Forty-first (41 st ) meeting of WTO commission for East Asia and the Pacific: Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation Siem Reap 7 th & 8 th June Hue 11

Forty-first (41Forty-first (41stst) meeting of ) meeting of WTO commission for East WTO commission for East

Asia and the Pacific: Cultural Asia and the Pacific: Cultural Tourism and Poverty Tourism and Poverty

AlleviationAlleviation

Siem Reap 7Siem Reap 7thth & 8 & 8thth June JuneHue 11Hue 11thth & 12 & 12thth June June

Participants from .....Participants from .....

Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Hong Kong, China, DPR Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Rep. of Korea, Sri Philippines, Rep. of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USALanka, Thailand, USA & & VietnamVietnam

Day One – Day One – presentations....presentations....

tourism trends in the regiontourism trends in the region UN / WTO Global Code of Ethics for UN / WTO Global Code of Ethics for

Tourism Tourism ((www.world-tourism.org/code_ethics/eng.www.world-tourism.org/code_ethics/eng.htmlhtml))

Emerald Triangle (provinces in southern Emerald Triangle (provinces in southern Lao, Lao, NN..EEast Thailand and ast Thailand and NN..WWest est Cambodia)Cambodia)

short summary of (Thai) proposed project short summary of (Thai) proposed project "Heritage Necklace" for the Bagan "Heritage Necklace" for the Bagan (Myanmar), Nan (Thailand), Luang (Myanmar), Nan (Thailand), Luang Prabang (Laos), Siem Reap (Cambodia) Prabang (Laos), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Hue (Vietnam)and Hue (Vietnam)

Day Two Day Two Presentations ...Presentations ...

key note WTO presentations key note WTO presentations (2)(2) WTO ST-EP programme (WTO ST-EP programme (2)2) Cultural Tourism and Poverty Cultural Tourism and Poverty

AlleviationAlleviation Siem ReapSiem Reap Indian Indian NNational Trust for Art and ational Trust for Art and

Cultural Cultural HeritageHeritage International Centre for Culture & International Centre for Culture &

Tourism Tourism IndonesiaIndonesia Thai tourism authorityThai tourism authority IndonesiaIndonesia, , LaoLaos, s, MalaysiaMalaysia, , Sri LankaSri Lanka, ,

TThailandhailand, , Hong KongHong Kong & & UNESCO.UNESCO.

Cultural Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Poverty Alleviation and Poverty Alleviation and

the Lao National the Lao National Ecotourism Strategy and Ecotourism Strategy and

Action PlanAction Plan

Paul Rogers – SNV Lao PDRPaul Rogers – SNV Lao PDR

Forty-first (41Forty-first (41stst) meeting of the) meeting of the

WTO commission for East Asia and WTO commission for East Asia and

the Pacificthe Pacific

Lao Tourism and SNVLao Tourism and SNV Centre LevelCentre Level Agreements with Agreements with

NTA, DFRC & STEANTA, DFRC & STEA Advisory support Advisory support

for Nat. for Nat. Ecotourism Ecotourism StrategyStrategy

Capacity & Capacity & institution institution buildingbuilding

Provincial LevelProvincial Level Agreements Agreements

with 3 with 3 Provincial Provincial Tourism OfficesTourism Offices

Capacity & Capacity & institution institution buildingbuilding

Product Product developmentdevelopment

Cultural Tourism & the Cultural Tourism & the National Ecotourism National Ecotourism StrategyStrategy

Cultural heritage is firmly Cultural heritage is firmly embraced in the Strategy’s : embraced in the Strategy’s :

Vision statementVision statement Guiding principlesGuiding principles Ten year goalsTen year goals Five key objectivesFive key objectives

Vision StatementVision Statement

Laos will become a world renowned Laos will become a world renowned destination specialising in forms of destination specialising in forms of sustainable tourism that, through sustainable tourism that, through

partnership and cooperation, benefit partnership and cooperation, benefit natural andnatural and cultural heritage cultural heritage

conservationconservation,, local socio-economic local socio-economic development anddevelopment and spread knowledge spread knowledge of Lao’s unique cultural heritage of Lao’s unique cultural heritage

around the worldaround the world

Guiding Principles Guiding Principles 9 principles – 3 examples are:9 principles – 3 examples are:

Minimise negative impacts on Lao nature Minimise negative impacts on Lao nature andand cultureculture

Provide a source of income to sustain, Provide a source of income to sustain, conserve and manage the Lao protected conserve and manage the Lao protected area network andarea network and cultural heritage sitescultural heritage sites

Promote local styles of architecture Promote local styles of architecture and infrastructure that are developed and infrastructure that are developed in harmony with the Lao culture and in harmony with the Lao culture and environmentenvironment, ....., .....

