of a dancing Shiva.

The site

The temple complex runs 800m along a north-south axis, and consists es
sentially of a causeway and steps rising up the hill towards the sanctuary, which sits on the clifftop at the southern end of the comple
x (120m above the northern end of the complex, 525m above the Cambodian plain and 625m above sea level).Although this structure is very different from the temple mountains found at Angkor, it serves the same purpose as a stylised representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods.

The approach to the sanctuary is punctuated by five gopuras (these are conventionally numbered from the sanctuary outwards, so gopura five is the first to be reached by visitors). Each of the gopuras before the courtyards is reached by a set of steps, and so marks a change in height which increases their impact. The gopuras also block a visitor's view of the next part of the temple until he passes through the gateway, making it impossible to see the complex as a whole from any one point.

The fifth gopura, in the Koh Ker style, retains traces of the red paint with which it was once decorated, although the tiled roof has now disappeared. The fourth gopura is later, from the Khleang/Baphuon periods, and has on its southern outer pediment, "one of the masterpieces of Preah Vihear": a depiction of the Churning of the Sea of Milk. The third is the largest, and is also flanked by two halls. The sanctuary is reached via two successive courtyards, in the outer of which are two libraries.

Follow the ancient King’s Road for Preah Vihear via Beng Mealea and Koh Ker

1st Day Siem Reap to Koh Ker
The alarm clock woke me up at 6am. The day had broken already. After meeting the Cambodian friend who is going with me, I made sure the route for our destinations.
Preah Vihear monument is more than 200km away from Siem Reap near the Thai border. Our luggage is very small. We have only clothes for 3days and Cameras. First of all we aimed for Beng Mealea temple which is called East Angkor Wat. It was a bit cold in the early morning time. I held the bag in front. The road condition was very good. We saw many palm trees at the road side. And also we saw many buffalos bathing. Suddenly we found well dressed young ladies in colorful costumes at a road side village. We are very lucky this is the wedding ceremony. In Cambodia, immediately after the rainy season, they will start to organize wedding ceremony here and there. The bride and bride-groom in their snow white dresses were smiling at unexpected guest. After a 65km drive, we arrived at Beng Mealea monuments. This temple is very famous among Japanese visitors. Because the image of the monuments is closely resembles an animation movie [Raputa the flying castle]. Beng Mealea was built in 13th century. After the lunch we continued trip to Mt. Koulen and Koh Ker.

Angkor dynasty started at Mountaint Koulen in early 9th century as the kingdom of the Angkor region.
The Khmer empire controlled this region for nearly to 600 years. During late 13th century the Jayavarman VII’s reign, the empire covered whole of the Indochina Peninsula and part of the Malay Peninsula. We stayed at a guest house near by Koh Ker temple.

2nd Day Koh Ker to Preah Vihea
Around 7am, we saw many students going the school. They were wearing white shirts and blue skirts or trousers. At the school in the play ground there are several food stands to provide breakfast for them. The Koh Ker temple is located at the East of Siem Reap120km away. It was from 928AD to 944AD the capital city of the Kingdom. It is famous for the 7 storey Pyramid style monuments of the Hinduish temple. This temple is called Prasat Thoum.

The road for Preah Vihear temple from Koh Ker is under construction by the Chinese government with tied loan. We needed more than 3 hours drive from Koulen village to mountain foot. The final approach to the temple is very narrow and steep road. It’s partially paved however we had to get on a motor bike or a 4 wheels drive car. The big Naga (Snake) sculpture welcomed us. This is the gate for the temple in the sky. The national flags of Cambodia identifies the temple area as its territory. One more sign board explained the history of the place. The statement [I have the pride to be born as Khmer] tells you that the country Cambodia is the successor of the ancient Khmer empire which created the great civilization. Preah Vihear temple was built in 9th century and reconstructed many times. Present structure was completed mid 12th century during the reign of Yasovarman II.

Today there are many Cambodian migrants from other part of the country. They are running small businesses like souvenir sales. From the top of the mountain we could look over the big plain spread out on Cambodian side. We could look over the far West, East and South. We could feel comfortable winds at 600 meters above the sea level. Currently there is only one guest house near the temple. We got a room for the night. Many local people got together to watch a TV program in Thai language. They kindly invited us to sit down.

3rd Day A visit to the Thai side and return to Siem Reap
The sunrises in the East, direction for Champassak where the Khmer people originated.
The present border area of three countries Laos, Thai and Cambodia was the original site of Khmer civilization. In the 13th century there was a direct King’s road from Preah Vihear to Wat Phu temple. The distance is less than 100km. Preah Vihear is the transit point to the northern Thai area. There are many Khmer monuments in Thailand also.

After breakfast we visited the border village in the Thai side. Currently there is no border check point for one day visitors on both sides. We crossed the border without a passport check. In 2007 more than 100,000 travelers visited Preah Vihear temple from the Thai side. We visite a Thai market and a visitors center for a few hours and returned to the temple again. At the main cathedral, an old nun was praying in front of Ganesha (god of wisdom).

I hoped this god give us a good idea for the Khmer Empire Heritage Trail.

