Achieving Development Goals and Sustainability: Analysis of Community-based (Eco-) Tourism and Endogenous Development in Cambodia

Dr. NETH BaromeyRoyal University of Phnom Penh

International Symposium and Workshop 2011Tourism and Endogenous Development – In Search for Sustainable TourismCenter for Sustainable Development Studies, Toyo University, Japan

What is CBT/CBET?

“ Responsible tourism owned and managed by community in collaboration with other stakeholders in order to enhance the local well-being, natural and cultural resource conservation, host-and-guest interaction and education. ”

(CCBEN & SNV, 2009; MoT, 2011)

Disability to implement SD policy

Do not follow democratic structures yet

Dependence on primary resources for local

livelihoods & economic development

Not yet have opportunities to exploit own resources

• Empower local communities in resource governance & endogenous development

Social Aspect

• Non-conventional economic strategies

• Externalize conservation costs

• Developed and managed by local communities

Economic Aspect

• Local participation in conservation

•Conservation structures and strategies at local level

• Incentives for conservation

Environmental Aspects

Why CBT/CBET in Cambodia?

Significance for sustainable development

Justify conservation regime & support global environmental governance

Poverty reduction in rural areas and community development Improved livelihood strategies Community empowerment &

participation Active citizenship

Why Cambodia Needs CBT/CBET?

Sustainable Community

Development

Alternative Livelihood Strategies

Social Inclusion &

Good Governance

Conservation Structures &

Strategies

1. Involve and empower community members to ensure ownership and transparent management

2. Establish partnership with relevant stakeholders 3. Gain legal recognition from relevant authorities 4. Achieve social well-being and human dignity5. Establish a fair and transparent benefit sharing mechanisms 6. Enhance linkages to local and regional economy7. Respect and preserve local culture and tradition 8. Contribute to natural resource conservation9. Improve quality of visitor experiences by strengthening

meaningful host and guest interaction10. Develop self-sufficient and self-reliant society

(CCBEN and SNV, 2009)

CBT/CBET Principles in Cambodia

Economic Considerations

Socio-Cultural Considerations

Environmental Conservation

Considerations

Business & Consumer

Satisfaction Considerations

Human Development & Stakeholder Collaboration

Considerations

CBT/CBET Philosophy in Cambodia

Host-Guest Interaction

CBT/CBET Development Potential in Cambodia

2.873.07

3.30

7 sites

17 sites

9 sites

There are 46 CBT/CBET sites, 33 of which are officially registered (MoT, 2011).

Both small scale and large scale ecotourism operations exist in Cambodia, but so far most of the development projects concentrate on participatory community-based approaches.

Pro-poor and anti-poverty as well as pro-conservation mechanisms through CBT / CBET

Tourist motivations & expectations of visit (MoT, 2011)

Tourist Activities & Expenditure1) Swimming2) Mountain and village biking 3) Forest trekking & hiking 4) Ox/horse-cart riding5) Boat trips6) Camping in the forest7) Bird watching8) Wildlife viewing9) Village exploration / touring10) Learning indigenous culture11) Home-stay with the locals12) Learning local culture / livelihoods

(silk weaving, rice production processes, local gastronomy, etc.)13) Educational and research tours – learning about plant & animal species

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Local service providers

Environmental conservation

Community development fund

Others (i.e. supporting local

poor, etc.)

Sources: CCBEN & SNV (2010)

Type of CBT/CBET in Cambodia1) Spontaneously occurred through the initiatives of the

local communities based on their local resources and which focus on the economic development objectives

2) Happened as a result of intervention from external stakeholders aiming to support rural communities transforming themselves and building their capability to adapt to socio-politic and economic changes through endogenous development programs

3) Introduced as a tool to support and foster community protected areas (CPAs) and CBNRM frameworks

Map of PAs and Emergence of CPAs in Cambodia

PAs+CPAs (26% of the total land area): non-extractive policies, yet provides opportunities for non-consumptive economic activities, such as ecotourism.

