SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- More than 500 kite flyers from different regions of Cambodia on Friday took part in the first-ever kite flying contest in the cultural province of Siem Reap.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the three-day event, Muon Sopheap, director of Siem Reap provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts, said the festival not only preserved kite flying tradition, but also helped attract tourists to Siem Reap province.

"This event is vital to help conserve traditional kites, which are our intangible cultural heritage, and promote them to younger generations," he said at the ceremony held at the old Siem Reap International Airport.

At the event, kites, made in the form of various animals and objects, were displayed.

Kite flying tradition has existed in Cambodia for more than 2,000 years, and usually, farmers and rural children play kites during the annual season of rice harvests from November to January.

Located in northwest Cambodia, Siem Reap is home to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, which is the most popular tourist destination in the Southeast Asian country.

The ancient park attracted almost 900,000 international tourists during the January-November period of 2024, earning a gross revenue of nearly 42 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. Enditem

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