No one knows for certain how long people have lived in what is now Cambodia, as studies of its prehistory are undeveloped. A carbon-l4 dating from a cave in northwestern Cambodia suggests that people using stone tools lived in the cave as early as 4000 bc, and rice has been grown on Cambodian soil since well before the 1st century ad. The first Cambodians likely arrived long before either of these dates. They probably migrated from the north, although nothing is known about their language or their way of life.

By the beginning of the 1st century ad, Chinese traders began to report the existence of inland and coastal kingdoms in Cambodia. These kingdoms already owed much to Indian culture, which provided alphabets, art forms, architectural styles, religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), and a stratified class system. Local beliefs that stressed the importance of ancestral spirits coexisted with the Indian religions and remain powerful today.

Cambodia's modem-day culture has its roots in the 1st to 6th centuries in a state referred to as Funan, known as the oldest Indianized state in Southeast Asia. It is from this period that evolved Cambodia's language, part of the Mon-Khmer family, which contains elements of Sanskrit, its ancient relig
ion of Hinduism and Buddhism. Historians have noted, for example, that Cambodians can be distinguished from their neighbors by their clothing - checkered scarves known as Kramas are worn instead of straw hats.

Funan gave way to the Angkor Empire with the rise to power of King Jayavarman II in 802. The following 600 years saw powerful Khmer kings dominate much of present day Southeast Asia, from the borders of Myanmar east to the South China Sea and north to Laos. It was during this period that Khmer kings built the most extensive concentration of religious temples in the world - the Angkor temple complex. The most successful of Angkor's kings, Jayavarman II,
Indravarman I, Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII, also devised a masterpiece of ancient engineering: a sophisticated irrigation system that includes barays (gigantic man-made lakes) and canals that ensured as many as three rice crops a year. Part of this system is still in use today.

The Khmer Kingdom (Funan)
Early Chinese writers referred to a kingdom in Cambodia that they called Funan. Modern-day archaeological findings provide evidence of a commercial society centered on the Mekong Delta that flourished from the 1st century to the 6th century. Among these findings are excavations of a port city from
the 1st century, located in the region of Oc-Eo in what is now southern Vietnam. Served by a network of canals, the city was an important trade link between India and China. Ongoing excavations in southern Cambodia have revealed the existence of another important city near the present-day village of Angkor Borei.

A group of inland kingdoms, known collectively to the Chinese as Zhenla, flourished in the 6th and 7th centuries from southern Cambodia to southern Laos. The first stone inscriptions in the Khmer language and the first brick and stone Hindu temples in Cambodia date from the Zhenla period.

Angkor Era
Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom The giant faces carved on the Bayon temple at the Angk
or Thum complex in northwestern Cambodia represent both the Buddha and King Jayavarman VII (ruled about 1130-1219). Although a Buddhist temple, Angkor Thum was modeled after the great Hindu temple complex of Angkor Wat.

In the early 9th century a Khmer (ethnic Cambodian) prince returned to Cambodia from abroad. He probably arrived from nearby Java or Sumatra, where he may have been held hostage by island kings who had asserted control over portions of the Southeast Asian mainland.

In a series of ceremonies at different sites, the prince declared himself ruler of a new independent kingdom, which unified several local principalities. His kingdom eventually came to be centered near present-day Siemreab in
northwestern Cambodia. The prince, known to his successors as Jayavarman II, inaugurated a cult honoring the Hindu god Shiva as a devaraja (Sanskrit term meaning "god-king"). The cult, which legitimized the king's rule by linking him with Shiva, persisted at the Cambodian court for more than two hundred years.

Between the early 9th century and the early 15th century, 26 monarchs ruled successively over the Khmer kingdom (known as Angkor, the modern name for its capital city).


King Jayavarman VII

The successors of Jayavarman II built the great temples for which Angkor is famous.
Historians have dated more than a thousand temple sites and over a thousand stone inscriptions (most of them on temple walls) to this era.
Notable among the Khmer builder-kings were Suyavarman II, who built the temple known as Angkor Wat in the mid-12th century, and Jayavarman VII, who built the Bayon temple at Angkor Thum and several other large Buddhist temples half a century later. Jayavarman VII, a fervent Buddhist, also built hospitals and rest houses along the
roads that crisscrossed the kingdom. Most of the monarchs, however, seem to have been more concerned with displaying and increasing their power than with the welfare of their subjects.
Ancient City of Angkor This map shows the layout of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Cambodian Khmer kingdom from the 9th century to the 15th century. The city's huge stone temples were both civic centers and religious symbols of the Hindu cosmos. Historians believe that Angkor's network of canals and barays (reservoirs) were used for irrigation.

At its greatest extent, in the 12th century, the Khmer kingdom encompassed (in addition to present-day Cambodia) parts of present-day Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly
Burma), and the Malay Peninsula. Thailand and Laos still contain Khmer ruins and inscriptions. The kings at Angkor received tribute from smaller kingdoms to the north, east, and west, and conducted trade with China. The capital city was the center of an impressive network of reservoirs and canals, which historians theorize supplied water for irrigation. Many historians believe that the abundant harvests made possible by irrigation supported a large population whose labor could be drawn on to construct the kings' temples and to fight their wars. The massive temples, extensive roads and waterworks, and confident inscriptions give an illusion of stability that is undermined by the fact that many Khmer kings gained the throne by conquering their predecessors. Inscriptions indicate that the kingdom frequently suffered from rebellions and foreign invasions.

