The Interaction Between Culture and Nature In The Architecture of Eco-Cultural Tourism Development At Koh Kong Province, Cambodia
Authors: Ken Panha 
Published: June 2022

Along with the tremendous rise of Cambodia's construction sector, Cambodians, particularly those living in cities and rural tourism destinations today, embrace the rising influx of new architectural styles. This aspect has an impact on the value of Khmer architectural and urban aesthetics. Furthermore, the construction of buildings in rural tourist destinations in Cambodia has been considerably influenced by modern architectural features, such as the development of hotels, guesthouses, and resorts. This article's research on the construction of buildings in rural tourism resorts in the Kingdom of Cambodia reveals that the majority of these architectural structures are not motivated to incorporate or showcase Khmer architectural styles. Instead, it emphasizes modern and blended foreign styles that lead to a loss of national identity. Those resorts, on the other hand, do not follow the ideals of sustainable development, causing environmental damage and building structures that are unsuitable for Cambodia's tropical environment.Recognizing that tourism and architecture are inextricably linked and play a significant role in fostering Khmer identity through architectural inspiration in rural tourism as well as tourism promotion. Through field research and literature review, the tourism market in Cambodia will be strengthened as a result of the quick development and continual improvement of the country's tourism industry, while also promoting the effective growth and development of the national economy and allowing other aspects of the country to advance and develop. According to the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia's study, "The Planning of Tourism Development 2012 to 2020," which focused particularly on Cambodia's cultural and natural tourism resources. Furthermore, in terms of the Cambodian people's living choices, in recent years, individuals have been engaged in many types of commercial operations, particularly tourism activities, with a good momentum of development. Simultaneously with the continued development and promotion of tourist resorts and hotels, such as those in the Kingdom's sea areas, mountains, and rural regions, other cultural regions will be developed as tourism attractions.Currently, the number of tourists in Cambodia is significantly decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with an enthusiastic attitude, the Cambodian government aims to promote the development of local tour destinations for each district through creative tourism services in rural areas with the involvement of various partners including private sectors, foreign investors, and from all levels of the government institutions. Andung Tek commune in the Botum Sakor district is facing various problems such as deforestation and overdevelopment that have become more and more harmful to the environment and local people. The paper seeks to address these problems and come up with potential solutions to solve the problems. Additionally, to answer the problems, the project in this article also established long-term planning methods such as disaster prevention, human resource development, and promoting attractive advantage tourism. As a result, uses a housing model with a unique Khmer housing architectural style include interaction design objectives, and home structure and landscape design to promote sustainable development in the areas and to transform the area into an attractive tourist destination for both locals and foreigners.