Concerned stakeholders:• State actors – Ministry of Environment (MoE); Ministry of Tourism (MoT); Ministry of

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) through its Fishery and Forestry Administrations; APSARA Authority (AA)

• Non-state actors - environmental institutions / donor agencies (IUCN, WWF, GEF, CI, FFI, WCS, Wildlife Alliance, Global Heritage Fund, etc.); local environmental and developmental NGOs (i.e. Mlup Baitong, CRDT, Osmose, CEPA , LLEE, Kafdoc, Sam Veasna Center, etc.); Development Partners (i.e. ADB, IFC-WB, UNDP, SNV, USAID-Cambodia, etc.); Community Organizations (i.e. TataikromCommunity in Kong Kong Province); Semi Non-Profit Organizations (i.e. Khmer Village Home-stay; Agir pour le Cambodge, etc.)

* CBT and CBET are defined, introduced, and implemented in accordance with pioneers’ agendas/politics/policies in close collaboration with individual state bodies (CBET via MoE, CBT via MoT, ...).

Conception of CBT/CBET Development in Cambodia

Conception of CBT/CBET Development in Cambodia

• Capacity building (mainly environmental education programs)

• Multifaceted CBNRM & conservation mechanisms

• Community democratic decentralized governance (participation, advocacy, empowerment, etc.)

• Community social capital building (bonding, bridging & linking)

• Tourism products (attractions, amenities/services, activities)development

• CBT/CBET value chain and supply chain • Integrated livelihood strategies• Government-private sector-community partnership building• Establishment of MSME activities in the community• Building of community social enterprises• Marketing and promotion

Conception stage

Intervention stage

Post-intervention

stage

Govt. + I/LNGOs Community Community

Development Intervention Stages of CBT/CBET Related Actors in Cambodia

Conception & intervention stages are considerably a difficult threshold due to limited capacity and awareness of the local communities & their inspirations to see immediate impacts to solve their food insecurity.

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia 1) From community mobilization to community participation in

CBT/CBET development & implementation – Chambok Site

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia (cont.)2) Well-established community management and development structure –

Chambok Site

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia (cont.)3) CBT/CBET revenues and development strategies

support “The Commune Development Plan”

4) Community involvement in natural and cultural restoration / conservation and community development programs

Community-led Mekong turtle conservation activity

Community re-plantation activity Khmer house prototype

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia (cont.)5) CBT/CBET capacity building programs contribute to

general education and knowledge/skill development, yet more concentrated on conservation & development management

6) Existence of legal frameworks and protective documents

Tourist activity with local students Environmental educational message and community-led protection signpost

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia (cont.)7) Creation of job opportunities leading to diversified local

economy / livelihoods and MSMEs

8) Promotion of women empowerment, trust & reciprocity amongst members, and solidarity, collectivism and connectiveness in the whole community

Good Practices and Lessons Learnt -CBT/CBET Sites in Cambodia (cont.)9) Generation of opportunities for social organizations and

economic activities at community level

10) Promotion of governance and conservation of local resources

11) Provision of protective security & integration in the entire development system

12) Community-private sector collaboration & sustainable community development initiatives (i.e. formation of youth volunteers for agricultural extension and tourism business set-up services at Chambok CBET Site)

Challenges to CBT/CBET as a Sustainability Tool in Cambodia

Pioneers

• Conservation Agencies• Development Agencies

Agenda

• Conserving Environment• Enhancing Economic Strategies

Limitations

• Result-based development approaches• Lack of adequate attention on people• People lack the capabilities to carry on the projects

22

Challenges to CBT/CBET as a Sustainability Tool in Cambodia (cont.)

Challenges to CBT/CBET as a Sustainability Tool in Cambodia (cont.)

Source: http://altmapcambodia.blogspot.com/search?q=concession+map

Fund-driven development design +

Agenda-based interpretation & implementation

Conception stage

Intervention stage

Post-intervention

stage

Govt. + I/LNGOs Community Community as Independent Managers

& Entrepreneurs???

Contemporary Challenges to CBT/CBET Development in Cambodia

Mechanisms for Sustainable & Responsible CBT/CBET and Endogenous Development in Cambodia

“... community resiliency resulted from the enhancement of capacity and ability to carry out endogenous development initiatives for sustainable community development.”