Historians have not been able to fully explain the decline of the Khmer kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries. However, it was probably associated with the rise of powerful Thai king
doms that had once paid tribute to Angkor, and to population losses following a series of wars with these kingdoms. Another factor may have been the introduction of Theravada Buddhism, which taught that anyone could achieve enlightenment through meritorious conduct and meditation. These egalitarian ideas undermined the hierarchical structure of Cambodian society and the power of prominent Hindu families. After a Thai invasion in 1431, what remained of the Cambodian elite shifted southeastward to the vicinity of Phnom Penh.

Cambodia Dark Age
This map of Southeast Asia in the mid-16th century shows the major centers of power in the region prior to the arrival of Europeans. During this period, these kingdoms were constantly at war. Eventually the Kingdom of Ayutthaya (modern Thailand) expanded to the north and east, absorbing much of Lan Na and Lan Xang (modern Laos). Dai Viet (modern Vietnam) expanded to the south, taking over the remaining territory of the Kingdom of Champa and the southern tip of the Kingdom of Lovek (modern Cambodia). Toungoo evolved into modern Myanmar.

The four centuries of Cambodian history following the abandonment of Angkor are poorly recorded, and therefore historians know little about them beyond the bare outlines. Cambodia retained its language and its cultural identity despite frequent invasions by the powerful Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya and incursions by Vietnamese forces. Indeed, for much of this period, Cambodia was a relatively prosperous trading kingdom with its capital at Lovek, near present-day Phnom Penh. European visitors wrote of the Buddhist piety of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Lovek. During this period, Cambodians composed the country's most important work of literature, the Reamker (based on the Indian myth of the Ramayana).

In the late 18th century, a civil war in Vietnam and disorder following a Burmese inv
asion of Ayutthaya spilled over into Cambodia and devastated the area. In the early 19th century, newly established dynasties in Vietnam and Thailand competed for control over the Cambodian court. The warfare that ensued, beginning in the l830s, came close to destroying Cambodia.

French Rule.

History

Phnom Penh, as planned by the French, came to resemble a town in provincial France. By t
he second half of the 19th century, France had begun to expand its colonial penetration of Indochina (the peninsula between India and China). In 1863 France accepted the Cambodian king's invitation to impose a protectorate over his severely weakened kingdom, halting the country's dismemberment by Thailand and Vietnam. For the next 90 years, France ruled Cambodia. In theory, French administration was indirect, but in practice the word of French officials was final on all major subjects-including the selection of Cambodia's kings. The French left Cambodian institutions, including the monarchy, in place, and gradually developed a Cambodian civil service, organized along French lines. The French administration neglected education but built roads, port facilities, and other public works. Phnom Penh, as planned by the French, came to resemble a town in provincial France.

The French invested relatively little in Cambodia's economy compared to that of Vietna
m, which was also under French control. However, they developed rubber plantations in eastern Cambodia, and the kingdom exported sizable amounts of rice under their rule. The French also restored the Angkor temple complex and deciphered Angkorean inscriptions, which gave Cambodians a clear idea of their medieval heritage and kindled their pride in Cambodia's past. Because France left the monarchy, Buddhism, and the rhythms of rural life undisturbed, anti-French feeling was slow to develop.
King Sihanouk, through skillful maneuvering, managed to gain Cambodia's independence peacefully in 1953. During World War II (1939-1945), Japanese forces entered French Indochina but left the compliant French administration in place.

King Norodom Sihanouk

On the verge of defeat in 1945, the Japanese removed their French collaborators and installed a nominally independent Cambodian government under the recently crowned young king, Norodom Sihanouk. France reimposed its protectorate in early 1946 but allowed the Cambodians to draft a constitution and to form political parties.

Soon afterward, fighting erupted throughout Indochina as nationalist groups, some with Communist ideologies, struggled to win independence from France. Most of the fighting took place in Vietnam, in a conflict known as the First Indochina War (1946-1954). In Cambodia, Communist guerrilla forces allied with Vietnamese Communists gained control of much of the country. However, King Sihanouk, through skillful maneuvering, managed to gain Cambodia's independence peacefully in 1953, a few months earlier than Vietnam. The Geneva Accords of 1954, which marked the end of the First Indochina War, acknowledged Sihanouk's government as the sole legitimate authority in Cambodia.

Modern State
Sihanouk's campaign for independence sharpened his political skills and increased his ambitions. In 1955 he abdicated the throne in favor of his father to pursue a full-time political career, free of the constitutional constraints of the monarchy. In a move aimed at dismantling Cambodia's fledgling political parties, Sihanouk inaugurated a national political movement known as the Sangkum Reastr Niyum (People's Socialist Community), whose members were not permitted to belong to any other political group. The Sangkum won all the seats in the national elections of 1955, benefiting from Sihanouk's popularity and from police brutality at many polling stations. Sihanouk served as prime minister of Cambodia until 1960, when his father died and he was named head of state. Sihanouk remained widely popular among the people but was brutal to his opponents.

