protected areas and tourism in cambodia, ross sinclair
DESCRIPTION
A presentation mad during a World Parks Congress event "Welcome Visitors: Making Tourism Work for Protected Areas and Sustainable Development: Part 1 – Critical Success Factors" that took place on 17 November 2014 in Sydney, Australia. Supported by the IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group and UNDPTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
What you see is what you payProfiting from eco-tourism in Cambodia
Ross Sinclair
Wildlife Conservation Society
![Page 2: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
• Good story…
• About a solution…
• With a happy ending!
• Making Tourism Work for PA’s
& Sustainable Development!
![Page 3: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
CambodiaNorthern Plains landscape
(>1 million hectares)
Cambodia
SE Asia
![Page 4: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
• Large expanse dry deciduous forest in northern plains
• Globally significant populations 25 threatened species
• Two Protected Areas – authorities limited resources
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 5: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
• Poor rural communities (unclear tenure/user rights)
• Clearance by communities widespread & unplanned
• Hunting threatened species consumption & sale
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 6: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
• Protected Areas at threat from agricultural concessions
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 7: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
The situation in 2008
![Page 8: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
The situation in 2012
![Page 9: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
• Populations of endangered species in decline
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 10: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
• People who cared/mandated protect – WCS, Government
• Massive tourist market – Angkor Wot, 4.5 million visitors
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 11: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
• Opportunity for Making Tourism Work for PA’s & Sustainable Development
What we had in Cambodia
![Page 12: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
• Park, people & NGO - clearly articulated & agreed process to address issues
• Land tenure &/or user rights secured for communities
– Participatory land-use plan that are official government documents
• Focus on additional Income for communities
– Conservation enterprises: eco-tourism and Wildlife FriendlyTM Ibis Rice
• Robust social institutions to manage activities & decision-making
What we did in Cambodia
![Page 13: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
• Dedicated organization for eco-tourism
• Focused a segment of market – bird watchers
– Now expanded to ‘nature lovers’
• Partnerships with business – tour companies
• Focus on service
– English speaking guides, great lodges, etc.
The business model
![Page 14: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
• Focus adding value in community
– run guesthouses, guide, cook & clean, etc.
• Add-ons to capture more tourist $$– donate to nest protection, etc.
• Payments - $30/tourist ONLY if see birds
• Community funds are discretionary
– strengthens committee
The business model
![Page 15: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
• Populations endangered species increasing
• Nest protection scheme - > 90% success rates
What we found in Cambodia
• Rates of deforestation declined
• Hunting of threatened species greatly reduced
Giant Ibis
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0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Def
ore
stat
ion
Rat
e (
ha/
year
)
Payment villages Inside PAs Outside PAs
Deforestation rates remain low in villages with Payments
2005: Protected Area started
• PA’s reduce deforestation rates
• Payments reduce deforestation rates further
What we found in Cambodia
![Page 17: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
• $30/tourist = 2,000-$4,000 per village
• Employment: average $160 / year
• ~30% households benefit - employment or selling services/products
• All households benefit from social institutions & agreements
What we found in Cambodia
![Page 18: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
What we found in Cambodia
• Household & community income increased sufficiently to changed behavior & generate conservation outcomes
• Households in scheme wealthier at faster rates than outside
![Page 19: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
BiodiversityPayments
AgriPayments Ecotourism
Paymentprogram
Series1 -0.19956029 0.75201459 0.71430678
ns * *-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
ChangeinHouseholdW
ealthStatus
• Household & community inside
wealthier faster than those outside
What we found in Cambodia
Households are wealthier
Households are poorer
![Page 20: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
• Business is profitable (Cambodian)
• USD$135,000 profit last year
• USD$150,000 investment back into conservation this year
What we found in Cambodia
![Page 21: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
• Communities now patrol their Community Protected Areas
– in coordination with park authorities
• Park is now seen as a model for Cambodia
• Value of the park has been demonstrated to higher levels of government
• Political and bureaucratic support for the park is now high
What we found in Cambodia
![Page 22: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
What happened in Cambodia
Cancelled land concessions
Concessions
ProjectNo project
Conservation
![Page 23: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
• Existing tourist infrastructure & tourists
• A product (wildlife!) people will pay to see
• Direct links conservation to incentive
• Social institutions capable of change behavior
• Generate enough $ to change behavior
What we learned in Cambodia
![Page 24: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
• Continue to grow the business & impact
• Expand other nature-based tourists (new products)
• New guesthouses & infrastructure
• Add value – merchandising, donations, etc
Next steps in Cambodia
![Page 25: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Conclusion
Bird-Watchers
Wildlife
Village
Attracts
Only pay if see wildlife
No Hunting Land-use Plan
No illegal cutting
What you see is what you
pay
![Page 26: Protected areas and tourism in Cambodia, Ross Sinclair](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052909/559867ac1a28ab9f738b4576/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Acknowledgement
• Johnny Orn & team
- Sam Veasna Centre
• Tom Clements, Ashish John
• Ea Skoha & team
– Min. of Environment
• Tan Setha & team
– Forestry Admin.