These slides are the authors' analysis of community-based tourism development in Cambodia based on personal experiences as well as reflection on theory and policy only.

1. Community-Based Tourism:
Stories from Cambodia
Dr. RITH Sam Ol & Dr. NETH Baromey
Royal University of Phnom Penh

2. CBT in Cambodia?
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, MoT,
2011)

3. Community?
Place-Based
Definition
a social group of any
size whose members
reside in a specific
locality, share
government and have
a cultural and
historical heritage.
Interest-Based
Definition
a self-defining term
based on a sense of
shared
interest/purpose and
common goals.
(Joppe, 1996:475)

4. Economic
Considerations
Socio-Cultural
Considerations
Environmental
Conservation
Considerations
Business &
Consumer
Satisfaction
Considerations
Human
Development &
Stakeholder
Collaboration
Considerations
Why CBT Development?
Host-Guest
Interaction

5. • Empower local
communities in
resource
governance &
endogenous
development
Social Aspect
• Non-conventional
economic
strategies
• Externalize
conservation costs
• Diversify local
economy (SMEs)
Economic
Aspect
• Local participation in
conservation
• Conservation
structures and
strategies at local
level
• Incentives for
conservation efforts
Environmental
Aspects
Why CBT in Cambodia?

6. 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 dignity
5. Establish a fair and transparent benefit sharing mechanisms
6. Enhance linkages to local and regional economy
7. Respect and preserve local culture and tradition
8. Contribute to natural resource conservation
9. Improve quality of visitor experiences by strengthening
meaningful host and guest interaction
10. Develop self-sufficient and self-reliant society
(CCBEN and SNV, 2009)
CBT Principles in Cambodia

7. Types of CBT Development
Spontaneously
occurred through
the initiatives of
the local
communities
based on their
local resources
and which focus
on the economic
development
objectives

8. Types of CBT
Development
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

9. Types of CBT
Development
Introduced as a
tool to support
and foster
community
protected areas
(CPAs) and
CBNRM policy
frameworks

10. CBT Activities
Swimming / biking
Forest trekking & hiking
Ox/horse-cart riding
Boat trips / kayaking
Camping in the forest
Bird watching / wildlife viewing
Village exploration / exhibition
Learning indigenous culture
Home-stay with the locals
Learning local culture /
livelihoods
(silk weaving, rice production
music, gastronomy, etc.)
Educational and research tours
– learning about plant &
animal species

11. Good Practice of CBT in Cambodia
 A training ground for
endogenous development:
From community mobilization
to community participation in
CBT development &
implementation – Chambok

12. Tale of Boomsville
• Boomsville (PPS) is a local
NGO, founded in 1994 and
based in Battambang province,
Cambodia.
• Boomsville is dedicated to
taking care of vulnerable and
disadvantaged & conserving
arts through funds from CBT
initiatives.

13. Tale of Boomsville
CBT Activities
 Circus school &
performance
 Music school &
performance
 Visual art school
&
exhibition/theatre

14. Tale of Boomsville
 CBT capacity building programs contribute to skill
development in the community,
 Creation of job opportunities leading to diversified local
economy / livelihoods and MSMEs

15. Tale of Boomsville
 Generation of
opportunities for social
organizations and
meaningful host-guest
interaction
 Community-private
sector collaboration &
sustainable community
development initiatives.

16. TALE OF BOOMSVILLE
 Promotion of community development and elimination of social
problems (drug, prostitution and thievery/juvenile gang…) through
general education, social services and skill training.

17. Challenges to CBT Development
17
• Conservation
Agencies
• Development
Agencies
• Community
Pioneer
• Environment
• Economic
Development/
Governance
• Multiple & unclear
Agenda • Result-based
development
• Lack of adequate
attention on people
• People lack the
capabilities to carry
on the projects
Limitations

18. Fund-driven development design
+
Agenda-based interpretation & implementation
Conception
stage
Intervention
stage
Post-
intervention
stage
Govt. + I/LNGOs Community Community as
Independent Managers
& Entrepreneurs???
Challenges to CBT Development

19. Tale of Doomsville
• Doomsville CBT was
initiated in 1996 in
Ratanakiri province
by IDRC/PLG.
• Its main missions are
to conserve natural
resources and
indigenous cultures of
the Tumpoun through
CBT development.
19

20. Tale of Doomsville
CBT Activities
• Swimming in &
hiking around the
great lake
• Visit cultural
center & sacred
places in the
village
• Taste jar wine &
Handicraft
souvenirs
• Traditional dance
performance
20

21. Tale of Doomsville
Use of CBT
Revenue
• Adding tourist
infrastructure
• Conserving forest
around the lake
• Conserving the
cultural center
• Very small
percentage for
commune
development plan
21

22. Tale of Doomsville
As a Result:
• Benefit only a small
group of people
• Villagers were
disappointed, sell
land to outsider
and migrated away
• Conservation of
only dead culture
• Loss of indigenous
rights to communal
land management
22

23. Steps to develop & sustain CBT
23
1
• Assess community needs and readiness for
tourism/CBT
2 • Educate & prepare the community for tourism
3 • Identify and establish leadership/local champion
4 • Prepare & develop community organization
5 • Develop partnership
6 • Adopt an integrated approach
7 • Plan & design quality product
8 • Identify market demand & develop marketing strategy
9 • Implement & monitor performance
Source: APEC 2008a

24. • 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