In the late 1950s the Cold War (period of tension between the United States and its allies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, and its allies) intensified in Asia. In this climate, foreign powers, including the United States, the USSR, and China, courted Sihanouk. Cambodia's importance to these countries stemmed from events in neighboring Vietnam, where tension had begun to mount between a Communist regime in the north and a pro-Western regime in the south. The USSR supported the Vietnamese Communists, while the United States opposed them, and China wanted to contain Vietnam for security reasons. Each of the foreign powers hoped that Cambodian support would bolster its position in the region. Sihanouk pursued a policy of neutrality that drew substantial economic aid from the competing countries.

In 1965, however, Sihanouk broke off diplomatic relations with the United States. At the same time, he allowed North Vietnamese Communists, then fighting the Vietnam War against the United States and the South Vietnamese in southern Vietnam, to set up bases on Cambodian soil. As warfare intensified in Vietnam, domestic opposition to Sihanouk from both radical and conservative elements increased. The Cambodian Communist organization, known as the Workers Party of Kampuchea (later renamed the Communist Party of Kampuchea, or CPK), had gone underground after failing to win any concessions at the Geneva Accords, but now they took up arms once again. As the economy became unstable, Cambodia became difficult to govern single-handedly. In need of economic and military aid, Sihanouk renewed diplomatic relations with the United States. Shortly thereafter, in 1969, U.S. president Richard Nixon authorized a bombing campaign against Cambodia in an effort to destroy Vietnamese Communist sanctuaries there.

Khmer Republic
In March 1970 Cambodia's legislature, the National Assembly, deposed Sihanouk while he was abroad. The conservative forces behind the coup were pro-Western and anti-Vietnamese. General Lon Nol, the country's prime minister, assumed power and sent his poorly equipped army to fight the North Vietnamese Communist forces encamped in border areas. Lon Nol hoped that U.S. aid would allow him to defeat his enemies, but American support was always geared to events in Vietnam. In April U.S. and South Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, searching for North Vietnamese, who moved deeper into Cambodia. Over the next year, North Vietnamese troops destroyed the offensive capacity of Lon Nol's army.

In October 1970 Lon Nol inaugurated the Khmer Republic. Sihanouk, who had sought asylum in China, was condemned to death despite his absence. By that time, Chinese and North Vietnamese leaders had persuaded the prince to establish a government in exile, allied with North Vietnam and dominated by the CPK, whom Sihanouk referred to as the Khmer Rouge (French for "Red Khmers").

In 1975, despite massive infusions of U.S. aid, the Khmer Republic collapsed, and Khmer Rouge forces occupied Phnom Penh.

The United States continued bombing Cambodia until the Congress of the United States halted the campaign in 1973. By that time, Lon Nol's forces were fighting not only the Vietnamese but also the Khmer Rouge. The general lost control over most of the Cambodian countryside, which had been devastated by U.S. bombing. The fighting severely damaged the nation's infrastructure and caused high numbers of casualties. Hundreds of thousands of refugees flooded into the cities. In 1975, despite massive infusions of U.S. aid, the Khmer Republic collapsed, and Khmer Rouge forces occupied Phnom Penh. Three weeks later, North Vietnamese forces achieved victory in South Vietnam.

Democratic Kampuchea
Pol Pot Pol Pot is a pseudonym for the Cambodian guerrilla commander Saloth Sar, who organized the Communist guerrilla force known as the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge ousted General Lon Nol in 1975, establishing a brutal Communist regime that ruled until 1979.

Immediately after occupying Cambodia's towns, the Khmer Rouge ordered all city dwellers into the countryside to take up agricultural tasks. The move reflected both the Khmer Rouge's contempt for urban dwellers, whom they saw as enemies, and their utopian vision of Cambodia as a nation of busy, productive peasants. The leader of the regime, who remained concealed from the public, was Saloth Sar, who used the pseudonym Pol Pot. The government, which called itself Democratic Kampuchea (DK), claimed to be seeking total independence from foreign powers but accepted economic and military aid from its major allies, China and North Korea.

Khmer Rouge Carnage The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, killed close to 1.7 million people in the mid- to late 1970s. In this photo, human bones and skulls fill a museum in Cambodia that had been used as a prison and torture center during Pol Pot's reign, Sygma.

Without identifying themselves as Communists, the Khmer Rouge quickly introduced a series of far-reaching and often painful socialist programs. The people given the most power in the new government were the largely illiterate rural Cambodians who had fought alongside the Khmer Rouge in the civil war. DK leaders severely restricted freedom of speech, movement, and association, and forbade all religious practices. The regime controlled all communications along with access to food and information. Former city dwellers, now called "new people," were particularly badly treated. The Khmer Rouge killed intellectuals, merchants, bureaucrats, members of religious groups, and any people suspected of disagreeing with the party. Millions of other Cambodians were forcibly relocated, deprived of food, tortured, or sent into forced labor.

While in power, the Khmer Rouge murdered, worked to death, or killed by starvation close to 1.7 million Cambodians.

