Cambodia: Green Day Clean Up Initiative

By Mallika Naguran

A tiny Khmer girl joined her mother in picking up litter on the grounds of Angkor Thom in Cambodia.

She was perhaps a wee bit too young to understand what the fuss was about, but clearly her mother (a Spa Supervisor with Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa) knew the significance and urged her on. 

Rom Syma is keen for her daughter to protect their natural heritage – the 13th century Bayon Temple, a World Heritage site - and Cambodia's pride.

The fifth Victoria Hotels & Resorts Green Day was held on the 27th of September 2008 and is an annual event organised by the French-owned hotel chain involving staff, communities, students and even hotel guests “to show commitment to environment protection”. 

The boutique chain holds simultaneous one-day cleanup excursions within popular eco destinations in Cambodia and Vietnam as a way of demonstrating that tourism can grow without endangering the local environment.

The hotels have put in considerable effort to orchestrate grand official opening ceremonies to create excitement among participants, in particular children. 

In Siem Reap, Cambodia, an entourage of staff leaves Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa headed for the temple ruins in vintage cars and motorbikes with Victoria Resorts Green Day flags flapping in the wind.

Such events build solidarity among staff on top of educating them on the need to keep the environment clean. They were also told, for instance, not to touch the carvings on the ruins, which came as something new for some participants.

At the end of the event, participants helped themselves to refreshments. This in itself is a treat for many poor children in Siem Reap who have never enjoyed sandwiches and pastries prepared by the resort's own kitchen.