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By
: Heng Sopheap (National Institute of Management), Picture
by : Jon Bugge.
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Cambodia could be a model for
sustainable tourism development
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Sustainable
Tourism Development
Many national governments
have adopted sustainability as their fundamental
development policy. The WTO (World Tourism Organization)
has adopted the tourism planning and development
studies.
The WTO has defined sustainable tourism as follows:
"Sustainable tourism development meets the
needs of present tourists and host regions while
protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future.
It is envisaged as leading to management of all
resources in such a way that economic, social, and
aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining
cultural integrity, essential ecological processes,
biological diversity, and life support systems."
Within the framework of this basic statement, principles
of sustainable tourism development can be further
elaborated as follows: |
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The natural,
historical, cultural and other resources for tourism are
conserved for continuous use in the future, while still
bringing benefits to the present society.
The sustainable development approach is particularly important
in tourism because this sector depends mostly on tourist
attractions and activities that are related to the natural
environment and historic and cultural heritage of an area.
If these resources are degraded or destroyed, then tourism
cannot thrive. In fact, conservation of some of these
resources can often be enhanced through tourism development.
Maintaining the desirable aspects of cultural traditions
and ethnic identities is an important element of conserving
the cultural heritage of an area. Conservation of tourism
resources can help make residents of an area more aware
of their heritage and support its protection.
Tourism development is planned and managed so that
it does not generate serious environmental or socio-cultural
problems in the tourism area.
Environmental planning approaches and carrying capacity
analysis are important techniques for preventing environmental
and socio-cultural problems resulting form tourism. Application
of environmentally friendly technology can greatly assist
in reducing the adverse effects of tourism development.
The overall environmental quality of the tourism area
is maintained and improved where needed.
Most tourists wish to visit areas that are attractive,
functional, clean and not polluted. Tourism can provide
the incentive and means to maintain and, where needed,
improve the environmental quality of areas. A high level
of environmental quality is also very important for the
local residents to enjoy. Tourism can help make residents
more aware of the quality of their environment and support
its maintenance and, where necessary, improvement.
A high level of tourist satisfaction is maintained
so that the tourist destinations will retain their marketability
and popularity.
If tourists are not satisfied with the tourism area, it
cannot retain its tourist markets and remain as a viable
destination. Older resorts, for example, usually require
periodic revitalization to meet present sustainability
and marketing objectives.
The benefits of tourism are widely spread throughout
the society.
Tourism development should be planned and managed so that
its socio-economic benefits are spread as widely as possible
throughout the society of the tourist destination. In
this way, benefits will be maximized and residents will
support tourism if they are receiving benefits from it.
Community-based tourism projects are an important technique
for spreading benefits to local residents.
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Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao Tse Toung
Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213 033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
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