The Khmer Rouge also attacked neighboring countries in an attempt to reclaim territories lost by Cambodia many centuries before. After fighting broke out with Vietnam (then united under the Communists) in 1977, DK's ideology became openly racist. Ethnic minorities in Cambodia, including ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese, were hunted down and expelled or massacred. Purges of party members accused of treason became widespread. People in eastern Cambodia, suspected of cooperating with Vietnam, suffered severely, and hundreds of thousands of them were killed. While in power, the Khmer Rouge murdered, worked to death, or killed by starvation close to 1.7 million Cambodians-more than one-fifth of the country's population.

Recent Development
In October 1991 Cambodia's warring factions, the UN, and a number of interested foreign nations signed an agreement in Paris intended to end the conflict in Cambodia. The agreement provided for a temporary power-sharing arrangement between a United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and a Supreme National Council (SNC) made up of delegates from the various Cambodian factions. Prince Norodom Sihanouk, the former king and prime minister of Cambodia, served as president of the SNC.

The Paris accords and the UN protectorate pushed Cambodia out of its isolation and introduced competitive politics, dormant since the early 1950s. UNTAC sponsored elections for a national assembly in May 1993, and for the first time in Cambodian history a majority of voters rejected an armed, incumbent regime. A royalist party, known by its French acronym FUNCINPEC, won the most seats in the election, followed by the CPP, led by Hun Sen. Reluctant to give up power, Hun Sen threatened to upset the election results. Under a compromise arrangement, a three-party coalition formed a government headed by two prime ministers; FUNCINPEC's Prince Norodom Ranariddh, one of Sihanouk's sons, became first prime minister, while Hun Sen became second prime minister.

In September 1993 the government ratified a new constitution restoring the monarchy and establishing the Kingdom of Cambodia. Sihanouk became king for the second time. After the 1993 elections, no foreign countries continued to recognize the DK as Cambodia's legal government. The DK lost its UN seat as well as most of its sources of international aid.

The unrealistic power-sharing relationship between Ranariddh and Hun Sen worked surprisingly well for the next three years, but relations between the parties were never smooth. The CPP's control over the army and the police gave the party effective control of the country, and it dominated the coalition government. In July 1997 Hun Sen staged a violent coup against FUNCINPEC and replaced Prince Ranariddh, who was overseas at the time, with Ung Huot, a more pliable FUNCINPEC figure. Hun Sen's action shocked foreign nations and delayed Cambodia's entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). By the end of 1997, Cambodia was the only nation in the region that was not a member.

Despite the coup, elections scheduled for July 1998 proceeded as planned. Hundreds of foreign observers who monitored the elections affirmed that voting was relatively free and fair; however, the CPP harassed opposition candidates and party workers before and after the elections, when dozens were imprisoned and several were killed. The election gave the CPP a plurality of votes, but results, especially in towns, where voting could not be dictated by local authorities, indicated that the party did not enjoy widespread popular support. Prince Ranariddh and another opposition candidate, Sam Rainsy, took refuge abroad and contested the outcome of the election. In November the CPP and FUNCINPEC reached an agreement whereby Hun Sen became sole prime minister and Ranariddh became president of the National Assembly. The parties formed a coalition government, dividing control over the various cabinet ministries. In early 1999 the constitution was amended to create a Senate, called for in the 1998 agreement. These signs that Cambodia's political situation was stabilizing encouraged ASEAN to admit Cambodia to its membership a short time later.

Pol Pot died in 1998, and by early 1999 most of the remaining Khmer Rouge troops and leaders had surrendered. Rebel troops were integrated into the Cambodian army. In 1999 two Khmer Rouge leaders were arrested and charged with genocide for their part in the atrocities.

Since the Paris Accords of 1991, Cambodia's economic growth has depended on millions of dollars of foreign aid. Foreign interest in Cambodia has decreased, however, and the country has received diminishing economic assistance. This development, along with the continued lack of openness in Cambodian politics, has made Cambodia's prospects for democratization dim, as well as its chances for sustained economic growth.

The Kingdom of Cambodia is popularly known as Kampuchea. This vibrant nation in southeastern Asia is home to more than fifteen million people. It is flanked by Vietnam in the east, Laos in the north, the Gulf of Thailand in south and Thailand in west. The geography of Cambodia is fairly diverse. Innumerable Cambodia tourist attractions have made it one of the most popular destinations in southeastern Asia.

Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake in Cambodia is one of the well -known Cambodia tourist attractions. Formed out of volcanic eruption, this lake and its jungle-covered surroundings is probably the most scenic spot in the Cambodian province of Ratanakiri.

In the list of Cambodia tourist attractions next comes the Virachey National Park in Cambodia. It stretches along the border of Laos and Vietnam. This national park was set up with an objective to bring down the incidence of unnecessary exploitation and degradation of natural biodiversity.

Bokor National Park in Cambodia is another one of the well-known tourist destinations in Cambodia. This national park is home to several endangered species of tiger and elephant. Its high altitude allows you to experience the awesome beauty of Vietnamese and Cambodian coastal line.

Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia is probably the finest of all tourist attractions in Cambodia. For its huge historical and archeological significance, this archeological site has been placed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Angkor Wat Temple, the Bayon Temple and the Angkor Thom are the main attractions of Angkor Archeological Park.

