Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

Cambodia is receiving a slow but encouraging increase in visitors, with the lifting of international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic.

With foreign arrival numbers yet to rebound to pre-pandemic heights, local tourism has unexpectedly become a lifeline.

The scene at the famous Angkor Wat temple site has been transformed, with busy guides and their domestic visitors forming a new alliance and breathing new life into the appreciation of Cambodia's rich historical tapestry.

Meas Sovannaroth, a tour guide based in Siem Reap, found himself exploring different career paths after the pandemic brought the tourism industry shuddering to a stop.

He ventured into real estate and the sale of agricultural machinery, but his passion for sharing his knowledge never waned — in 2022, as visitors began to trickle back, he returned to his roots and reconnected with the heritage he loves.

Sovannaroth now balances his tour guiding work with a part-time job as a driver for ride-hailing platform Grab, allowing him to support his family while he waits for tourism to complete its slow comeback.

"The enthusiasm in November has been encouraging," he said. "We've seen a revival in interest for Angkor Wat and other temples, providing some stability after several challenging years."

The surge in local interest has proved beneficial to both guides and Cambodian visitors.