After thirty years of civil war, Cambodia’s economy has slowly started to heal. Since 1998, the number of tourists has increased every year. Nearly all visitors coming to Cambodia head off to the temples of Angkor Wat, and then move on to other parts of Asia --but the country has a lot more to offer!

The beauty of the Mekong Discovery Trail, in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, for example, is breathtaking. SNV advisors have joined forces with UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organisation) and the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism to help attract more tourists to this region. They have worked with private sector companies and marketed the Trail to tour operators. The result takes tourists off the beaten track, while providing real benefits to the local communities.

The Mekong Discovery Trail has made an immediate impact on tourism in the region; a three per cent increase following the launch. Kratie and Stung Treng provinces welcomed 20,000 international visitors in 2008, while the rest of Cambodia saw a 20% decline in tourism due to the economic crisis.

By 2012, the Mekong Discovery Trail will lift an additional 2000 low-income people out of poverty. And thousands of other small entrepreneurs will benefit indirectly.

Part 1: Koh Trong Island

Part 2: The Kampi Dolphin Pool