Among the other Cambodia tourist attractions, Kompong Luong in Cambodia is worth viewing. This floating village is popular for its picturesque setup. With its colorful shops, restaurants, vegetable shops, petrol stations- all floating on the Great Lake, Kompong Luong is indeed a great experience in itself.

Kampong Cham in Cambodia is one of the top tourist destinations in Cambodia.
It is one of those sites, which reflects the real charm of this nation's cultural heritage.

Preah Vihear in Cambodia is an ancient temple site in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Your trip to Cambodia tourist attractions cannot be complete if you miss the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. This huge dumbbell shaped fresh water lake has been the most distinctive feature of Cambodia's landscape.

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited". Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2007, there were over 903 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 6.6% as compared to 2006. International tourist receipts were USD 856 billion in 2007.


Despite the uncertainties in the global economy, international tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2008 followed a similar growth trend than the same period in 2007. However, as a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months, while growth from January to April 2008 had reached an average 5.7% compared to its 2007 level. Growth from 2006 to 2007 was only 3.7%, as total international tourism arrivals from January to August were 641 million tourists, up from 618 million in the same period in 2007.

Tourism is vital for many countries, such as the U.A.E, Egypt, Greece and Thailand, and many island nations, such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives and the Seychelles, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxis, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, various music venues and the theatre.

" in [[THunziker and Krapf, in 1941, defined tourism as people who travel "the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity. "In 1976, the Tourism Society of England's definition was: "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes. In 1981, the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home.

The United Nations classified three forms of tourism in 1994, in its "Recommendations on Tourism Statistics: Domestic tourism", which involves residents of the given country traveling only within this country; Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country; and Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country. The UN also derived different categories of tourism by combining the three basic forms of tourism: Internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism; National tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism; and International tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism. Intrabound tourism is a term coined by the Korea Tourism Organization and widely accepted in Korea. Intrabound tourism differs from domestic tourism in that the former encompasses policy-making and implementation of national tourism policies.

Recently, the tourism industry has shifted from the promotion of inbound tourism to the promotion of intrabound tourism, because many countries are experiencing tough competition for inbound tourists.[citation needed] Some national policymakers have shifted their priority to the promotion of intrabound tourism to contribute to the local economy. Examples of such campaigns include: "See America" in Singapore" in Singapore; "100% Pure New Zealand" in New Zealand; "Amazing Thailand; "Incredible India" in India; and "The Hidden Charm" in Vietnam.

The World Tourism Organization reports the following ten countries as the most visited in 2007 by number of international travelers. When compared to 2006, Ukraine entered the top ten list, surpassing Russia, Austria and Mexico. Most of the top visited countries continue to be on the European continent.

1. France Europe 81.9 million 79.1 million
2. Spain Europe 59.2 million 58.5 million
3. United States North America 56.0 million 51.1 million
4. China Asia 54.7 million 49.6 million
5. Italy Europe 43.7 million 41.1 million6
6. United Kingdom Europe 30.7 million 30.7 million
7. Germany Europe 24.4 million 23.6 million
8. Ukraine Europe 23.1 million 18.9 million
9. Turkey Europe 22.2 million 18.9 million
10. Mexico North America 21.4 million 21.4 million

International tourist receipts were USD 96.7 billion in 2007, up from USD 85.7 billion in 2006. When the export value of international passenger travel receipts is accounted for, total receipts in 2007 reached a record of USD 1.02 trillion or 3 billion a day.[4] The World Tourism Organization reports the following countries as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2007. It is noticeable that most of them are on the European continent, but the United States continues to be the top earner.

1. United States North America $96.7 billion $85.7 billion
2. Spain Europe $57.8 billion $51.1 billion
3. France Europe $54.2 billion $46.3 billion
4. Italy Europe $42.7 billion $38.1 billion
5. China Asia $41.9 billion $33,9 billion
6. United Kingdom Europe $37.6 billion $33.7 billion
7. Germany Europe $36.0 billion $32.8 billion
8. Australia Oceania $22.2 billion $17.8 billion
9. Austria Europe $18.9 billion $16.6 billion
10. Turkey Asia $18.5 billion $16.9 billion

The World Tourism Organization reports the following countries as the top ten biggest spenders on international tourism for the year 2007. For the fifth year in a row, German tourists continue as the top spenders. A study by Dresdner Bank forecasts that for 2008, Germans and Europeans, in general, will continue to be the top spenders, because of the strength of the Euro against the United States dollar, with strong demand for the U.S. in favor of other destinations.

1. Germany Europe $82.9 billion $73.9 billion
2. United States North America $76.2 billion $72.1 billion
3. United Kingdom Europe $72.3 billion $63.1 billion
4. France Europe $36.7 billion $31.2 billion
5. China Asia $29.8 billion $24.3 billion
6. Italy Europe $27.3 billion $23.1 billion
7. Japan Asia $26.5 billion $26.9 billion
8. Canada North America $24.8 billion $20.5 billion
9. Russia Europe $22.3 billion $18.2 billion
10. South Korea Asia $20.9 billion $18.9 billion

Forbes Traveler released a ranking of the world's 50 most visited tourist attractions in 2007, including both international and domestic tourists. The following are the Top 10 attractions, followed by some other famous sites included within the list of the 50 most visited: It is noticeable that four out of the top five are in North America.

