Video: TikTok tourists trample on Angkor Wat in viral Temple Run recreation

One of the hottest viral trends, where people sprint, leap and crash around Cambodia's historic Angkor Wat and other temple ruins in the Southeast Asian nation in a live recreation of a popular video game, has conservationists aghast, with several saying the race for views denigrates the almost 900-year-old sculptures and risks irreparable damage.

Short videos of visitors running down narrow stone pathways and vaulting over passageways - often overlayed with sounds from the popular Temple Run video game - have been making the rounds on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms. Some videos have received more than 2 million views and inspire copy cat versions daily.

Simon Warrack, a conservationist who's worked for three decades to preserve the nearly millenia-old ruins at Angkor, is troubled by the potential damage as well as the cultural and religious insensitivities being trampled on.

"You wouldn't run through St. Peters in Rome or any western church "- so why is it okay to do it in Cambodia," said Warrack. "It's not just potential damage to the stones by people bumping into them and falling or knocking things over "- which is real "- but it's also damage to the spiritual and cultural value of the temples."

Warrack said he's spoken to Cambodian counterparts and officials overseeing the complex who share his concerns. "Angkor Wat is still deeply revered by the people," he said. "Every stone is considered to contain the spirits of the ancestors."

The episode highlights the challenge many historic sites face these days to balance increased tourism, sustainability and local life, particularly in a post-Covid world where revenge travel is still a thing. The trend also underscores the sway influencers and social media have in driving tourism.

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Cambodia isn't the only destination to see an uptick in bad behavior but whereas other hot spot tourist meccas including Indonesia and Spain have taken steps to tame unruly visitors "- Indonesia deports the worst offenders "- the authority that oversees the Angkor temple complex hasn't issued any reprimands to discourage the viral trend. International visitors to Cambodia have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and even some Cambodians themselves have said on social media that the trend is good for boosting much needed arrival numbers.

For many holiday seekers, social media is a top source of inspiration for travel, according to an American Express trends report. Nearly three in four Millennials and Gen Zs surveyed said they've participated in social media trends while on vacation, while around half said they want to show off their travels to impress their followers.

In the temple run challenge, many videos feature people in their 20s, some running in dresses and shawls. Angelina Dougherty, a Cambodian-American who was crowned Miss Pacific Asian American in a pageant last year, also joined the trend with a video of her and another woman running and leaping through the temple, similar to moves in the video game. Doughtery didn't respond to a request for comment.

Hollywood spotlight

Hollywood introduced Angkor Wat to much of the world when the 2001 movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed at the complex's Angkor Thom temple. Then came Temple Run, a video game developed by Imangi Studios in 2011, where players control a character who runs through temple ruins and must avoid obstacles and demonic creatures who give chase. The background for Temple Run features stonework and passageways that are very similar to the ruins at Angkor.

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

The complex, which includes the famous temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, was constructed with blocks of sandstone and has survived war, earthquakes and forest overgrowth. Over the years, international conservators have contributed to the on-going restoration efforts.

"While the trend has temporarily boosted online interest in Angkor, it's essential to promote safe access, educational visitation and respect for local religious, spiritual and social significance of the sites," said Ginevra Boatto, Cambodia country director of the World Monuments Fund, which partners with local authorities in charge of sites to help protect them. New visitor trends should be "carefully managed to prevent any negative impact."

Some of the videos do feature caveats that the re-enactments are done in appreciation of the temples. And most responses from viewers are positive, with many excited to be introduced to the temples through the challenge. But Hans Leisen, who's headed a German-government funded conservation project at Angkor Wat for 30 years, didn't mince words in describing his reaction to the videos.

"It's nonsense," said Leisen, who's worked to preserve the temples' delicate bas reliefs and carvings that tell religious stories. "If you're running through the temple, you won't see the beauty of the carvings. And if you fall or stumble, you'll touch a wall to stabilize yourself and endanger the fragile carvings."

Leisen is concerned the trend could spread to other temple sites in Southeast Asia. In Bali, the Indonesian government last year created a tourism task force and hotline where locals can report bad behavior by tourists. Authorities recently updated their guidance for the island's expected 14 million visitors this year, calling on them to observe local laws and customs, which include covering up at 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 has more recently expressed concern about potential damage to the ruins due to the viral trend. Apsara declined to comment, while the tourism ministry didn't respond to a request for comment.

Still, at least one Cambodian doesn't mind 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 more generally in Cambodia is helping to drive the country's expected economic growth of 5.8% this year, according to the Asian Development Bank.

"As long as they don't damage the temples and bother other people, it's okay," said Seun, who noted that in some videos, visitors are running on paths that serve as sidewalks. "Tourism is very important for Cambodia's economy. When foreign visitors come, they buy things, they spend on hotels and transport. We want to encourage that."