Ten Year GoalsTen Year Goals Strengthen national and provincial capacity

and expertise in the ecotourism sector Coordinate and, where necessary, guide and

regulate the development of ecotourism to to ensure it adheres to guiding principlesensure it adheres to guiding principles

Support local communitiesSupport local communities,, the public and private sectors and ensure they are given sufficient freedom and assistance to develop and promote the sector

Five Key ObjectivesFive Key Objectives Strengthen institutional arrangements for

planning and managing ecotourism growth Support training, capacity building and the

promotion of good practice Support environmental protection and

nature conservation Provide socio-economic development Provide socio-economic development

and and cultural heritage protection for cultural heritage protection for host communitieshost communities

Develop ecotourism research and information

Community-Based Community-Based ProjectsProjects

Raise awareness of tourism planning Raise awareness of tourism planning and management processesand management processes

Provide working models to promote Provide working models to promote good practice & encourage replicationgood practice & encourage replication

Identify management concerns & help Identify management concerns & help to formulate policies and regulatory to formulate policies and regulatory mechanismsmechanisms

Identify incentives to encourage Identify incentives to encourage entrepreneurship & public and private entrepreneurship & public and private sector investmentsector investment

Dong Phu ViengDong Phu Vieng:: trek, home-trek, home-stay & boatingstay & boating


folk stories about features of the folk stories about features of the landscapelandscape


folk stories about features of the folk stories about features of the landscape landscape

homehome--stay stay - - explanation explanation of of traditions &traditions & taboos in the housestaboos in the houses



homehome--stay stay - - explanation explanation of of traditions &traditions & taboos in the housestaboos in the houses

Lao ThLao Theeung baci ceremonyung baci ceremony



homehome--stay with explanation about stay with explanation about traditions andtraditions and taboos in the houses taboos in the houses

Lao Thueng baci ceremonyLao Thueng baci ceremony folk musicfolk music



homehome--stay stay - - explanation explanation ofof traditions &traditions & taboos in the housestaboos in the houses

Lao Thueng baci ceremonyLao Thueng baci ceremony folk musicfolk music sacred forestsacred forest



homehome--stay stay - - explanation explanation ofof traditions &traditions & taboos in the housestaboos in the houses

Lao Thueng baci ceremonyLao Thueng baci ceremony folk musicfolk music sacred forestsacred forest coffin cavecoffin cave


folk stories about features of the landscape folk stories about features of the landscape homehome--stay stay - - explanation explanation of traditions &of traditions &

taboos taboos iin the housesn the houses Lao Thueng baci ceremonyLao Thueng baci ceremony folk musicfolk music sacred forestsacred forest coffin cavecoffin cave ancestral polesancestral poles

Goods & Services: Goods & Services: forming service-groupsforming service-groups


Cooking group (mainly young women)Cooking group (mainly young women)


Cooking group (mainly young women)Cooking group (mainly young women) Cultural groupCultural group (for ceremonies)(for ceremonies)


Cooking group (mainly young women)Cooking group (mainly young women) Cultural group (for ceremonies)Cultural group (for ceremonies) Village guides (for trekking, and wildlife Village guides (for trekking, and wildlife

watching)watching)



watching)watching) Home-stay rosterHome-stay roster



watching)watching) Home-stay rosterHome-stay roster HandicraftsHandicrafts



watching)watching) Home-stay rosterHome-stay roster HandicraftsHandicrafts Boating groupBoating group

Dong Phu Vieng – Dong Phu Vieng – cost cost breakdownbreakdown

Village goods & services

32%

Equip. depreciation

3%

First aid1% Provincial

guides16%

Trek supplies18%

Transport21%

Wildlife viewing bonus

1%

NBCA trust fund5%

Provincial tax2%

Ecotourism trust fund

1%

Village IncomeVillage Income

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

US$

From 6 treks

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

US$

From one trek (10 people)

Problems Problems The poorer the target community – the The poorer the target community – the

longer the processlonger the process Not considered appropriate for Not considered appropriate for

married women to engage with married women to engage with touriststourists

Men control majority of tourist incomeMen control majority of tourist income Translation & interpretation – guide Translation & interpretation – guide

servicesservices Use of trust fund incomeUse of trust fund income

Future ActivitiesFuture Activities Involving women – NTFP harvesting Involving women – NTFP harvesting Handicraft production – private Handicraft production – private

sector interventionsector intervention Consolidate guide services Consolidate guide services Use and operation of trust fundsUse and operation of trust funds Linking up with private sector & Linking up with private sector &

tour companies – encourage tour companies – encourage investment in infrastructureinvestment in infrastructure

Documents

Forty-first (41 st ) meeting of WTO commission for East Asia and the Pacific: Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation Siem Reap 7 th & 8 th June Hue 11