Banteay Chhmar CBT

Banteay Chhmar community-based tourism (CBT) is a group of local villagers living and working in Banteay Chhmar commune in northwestern Cambodia. The CBT is dedicated to the purposes of preserving the region's cultural heritage, environmental integrity and improving the livelihoods of the community through the management of a sustainable, responsible tourism business.

The commune contains Banteay Chhmar Temple which is one of the largest temples from the Angkorian era. This relatively unstudied temple is an important part of Khmer history. It is currently undergoing a conservation project and it is expected to be nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in the future. The surrounding area provides a glimpse into traditional and rural life in Cambodia.

The CBT is an essential part of the community, providing jobs through tourism activities such as homestays, tour guides, traditional activities, meals and transportation services. The CBT acts as a bond between visitors, tour operators, villagers, local and national authorities. All income generated through the CBT stays within the local community. The Income generated is used to 1) earn income for villagers for providing tourism services 2) savings into a local fund to support operating expenses and 3) help develop community-wide projects such as a solid waste management project, water filter project and library.

Fortunately, the CBT has been building a small, respected and loyal group of supporters from tour operators to NGOs to individuals. However, the CBT is always interested in improving its services and activities more and welcomes the idea of skilled volunteers in the areas of language instruction, marketing and rural development. We hope to see you here in Banteay Chhmar and we hope that we can share our culture and hospitality with you.