A flashy parade of luxury vehicles including Rolls-Royces, Ferraris and Lamborghinis graced the centuries-old temples of Angkor Wat on Tuesday, despite strict rules against running their supercharged engines. The rare event was organised to promote the environmentally sensitive UNESCO World Heritage site, famed for its stunning ruins of the Khmer empire’s greatest monuments, nestled among lush forests and giant trees.
Tourism remains a critical sector for Cambodia, where visitor numbers plummeted from about 6.6 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic to fewer than 200,000 in 2021. Although tourism rebounded to nearly 5.5 million visitors last year, generating more than $3 billion in revenue, numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels.
Cambodia’s tourism minister, Sok Soken, defended the event amid criticism for its apparent incongruity with the site’s heritage. Speaking near a Bugatti Chiron (some models of which are priced at more than $3 million), he said: “The car show is an art of technology, an inclusion of technology and a modern way of travelling,” adding that Cambodia is “ready to provide hospitality to all types of travellers.” He stressed that strict guidelines were in place to prevent any disrespect to the site’s heritage, in particular a ban on revving the engine.
Organised by Gumball 3000, a British lifestyle brand, the event aimed to set a record for the largest collection of supercars and hypercars at a World Heritage Site, although it failed to achieve this goal. Despite this, the display attracted significant attention from locals and tourists alike, who took advantage of the rare opportunity to be photographed and take selfies alongside these high-end vehicles.
Kuy Tola, a 19-year-old university student, reflected on the spectacle, saying: “It’s the first time I’ve seen such modern cars in Angkor Wat. It’s amazing.”
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