Every December, as the first rays of dawn illuminate the ancient spires of Angkor Wat, thousands of runners from over 70 countries gather at the world’s most iconic starting line. The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon isn’t just a race—it’s an economic powerhouse that pumps millions of dollars into Siem Reap’s tourism economy, filling hotel rooms, supporting local businesses, and positioning Cambodia’s temple city as a premier destination for sports tourism.
In 2025, as the event celebrates its 30th anniversary, the marathon’s economic ripple effect has never been more critical for a city still navigating its post-pandemic recovery. While the world watches runners navigate past Pre Rup temple and through jungle-lined roads, Siem Reap’s hospitality sector counts the real reward: a December economic surge that can make or break the year for countless tourism-dependent businesses.
The Numbers Tell the Story: December’s Golden Week
The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon was started in 1996 by Yuko Arimori, a Japanese Olympian marathon runner, and by December 2019, the event attracted over 12,000 participants, with approximately 7,000 (60%) from international markets. These aren’t casual day-trippers—they’re committed sports tourists who stay longer and spend significantly more than average visitors.
Global sports tourism data reveals why events like marathons matter so profoundly for destinations. Sports-related travel generated $52.2 billion in direct economic impact in 2023 across the United States, with more than 200 million people traveling to amateur and collegiate sports events. While Cambodia’s scale differs, the principle remains identical: runners bring money, and lots of it.
Sports tourists stay an average of 2.9 days longer than other tourists and spend an average of 20% more per day than regular travelers. For Siem Reap’s hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and retail shops, this translates to extended bookings during what could otherwise be a quieter period between peak tourist seasons.
The 30th anniversary event is scheduled for December 7, 2025, and requires runners to collect race packs from December 4-6 at the Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort, ensuring participants spend multiple days in the city before race day. This built-in extended stay maximizes economic impact beyond the race itself.
Hotel Occupancy: The Marathon Effect
For Siem Reap’s hospitality sector, the marathon represents one of the year’s most reliable booking guarantees. Research on marathon economic impact demonstrates the hotel sector benefits most dramatically from such events.
Studies on the Vienna City Marathon found significant effects on three major hotel performance indicators: hotel occupancy, revenue per available room, and total revenue, with particularly high impact the day prior to the marathon. The pattern repeats globally—marathon weekends consistently drive occupancy rates that dwarf normal periods.
In 63 percent of destinations surveyed, sports-related travel is the top generator of hotel room nights in communities. For Siem Reap, where tourism represents the economic lifeblood, the marathon delivers exactly when the city needs it most—during the cooler, more comfortable December weather that attracts both runners and general tourists.
The cascading hotel bookings extend beyond race participants. Coaches, spectators, media representatives, and companions accompany runners, multiplying the accommodation demand. A single marathon runner might generate bookings for two or three hotel rooms when traveling with family or friends who come to cheer them on.
Siem Reap’s hotel sector has been particularly strategic about capitalizing on this annual event. Properties offer special marathon packages bundled with race registration, transportation to the starting line, carb-loading dinners, and post-race recovery amenities. These packages lock in bookings months in advance, providing crucial revenue predictability for hotel operators.
Beyond Hotels: The Multiplier Effect Across Sectors
The economic impact radiates far beyond accommodation. Marathon participants and their companions become micro-economies, injecting spending across virtually every tourism-related sector.
Restaurants and Food Services
Runners arriving days before the race need meals—lots of them. Pre-race carbohydrate loading drives business to restaurants, while post-race celebrations fill establishments along Pub Street and the riverside. Local cafes benefit from increased breakfast demand as runners fuel up before early training runs around Angkor Archaeological Park.
The authentic Khmer cuisine scene particularly benefits. International runners seek local culinary experiences, driving traffic to traditional restaurants that might not ordinarily attract Western tourists. Street food vendors, fruit sellers, and juice bars all see December revenue spikes correlated with marathon arrivals.
Tour Operators and Transportation
Marathon participants receive ID passes that permit free entrance to Angkor Archaeological Park to check the running course, encouraging runners to visit the temples before race day. This drives demand for:
- Tuk-tuk drivers who transport runners to preview the course
- Professional tour guides offering temple tours during rest days
- Bicycle rental shops catering to runners wanting low-impact course reconnaissance
- Transportation services handling airport transfers for international participants
Many runners extend their Cambodia visit beyond the marathon, booking multi-day Angkor temple tours, excursions to Tonle Sap floating villages, or trips to nearby provinces. The race serves as the anchor attraction that justifies international travel, with cultural tourism naturally extending the economic impact.