Most visited attractions by domestic and international tourists in 2007.

1. Times Square New York City United States 352 National Mall and Memorial Parks Washington, D.C. United States 253 Magic Kingdom Lake Buena Vista, Orlando United States 16.64 Trafalgar Square London United Kingdom 155 Disneyland Anaheim, California United States 14.76 Niagara Falls Ontario & New York Canada & United States 147 Fisherman's Wharf & Golden Gate San Francisco, California United States 138 Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo Disney Sea Urayasu Japan 12.99 Notre Dame de Paris Paris France 1210 Disneyland Paris Paris France 10.6

Other selected famous destinations 11 Great Wall of China Badaling China 1015 Louvre Paris France 7.518 Eiffel Tower Paris France 6.724 Hong Kong Disneyland Hong Kong China 5.228 Universal Studios Los Angeles United States 4.731 Grand Canyon Arizona United States 4.436 Statue of Liberty New York City United States 4.2437 Vatican City Vatican City Vatican City 4.238 Sydney Opera House Sydney Australia 439 The Colosseum Rome Italy 442 Empire State Building New York City United States 444 London Eye London United Kingdom 3.547 Giza Pyramids Cairo Egypt 350 Taj Mahal Agra India 2.4 Euro monitor released a ranking of the world's 150 most visited cities by international tourists in 2007. The following are the leading 15 cities, according to Euro monitor's ranking: Most visited cities by international tourists in 2007:

1. London United Kingdom 15.34
2. Hong Kong China 12.05
3. Bangkok Thailand 10.84
4. Singapore Singapore 10.28
5. Paris France 8.76
6. New York City United States 7.65
7. Toronto Canada 6.63
8. Dubai United Arab Emirates 6.54
9. Istanbul Turkey 6.45
10. Rome Italy 6.12
11. Barcelona Spain 5.04
12. Seoul South Korea 4.99
13. Shanghai China 4.80
14. Dublin Ireland 4.63
15. Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 4.40

However, other sources report Paris as the most visited city in the world with 30 million visitors.Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion temple in Kyoto, Japan.Dubai, UAEThe Matterhorn, near Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.The Great Bath at the Roman Baths in Bath, Somerset, one of the world's first health tourism sites.

Ski jumping hill in Karpacz, PolandWealthy people have always traveled to distant parts of the world, to see great buildings, works of art, learn new languages, experience new cultures and to taste different cuisines. Long ago, at the time of the Roman Republic, places such as Baiae, were popular coastal resorts for the rich. The word tourism was used by 1811 and tourist by 1840. In 1936, the League of Nations defined foreign tourist as "someone travelling abroad for at least twenty-four hours". Its successor, the United Nations, amended this definition in 1945, by including a maximum stay of six months.

Leisure travel was associated with the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom – the first European country to promote leisure time to the increasing industrial population.[citation needed] Initially, this applied to the owners of the machinery of production, the economic oligarchy, the factory owners and the traders. These comprised the new middle class. Cox & Kings was the first official travel company to be formed in 1758.

The British origin of this new industry is reflected in many place names. In Nice, France, one of the first and best-established holiday resorts on the French Riviera, the long esplanade along the seafront is known to this day as the Promenade des Anglais; in many other historic resorts in continental Europe, old, well-established palace hotels have names like the Hotel Bristol, the Hotel Carlton or the Hotel Majestic – reflecting the dominance of English customers.
Many leisure-oriented tourists travel to the tropics, both in the summer and winter. Places often visited are: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, North Queensland in Australia and Florida in the United States.

Major ski resorts are located in the various European countries (e.g. Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland), Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Chile and Argentina.
Mass tourism could only have developed with the improvements in technology, allowing the transport of large numbers of people in a short space of time to places of leisure interest, so that greater numbers of people began to enjoy the benefits of leisure time.In the United States, the first great seaside resort, in the European style, was Atlantic City, New Jersey and Long Island, New York.

In continental Europe, early resorts included: Ostend, popularized by the people of Brussels; Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) and Deauville (Calvados) for the Parisians; and Heiligendamm, founded in 1797, as the first seaside resort at the Baltic Sea.

There has been an upmarket trend in the tourism over the last few decades, especially in Europe, where international travel for short breaks is common. Tourists have higher levels of disposable income and greater leisure time and they are also better-educated and have more sophisticated tastes. There is now a demand for a better quality products, which has resulted in a fragmenting of the mass market for beach vacations; people want more specialized versions, such as Club 18-30, quieter resorts, family-oriented holidays or niche market-targeted destination hotels.


The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as jumbo jets, low cost airlines and more accessible airports have made many types of tourism more affordable. There have also been changes in lifestyle, such as retiree-age people who sustain year round tourism. This is facilitated by internet sales of tourism products. Some sites have now started to offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package requested by the customer upon impulse.

There have been a few setbacks in tourism, such as the September 11 attacks and terrorist threats to tourist destinations, such as in Bali and several European cities. Also, on December 26, 2004, a tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, hit the Asian countries on the Indian Ocean, including the Maldives. Thousands of lives were lost and many tourists died. This, together with the vast clean-up operation in place, has stopped or severely hampered tourism to the area.

