SIEM REAP: The Apsara Authority will hold its third "Remembrance of Angkor" celebration from December 7-16, with First Lady Pich Chanmony presiding.

The celebration honors 31 years of Angkor Wat on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, having been inscribed on December 14, 1992. It was the first of now three temples to be inscribed on the list, which provides funding, conservation and promotion to international travelers. The celebration will also commemorate Khmer leaders and ancestors who built and maintained the temples so that they may continue providing benefits to the present day.

In order to ensure the program runs smoothly and successfully, the APSARA Authority will close access to the newly-renovated west entrance of Angkor Wat from December 6-7. During that time, tourists will still be able to access the temple via the temporary floating bridge.

The famous Angkor Wat temples continue to be Cambodia’s primary tourist draw. Just this year, the public institution has earned over $32 million in ticket sales. The Angkor Institute says that the park received 699,996 international visitors who purchased $32,546,847 worth of tickets.

About two hours away is Koh Ker Temple, which has seen a surge of visitors since becoming Cambodia’s third World Heritage Site this year. This year, 12,280 visitors have generated $184,200 for the remote temple. Meanwhile, the tourist boats on the Tonle Sap brought in nearly $60,000.