Retail and Local Businesses
Sports tourism generates retail spending across multiple categories. Runners purchase:
- Last-minute athletic gear and supplies
- Khmer handicrafts and souvenirs for families back home
- Massage and spa services for pre- and post-race muscle recovery
- Photography services to document their Angkor Wat race experience
- Local SIM cards, bottled water, and convenience items
The race expo itself, held at the Courtyard by Marriott, becomes a temporary marketplace where sponsors, sports brands, and local vendors connect with an affluent, international customer base concentrated in one location for three days.
International Runners: The Premium Tourist Segment
The marathon attracts exactly the type of tourist Siem Reap’s tourism development strategy targets: higher-spending international visitors seeking meaningful cultural experiences.
In the peak year of 2019, approximately 7,000 international runners from over 70 countries participated, representing diverse markets from Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. These aren’t budget backpackers—they’re professionals, retirees, and affluent travelers who can afford international race entries, flights, accommodations, and extended vacations.
The average international marathon tourist profile includes:
- Professional or semi-professional employment status
- Disposable income to support traveling for sporting events
- Interest in cultural tourism and authentic experiences
- Likelihood of traveling with companions or family
- Tendency to share experiences extensively on social media
This demographic aligns perfectly with Siem Reap’s pivot toward quality over quantity tourism. While the city once welcomed mass tourism that sometimes overwhelmed infrastructure and yielded modest per-capita spending, marathon participants represent the sustainable tourism model authorities now embrace.
The Charity Dimension: Adding Social Value
From the beginning, this internationally recognized half marathon raised relief for victims of antipersonnel mines in Cambodia. The charitable mission adds layers of economic and social value beyond pure tourism metrics.
The race partners with organizations supporting landmine victims, providing prosthetics, medical care, and educational opportunities. Runners often fundraise for these causes, creating international awareness of Cambodia’s ongoing recovery from decades of conflict. This positions Siem Reap not just as a tourist destination but as a community worthy of international support and engagement.
The humanitarian angle attracts a specific subset of conscious travelers—people motivated by meaningful experiences rather than simple sightseeing. These participants often become long-term Cambodia advocates, returning for future visits and encouraging friends and family to travel to the Kingdom.
Infrastructure Benefits: Building for Tomorrow
Major sporting events justify infrastructure investments that benefit communities long after the race concludes. The marathon course is described as flat with ancient trees along the route, featuring around 14 ancient temples that runners can photograph during the race, but maintaining this course requires year-round road quality and safety standards.
The event’s presence incentivizes authorities to:
- Maintain road surfaces around Angkor Archaeological Park
- Improve signage and wayfinding systems
- Upgrade medical facilities and emergency response capabilities
- Train hospitality workers in serving international guests
- Develop better waste management for large public events
These improvements benefit all tourists and residents throughout the year, not just marathon participants. The race essentially forces baseline infrastructure standards that elevate Siem Reap’s overall tourism competitiveness.
Positioning Siem Reap in the Global Running Community
The marathon’s three-decade history has earned it international recognition and certification. The event is recognized by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the World Athletics (IAAF), giving it legitimacy among serious runners worldwide.
This official recognition matters enormously for destination marketing. The race appears on global running calendars, marathon tourism websites, and international sports travel platforms. Siem Reap gains visibility among a demographic that might never have considered Cambodia otherwise—dedicated runners planning their annual race schedules around bucket-list events.
The “running through Angkor Wat” proposition is marketing gold. Few marathons anywhere offer comparable visual drama and cultural significance. The starting line at Angkor Wat rivals iconic race locations like the Great Wall Marathon in China or the Athens Marathon’s historical route.
Social media amplification extends the marketing reach exponentially. Every runner posts photos of themselves at Angkor Wat, tagged with location data and race hashtags. These authentic user-generated content pieces serve as unpaid advertisements reaching thousands of potential tourists in runners’ personal networks.
