The Park Hyatt Siem Reap hotel has just announced a collaboration with World Monuments Fund (WMF) which will see it supporting long-term conservation training at Angkor Archaeological Park.

It is also aimed at deepening responsible guest engagement with one of the world’s most important cultural sites.

LOCAL TRAINING

A six-month training program will equip 25 locals with the technical skills needed to care for Angkor’s historic temple complexes.

The Heritage Foreman-Training initiative through the Suzanne Deal Booth Institute for Heritage Preservation will draw from local communities in and around Siem Reap.

Those chosen will be trained to become custodians of Angkor.

And that will ensure the continuation of the highly specialised knowledge needed for long-term conservation of this important place.

Importantly, that becomes embedded in the local community.

TOURIST INVOLVEMENT

Park Hyatt Siem Reap guests will be offered exclusive and intimate educational experiences in Angkor Archaeological Park.

Led by WMF and its team of specialists, guests will visit the 9th-century hilltop temple Phnom Bakheng and get rare, behind-the-scenes insights.

“Siem Reap is home to one of the world’s most extraordinary cultural treasures, and we are honored to support the important work World Monuments Fund has carried out at Angkor for decades,” says Himanshu Kapoor, general manager of Park Hyatt Siem Reap.

“We are excited to offer guests a unique opportunity to connect more deeply to Cambodia’s rich heritage through experiences that are both meaningful and memorable, while contributing to the preservation of Angkor for future generations.”

HERITAGE INVESTMENT

+ WMF has invested about $19.5 million in conservation across Cambodia, over 40 years of locally led heritage preservation.

+ Work is mostly carried out by Cambodian professionals trained through WMF programs. + Since the 1990s, these initiatives have supported more than 100 Cambodian conservation technicians annually.

“For nearly four decades, WMF has worked alongside our Cambodian partners at Angkor to safeguard one of the world’s most important cultural landscapes while rebuilding the technical knowledge needed to sustain it,” said Benedicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of World Monuments Fund.

“At the heart of this effort is our longstanding training program, which equips Cambodian conservators with the skills to care for these monuments over the long term, ensuring that preservation is locally led and enduring.

“Support from Park Hyatt Siem Reap strengthens this work by connecting responsible tourism with hands-on conservation and expanding opportunities to train the next generation.

“This collaboration demonstrates how the private sector can play a vital role in protecting heritage across the region, ensuring that Angkor remains resilient and accessible for generations to come.”

HYATT COMMITMENT

Park Hyatt Siem Reap’s collaboration with WMF is the latest in the Park Hyatt brand’s local cultural investment initiatives.

It supports creative arts and heritage around the world.

The company states that property has a responsibility “to bring a positive benefit to all the people and places it touches”.