Capability-supported

Sustainability

Economic Development

HR Development

Community Empowerment

Community Health

Conservation

1. Community Capabilities

Capabilities in CBT/CBET Development ContextCBT / CBET

Development Outcomes Measurement Indicators

1. Economic Development

Job opportunities and job creationBusiness and investment mechanismEconomic development strategiesDevelopment model, supporting mechanism and partnership

2. Human Resource Development

Basic education, acquiring wisdomHuman capital developmentThe integration of traditional and modern knowledge and technology

3. Conservation Existence of community conservation policiesPractice of conservation strategiesOutcome of conservation strategiesRecord of good NRM governance

4. CommunityHealth

Human relationship including community’s mental and spiritual health, social cohesiveness, and self-identity

Human-nature relationship including physical health and human attitude towards nature and environment

5. Community Empowerment

Policy frameworkLocal governanceLevel of local control and ownershipOrganizational structuresLinks with other relevant institutions

Sources: Sen, 1999; Murphy & Murphy, 2004; Schaper, 2005; Hall, Kilpatrick & Mitchell, 2005;Thimothy, 2007; Fennel, 2003, 2008; Figgis & Bushell, 2007; Neth, 2008; Rith, 2010.

2. Sound ecotourism policy, including regulation and guidance at community level based upon context sensitivity and case-specific conditions

3. Incorporate business consideration into overall CBT/CBET development plans

4. Product development & diversification + service quality improvement, specification and standardization (incl. eco-labeling and certification)

5. Community inputs & initiatives from the onset of development + proactive & interactive stakeholder collaboration

Mechanisms for Sustainable & Responsible CBT/CBET and Endogenous Development in Cambodia (cont.)

6. Government investment in human resource development as well as soft and hard CBT/CBET infrastructure

7. Value chain and supply chain development & management system

8. CBT/CBET entrepreneurship, social enterprises, and market access (supply-demand interactive system)

9. CBT/CBET destination and risk / crisis management

10. Integration of primary production sector with overall CBT/CBET product development based on innovative approaches

Mechanisms for Sustainable & Responsible CBT/CBET and Endogenous Development in Cambodia (cont.)

• Neth, B., Rith, S. and Knerr, B. (2008). Global Environmental Governance and Politics of Ecotourism: A Case Study of Cambodia. In: Proceedings of the 12th EADI Conference on “Global Governance for Sustainable Development: Needs for Policy Coherence and New Partnership”, Geneva, Switzerland.

• Neth, B. (2008). Ecotourism as a Tool for Sustainable Rural Community Development and Natural Resource Management in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Germany: Uni-Kassel (Kassel University) Press.

• Rith, S., William, P.W. and Neth, B.(2009). Community-Based Ecotourism and Rural Livelihood Diversification: Reframing the Approach to Community-Based Ecotourism Development. In: CBNRM Volume II – 2009, Chapter 24, pp.471-492. Proceedings of National Symposium on “Emerging Trends, Challenges and Innovations: CBNRM in Cambodia”, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

• CCBEN & SNV (2009). Cambodia Community Based Tourism Standard Report. Phnom Penh, CCBEN.

• CCBEN & SNV (2009). Cambodia Community Based Tourism Supply Chain Analysis Report. Phnom Penh, CCBEN.

• Rith, S. (2010). A Social Relational Approach to Community-Based Ecotourism Development: Policy Intervention strategies. Ph.D. Thesis. Canada: Simon Fraser University.

• USAID-Cambodia-MSME (2010). Community-Based Tourism Entrepreneurship and Market Access.• Mekong Discovery Trail (2010). Products / Services Mini-Manual: River Life Adventure in

Northeast Cambodia.• Ministry of Tourism (2011). Tourism Strategic Development Plan 2011-2020.• Neth, B., Rith, S. and Yokohari, M. (Forthcoming). Enhancing Sustainability through the Building

of Capabilities: Analysis of CBET Development Case. Paper presented at the Ecotourism Research Symposium of the 3rd World Ecotourism Conference, 03-05 October 2011, Cambodia.

• www.tourismcambodia.org/cbet_sites/index.php?view=destinations

References

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