The December Timing: Strategic Seasonal Optimization
The marathon’s December timing couldn’t be more strategic for Siem Reap’s tourism calendar. While the city attracts solid visitor numbers throughout the high season (November through February), December specifically benefits from the race’s concentration of international arrivals.
December weather typically ranges from 18-28°C (64-82°F) during the dry season, providing ideal running conditions while remaining comfortable for general tourism. This climatic sweet spot attracts both marathon participants and standard tourists simultaneously, creating a December surge that fills hotels, restaurants, and attractions.
The timing also aligns with year-end holidays when many international travelers have vacation time. European and North American runners often extend marathon trips into longer Southeast Asian holidays, exploring Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand in multi-country itineraries anchored by the Siem Reap race.
Challenges and Opportunities: Maximizing Marathon Economics
While the marathon delivers clear economic benefits, Siem Reap hasn’t fully optimized the event’s potential. Several opportunities exist to amplify impact:
Limited Elite Athlete Participation
The event has not attracted elite runners, most likely because the prize purse isn’t competitive enough to entice top-tier athletes. Increasing prize money could attract world-class runners, generating greater media coverage and prestige. For comparison, successful Asian marathons offer substantially larger purses that draw international champions.
Elite participation elevates an event’s profile dramatically. When world record holders or Olympic medalists compete, global media covers the race, exposing Siem Reap to millions of potential tourists. The investment in prize money returns multiples in destination marketing value and increased participant numbers drawn by the elevated competition level.
Infrastructure Capacity
As Siem Reap targets tourism recovery and growth, the marathon could scale significantly. The 12,000-participant peak in 2019 tests current capacity, but with improved infrastructure—particularly the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport—the event could potentially double in size.
Larger participation requires enhanced support infrastructure: more water stations, expanded medical facilities, improved crowd management, and greater transportation capacity. However, the economic return would justify these investments, as each additional runner represents extended hotel bookings and visitor spending.
Extended Event Programming
Many successful destination marathons expand beyond single-day races, creating week-long festivals featuring:
- Running clinics and training workshops with professional athletes
- Wellness expos with health, nutrition, and fitness vendors
- Cultural festivals celebrating local traditions
- Concert series and evening entertainment
- Kids’ races and family-friendly activities
These additions extend participant stays and attract non-running tourists interested in festival atmosphere. The marathon could anchor a broader “Angkor December Festival” encompassing sports, culture, and entertainment.
Domestic Market Development
While international runners generate the highest per-capita spending, developing the domestic Cambodian running community creates sustainable year-round demand. Local runners train throughout the year, patronizing sports shops, gyms, and fitness facilities. They participate in smaller monthly races, generating consistent economic activity rather than single annual surges.
Cambodia’s growing middle class increasingly embraces fitness culture. Positioning marathon running as aspirational lifestyle activity—accessible to Cambodians beyond the elite class—could create a domestic sports tourism circuit connecting Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and coastal destinations.
Measuring Success: How Do We Know It Works?
Quantifying marathon economic impact requires tracking metrics beyond simple participation numbers:
Direct Spending Indicators:
- Hotel occupancy rates during marathon weekend vs. comparable December periods
- Average daily rate (ADR) increases for marathon dates
- Restaurant revenue during marathon week
- Transportation and tour booking spikes
- Retail sales comparisons
Longer-Term Impact Measures:
- Return visitor rates among former marathon participants
- Social media reach and engagement from race-related content
- Media coverage value equivalent in traditional advertising spend
- Employment generated in tourism sectors
- Tax revenue from marathon-related economic activity
According to official data, Siem Reap welcomed 806,631 visitors in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing Q1 2019 by over 2%, demonstrating overall tourism recovery. Events like the marathon contribute significantly to this resurgence, providing December momentum that carries into the new year peak season.
The Siem Reap Recovery Context: Why Marathons Matter Now
Siem Reap’s tourism sector has faced extraordinary challenges in recent years. The pandemic devastated an economy almost entirely dependent on international visitors. Tourism dependence means recovery hinges on uneven international arrivals, with Angkor ticket sales under pressure and limited flight connectivity presenting ongoing challenges.