The terms tourism and travel are sometimes used interchangeably. In this context, travel has a similar definition to tourism, but implies a more purposeful journey. The terms tourism and tourist are sometimes used pejoratively, to imply a shallow interest in the cultures or locations visited by tourists.

Sustainable tourism
"Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (World Tourism Organization).

Sustainable development implies "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).

Eco-tourism
When there is a significant price difference between countries for a given medical procedure, particularly in Southeast Asia, India, Eastern Europe and where there are different regulatory regimes, in relation to particular medical procedures (e.g. dentistry), traveling to take advantage of the price or regulatory differences is often referred to as "medical tourism".

Educational tourism
Educational tourism developed, because of the growing popularity of teaching and learning of knowledge and the enhancing of technical competency outside of the classroom environment.[citation needed] In educational tourism, the main focus of the tour or leisure activity includes visiting another country to learn about the culture, such as in Student Exchange Programs and Study Tours, or to work and apply skills learned inside the classroom in a different environment, such as in the International Practicum Training Program.

Other developments and Creative tourism
Creative tourism has existed as a form of cultural tourism, since the early beginnings of tourism itself. Its European roots date back to the time of the Grand Tour, which saw the sons of aristocratic families traveling for the purpose of mostly interactive, educational experiences. More recently, creative tourism has been given its own name by Crispin Raymond and Greg Richards[citation needed], who as members of the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), have directed a number of projects for the European Commission, including cultural and crafts tourism, known as sustainable tourism. They have defined "creative tourism" as tourism related to the active participation of travelers in the culture of the host community, through interactive workshops and informal learning experiences.

Meanwhile, the concept of creative tourism has been picked up by high-profile organizations such as UNESCO, who through the Creative Cities Network, have endorsed creative tourism as an engaged, authentic experience that promotes an active understanding of the specific cultural features of a place.

More recently, creative tourism has gained popularity as a form of cultural tourism, drawing on active participation by travelers in the culture of the host communities they visit. Several countries offer examples of this type of tourism development, including the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Spain, Italy and New Zealand.

Dark tourism
One emerging area of special interest tourism has been identified by Lennon and Foley (2000)[citation needed] as "dark" tourism. This type of tourism involves visits to "dark" sites, such as battlegrounds, scenes of horrific crimes or acts of genocide, for example: concentration camps. Dark tourism poses severe ethical and moral dilemmas: should these sites be available for visitation and, if so, what should the nature of the publicity involved be. Dark tourism remains a small niche market, driven by varied motivations, such as mourning, remembrance, macabre curiosity or even entertainment. Its early origins are rooted in fairgrounds and medieval fairs.

Growth International tourism receipts in 2005
The Hagia Sophia – originally a church, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts that international tourism will continue growing at the average annual rate of 4 %. By 2020 Europe will remain the most popular destination, but its share will drop from 60% in 1995 to 46%. Long-haul will grow slightly faster than intraregional travel and by 2020 its share will increase from 18% in 1995 to 24%.

With the advent of e-commerce, tourism products have become one of the most traded items on the internet. Tourism products and services have been made available through intermediaries, although tourism providers (hotels, airlines, etc.) can sell their services directly. This has put pressure on intermediaries from both on-line and traditional shops.

It has been suggested there is a strong correlation between Tourism expenditure per capita and the degree to which countries play in the global context. Not only as a result of the important economic contribution of the tourism industry, but also as an indicator of the degree of confidence with which global citizens leverage the resources of the globe for the benefit of their local economies. This is why any projections of growth in tourism may serve as an indication of the relative influence that each country will exercise in the future.

Space tourism is expected to "take off" in the first quarter of the 21st century, although compared with traditional destinations the number of tourists in orbit will remain low until technologies such as a space elevator make space travel cheap.

Technological improvement is likely to make possible air-ship hotels, based either on solar-powered airplanes or large dirigibles. Underwater hotels, such as Hydropolis, expected to open in Dubai in 2009, will be built. On the ocean, tourists will be welcomed by ever larger cruise ships and perhaps floating cities.

Latest trends
As a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international arrivals suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008. Growth from 2007 to 2008 was only 3.7% during the first eight months of 2008. The Asian and Pacific markets were affected and Europe stagnated during the boreal summer months, while the Americas performed better, reducing their expansion rate but keeping a 6% growth from January to August 2008. Only the Middle East continued its rapid growth during the same period, reaching a 17% growth as compared to the same period in 2007. This slowdown on international tourism demand was also reflected in the air transport industry, with a negative growth in September 2008 and a 3.3% growth in passenger traffic through September. The hotel industry also reports a slowdown, as room occupancy continues to decline. As the global economic situation deteriorated dramatically during September and October as a result of the global financial crisis, growth of international tourism is expected to slow even further for the remaining of 2008, and this slowdown in demand growth is forecasted to continue into 2009 as recession has already hit most of the top spender countries, with long-haul travel expected to be the most affected by the economic crisis. However, some travel destinations have experienced growth during hard economic times, drawing on low costs of living, accessibility, and friendly immigration laws permitting tourists to stay for extended periods of time. Recession tourism, a phrase coined by Matt Landau in his research about Panama, has evolved as an alternative escape option for nervous crisis-goers in 2009.