Tourists have sparked debate after filming themselves sprinting around a Unesco World Heritage site in Cambodia as part of the ‘Temple Run in real life’ trend.
Videos are gaining millions of views on social media of people running and jumping around the symbolic archaeological site of Angkor in Cambodia.
Angkor contains the remains of different capitals of the Khmer Empire spanning over hundreds of years and includes the famous temple complex of Angkor Wat, where tourists are visiting and filming videos recreating a popular mobile game.
The videos are an ode to Temple Run, a video game by Imangi Studios that has been a popular download since it was released in 2011, prompting many spin-offs. The main premise of the game is to guide an explorer around a temple while animals chase them as they run, duck, and jump through an obstacle course of ruins and ancient trees.
A series of TikTok videos have been created throughout this year, following tourists pretending to be in the game and running around the archaeological site, jumping off and sprinting up various parts of the remains.
While many people in the comments of these viral videos are praising the TikTokers for visiting Cambodia and sharing it on their platform, some conservationists and organisations have spoken out about the trend’s disruptive nature.
A Unesco spokesperson told The Independent that while social media trends can help out a destination’s tourism industry, it can also exacerbate issues of overtourism.
“Social media trends can threaten the sustainability of tourism by encouraging a high volume of visitors to congregate in specific areas,” the spokespersons said.
“Moreover, the obsession with capturing and posting the perfect video can detract from the authentic travel experience, reducing engagement with the cultural and historical significance of a place.”
“This loss of significance, essential to the existence of a cultural or natural site, is of concern for Unesco. It is the identity and history of the communities, who are the first custodians of the property, that can be impacted.
“Unesco urges visitors to approach these sites with respect and curiosity, encourages them to take the time to really experience the unique culture and heritage of destinations and to remember that their actions have an impact on the…
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