In this fragile recovery environment, the marathon represents something invaluable: a guaranteed anchor event that delivers measurable economic impact regardless of broader market volatility. While tourism forecasts remain uncertain and geopolitical factors influence travel patterns unpredictably, the marathon consistently attracts committed participants who have registered and paid months in advance.
This predictability allows businesses to plan inventory, staffing, and marketing with confidence. Hotels know they’ll fill rooms. Restaurants anticipate crowds. Tour operators schedule guides. The economic certainty alone justifies supporting and expanding the event.
Siem Reap’s population now equals 41.2% of Phnom Penh’s, reinforcing its position as Cambodia’s second economic hub, creating long-term demand for residential, retail, and community developments. The city’s growth beyond pure tourism—toward becoming a livable, diversified urban center—benefits from events that showcase Siem Reap as dynamic and international, not simply a temple-viewing destination.
Looking Forward: The 30th Anniversary and Beyond
The 30th anniversary event in 2025 runs under the theme “Run for Longevity,” with major sponsor Manulife partnering with the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia. This milestone presents opportunities to reflect on three decades of economic and social impact while positioning the event for growth in coming years.
The anniversary celebration could attract record participation, with marketing campaigns targeting former participants for nostalgic returns and new runners interested in landmark events. Successfully executing the 30th edition sets a platform for sustained growth through the next decade.
Cambodia’s tourism sector increasingly recognizes that diversification beyond temple visits ensures long-term sustainability. Sports tourism—marathons, cycling events, adventure races—provides exactly this diversification. Visitors attracted for sporting events typically extend stays for cultural tourism, creating dual-purpose trips that maximize economic impact.
The government’s tourism development priorities align perfectly with marathon expansion. Strategies emphasizing quality tourists, extended stays, and sustainable visitor management all support growing sports tourism initiatives. The marathon embodies these priorities: it attracts affluent international visitors, encourages multi-day stays, and operates sustainably with minimal environmental impact.
The Bigger Picture: Sports Tourism as Economic Strategy
Siem Reap’s marathon success story offers lessons for Cambodia’s broader tourism development. The event proves that niche tourism segments—in this case sports tourism—can generate outsized economic returns compared to mass tourism approaches.
Rather than competing solely on price to attract large volumes of budget travelers, events like the marathon position Siem Reap as a premium destination for specific interest groups. This aligns with global tourism trends favoring experiential travel, meaningful engagement, and authentic cultural connection over conventional sightseeing.
The marathon creates emotional bonds between participants and destination. Runners don’t simply visit Siem Reap—they achieve personal goals there, creating powerful positive associations. These emotional connections drive return visits, word-of-mouth recommendations, and destination advocacy that money can’t buy.
As Cambodia develops its tourism sector toward higher-value, lower-impact models, sports tourism events deserve strategic priority. The infrastructure requirements are modest compared to mega-resorts. The environmental footprint remains manageable. The economic return justifies investment. And the destination marketing value extends far beyond single event weekends.
Conclusion: Every Step Counts
When 12,000 runners stride past Angkor Wat at dawn, they’re doing more than completing a personal athletic challenge. They’re driving economic growth across Siem Reap’s tourism ecosystem, supporting thousands of jobs, generating millions in revenue, and positioning Cambodia as a dynamic, multifaceted destination that offers experiences beyond temple tours.
The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon proves that sports tourism works—even in developing economies, even in destinations primarily known for cultural heritage, even when competing globally for discretionary travel spending. The formula combines obvious appeal (running past one of the world’s most iconic monuments), logistical excellence (three decades of operational experience), charitable purpose (supporting landmine victims), and strategic timing (December’s ideal weather and holiday travel period).
For Siem Reap businesses watching nervous economic forecasts and uncertain tourism trends, the marathon offers something precious: certainty. Every December, thousands of runners will arrive, filling hotels, patronizing restaurants, booking tours, and spending money across the local economy. That reliability alone makes the event worth supporting and expanding.
As the 30th anniversary edition approaches, Siem Reap has every reason to celebrate not just three decades of running, but three decades of economic impact that has touched thousands of lives, supported countless businesses, and positioned Cambodia’s temple city as a destination where ancient history and modern sporting excellence converge.
The starting gun will sound at dawn on December 7, 2025. And when it does, Siem Reap’s economy will be running strong alongside every participant chasing personal bests through the temples of Angkor.