Angkor is one of the world’s great wonders, but preserving it for future generations is an ongoing effort, one that increasingly relies on collaboration between conservation experts and the travel industry.
In Siem Reap, a new partnership between Park Hyatt and the World Monuments Fund (WMF) is offering a more meaningful way for travellers to connect with this extraordinary cultural landscape.
Behind the temples
At the heart of the initiative is a focus on long-term conservation. The partnership will support a six-month heritage training program for 25 Cambodian foremen, equipping them with the specialised skills needed to maintain and restore Angkor’s vast temple network.
These participants are drawn from local communities, ensuring that knowledge remains within the region and that conservation efforts continue to be locally led. It’s a model that prioritises both preservation and empowerment, reinforcing the idea that cultural heritage is best protected by those closest to it.
A deeper way to experience Angkor
For travellers, the collaboration opens the door to something rarely accessible. Guests of Park Hyatt Siem Reap will have the opportunity to join small-scale, expert-led visits to active conservation sites within Angkor Archaeological Park.
At Phnom Bakheng, a ninth-century hilltop temple, these experiences reveal the complexity behind preservation, from traditional craftsmanship to the challenges of managing one of the world’s most visited heritage sites.
It’s a shift away from passive sightseeing, offering insight into the work that happens behind the scenes to protect these structures.
Conservation in action
The World Monuments Fund has been working in Cambodia for decades, investing heavily in restoration and training programmes that have supported hundreds of local conservation professionals.
Their work spans major sites including Angkor Wat and Preah Khan, forming one of the organisation’s longest-running commitments globally. With more than two million visitors each year, the need for sustainable, well-managed conservation has never been greater.
By linking tourism directly to this work, the partnership demonstrates how travel can contribute to preservation rather than place additional strain on it.
Travel that gives back
What makes this initiative stand out is its intention. It reframes luxury travel as something more than comfort and design, positioning it as a platform for education, engagement and positive impact.
For travellers, it offers a chance to go beyond the surface, to understand not just what Angkor is, but how it is cared for and why that matters.
In a destination defined by history, this is a way to help shape its future.
