Eyeing Big Spenders: Cambodia Opening Pagodas To Tourists

By Terry Friel

(UCA News) — Cambodia is moving tourism beyond ruins, bars and beaches to open its pagodas as part of its Sacred Tourism strategy to attract big-spending tourists and investors, which is expected to see an extra two million high-value visitors a year within a decade.

The government this month threw its weight behind “Pagoda Tourism,” something the industry and Buddhist groups have been implementing for some years.

“The ministry has been preparing some initiatives in response to societal changes,” Pen Vibol, secretary of state at the Ministry of Cult and Religion, says.

“We are working on the development of new infrastructure and the improvement of religious practices in the pagodas.  It is to serve both national and international visitors.”

Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA), told UCA News religious tourism is a niche, but extremely valuable, market — not just financially, but for sharing the Buddhist kingdom’s unique culture.

“Cambodia is a living Buddhist culture which will offer tourists an authentic experience of a ‘lived religion’ that extends beyond ancient ruins and into daily life, community arrangement, and spiritual practices,” she says.

“This is a perfect time for us to immerse ourselves in this category of tourism as global travelers increasingly seek spiritual retreats, meditation, and wellness experiences. Cambodia’s tranquil settings and rich heritage are becoming more appealing.”

This comes in the 50th anniversary year of the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power, which not only quashed religion but killed about half the estimated 100,000 Catholics in the country during its rule from 1975 to 1979.

The CATA is talking with  “Samdech Sang” Yorn Seng Yieth, the head monk of the country’s iconic 600-year-old Unnalom Pagoda in Phnom Penh, about creating a flagship for Pagoda Tourism.

“Wat Unnalom is chosen to be the first of the project due to its significantly rich history, which includes housing a 600-year-old relic stupa and ancient structures deemed to play a huge role in the Buddhist experience for international travelers,” Chhay says.

But the biggest sign of Pagoda Tourism’s success is Siem Reap, home to the 400-square-kilometer Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, the country’s top tourist attraction, which features on the country’s distinctive blue, red, and white flag.

There are at least nine tourism pagodas in Siem Reap, about 250 km north of the capital.

“In essence, the Siem Reap tourism pagodas are serving as a successful proof-of-concept that validates the government’s broader strategy,” Chhay says.

“They demonstrate that there is demand for Buddhist-focused tourism and that it can be managed in a way that provides sustainable economic benefits directly to the pagodas and the immediate communities surrounding them.

“Prior to this governmental initiative, the private sector had already started promoting this concept to interested tourists; however, the results remained small due to the non-widespread promotion as well as the lack of development surrounding religious tourism.”

The move is not without challenges, says CATA’s Mao Siveth in Siem Reap.

“When you have large crowds of tourists, you have inappropriate behavior,” he tells UCA News. “Shorts and revealing clothing are a major problem, especially when tourists fail to grasp the distinction between an archaeological site like Angkor and a place of worship.”

“The strategy necessitates the development of clear guidelines and codes of conduct; proper dress, respectful volume; following three principles of right action: right action, speech and thought.”

The industry describes a high-value tourist as someone who spends at least $350 a day. This in a country where the average backpacker spends less than $50 a day.

They also stay longer — closer to two weeks than the average seven-and-a-half days.

Mao Siveth says that Pagoda Tourism also makes a vital contribution to the maintenance of pagodas, monasteries, and local communities.

That kind of spending creates more jobs, and Pagoda Tourism directly supports local communities and the pagodas and monks.

“Tourist contributions and fees can provide much-needed funding for the maintenance and preservation of the pagodas, which is often a heavy burden on local communities,” he says.

“Many monks and religious leaders support the idea, viewing it as an opportunity to promote Buddhism and Khmer culture preserved within the pagoda.

“They see themselves as keeping culture and tradition alive.”

The sacred tourism strategy, launched this year, is also part of the government’s decade-long vision to reduce its reliance on mass tourism and the Chinese market.

Last month, the government and businesses — from tourism to banking to phone companies — ran a three-day event, “Assalamu Alaikum Cambodia: A Safe, Warm and Friendly Destination,” to attract big spenders from the Middle East and neighboring nations with large Muslim populations such as Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.

Tourist visits from Muslim countries rose 20 percent in 2024, surpassing the overall 16 percent growth in foreign visitors, according to official figures.

As part of the plan, the government is upgrading tourism infrastructure, adding prayer rooms in airports and malls, and expanding nationwide the number of halal-certified restaurants.

Direct flights from the Middle East are also increasing, with the United Arab Emirates’ official airline, Etihad Airways, launching direct Abu Dhabi-Phnom Penh flights in October.