People Who Inspire: Anantara Celebrates World Heritage Day by Honouring the Cultural Custodians Protecting the World’s Storied Landmarks

Ahead of World Heritage Day on 18 April, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, the experimental luxury brand of Minor Hotels, highlights its long-standing commitment to cultural custodianship in the destinations it calls home. The brand pays tribute to the remarkable individuals who safeguard the world’s heritage, ensuring that iconic sites remain meaningful and alive for generations to come.

At Angkor Archaeological Park, Likong Huy 'Yuki' serves as Anantara Angkor Resort’s Temple Exploration Insider, taking travellers beyond postcard vistas and into a deeper connection with the land. A scholar of Khmer history whose bond with the temples began as a child watching sunrise pour gold over the towers of Angkor Wat, she chose to bring that knowledge to life through hospitality rather than academia. Her tours speak of Cambodian resilience and kindness, each journey tailored with an intuitive sense of what will resonate, whether that means exploring remote corners on horseback, drifting above the ruins in a dawn balloon ride, or seeking out lesser-known galleries far from the crowds.

In the gilded halls of Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel, Tamás Gebei gives voice to a Neo-Renaissance landmark whose 130-year legacy has become part of his own story after more than 15 years within its walls. The property’s History Insider acts as a guardian of memories, helping visitors feel the palace’s spirit in the more intimate moments, such as pausing before a century-old photograph or tracing the footsteps of literary greats in the famed New York Café. His deep knowledge and instinct for storytelling often lead travellers to seek him out for purpose-driven journeys, from the National Archives to remote villages, reconnecting them with their roots.

On the lemon-scented cliffs of Amalfi, Fra Marcus, the resident Franciscan friar at Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel, helps guests appreciate the convent’s 800-year monastic legacy through reflective conversations, guided walks and invigorating hikes. He skillfully creates moments of connection that reveal the region’s heritage through the Franciscan values of simplicity, stewardship and compassion. Whether guiding guests along ancient cliffside paths or sharing peaceful moments in the stillness of the church, time with Fra Marcus reveals an Amalfi Coast shaped by care for the land and for one another.

Since the brand’s inception, Anantara has upheld its responsibility by pairing hands-on conservation and restoration with the work of cultural custodians who can translate the weight of centuries into human stories that resonate with travellers from every corner of the world. This blend of physical preservation and lived interpretation ensures that heritage is not only protected in place, but also understood, felt and carried forward through the people who experience it.

Read Yuki, Tamás and Fra Marcus's profiles below:

A luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, Anantara Hotels & Resorts connects guests to genuine places, people and stories in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Each Anantara embraces the surroundings and culture of its destination, creating unforgettable memories for every guest since 2001. From city to sea and desert to jungle, Anantara delivers heartfelt, Thai-inspired hospitality at its over 50 hotels and resorts across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. 

Anantara Hotels & Resorts is a Minor Hotels brand and recognises its guests through one unified loyalty programme, Minor DISCOVERY, part of GHA DISCOVERY. 

Visit anantara.com for more information, and connect with Anantara on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.