Combodia Dark Tourism

2154 Words9 Pages
"Cambodia is best known for its friendly people and archaeological treasures such as Angkor Wat. As a consultant to the Cambodian Tourist Board, should sites associated with the Khmer Rouge be used to promote tourism? Discuss. Introduction The Kingdom of Cambodia is identical as developing country but the country is different from others because of tourism industry. The country has prospered with the rapid pace as international tourist destination and the industry of tourism that becomes as a major source of income as well as playing an important role for the country’s economic development. Fascinating and breathtaking scenery with an ancient mysterious and captivating culture have attracted curious visitors from all over the world in all times. Most of the tourists who come to visit Cambodia are interested in Angkor sites where the most preferred tourism experience. However, it is not only the ancient past with the magnificent temples of the old empire Angkor that can gain their attention, but the Cambodian Tourist Board has also promoted sites associated with the Khmer Rouge and the recent horrific history interest questioning visitors that want to find answers to the horrors as dark tourism. Dark tourism which Cambodia promotes involves visiting sites and places related to violent death, suffering - places that could qualify as macabre where where mass deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group occurred (Merriam-Webster,2011). Most visiting dark tourism sites are Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing field sites that are promoted and more sites have been planned by Government. Therefore, even tourist destinations are typically conceptualized as sites of leisure, the dark tourism promoted as consider as places associated with human misery and death could be considered as educational, memorial and recreational aspects. This paper
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