In 2004, 35 per cent of the Cambodian population lived below the national poverty line. Hoping to reduce this figure to 15 per cent by 2015, the Government of Cambodia has increased efforts to diversify the country’s tourism sector, in order to increase the economic benefits of tourism throughout the country.

The Mekong Discovery Trail is a joint project between the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia, SNV - Netherlands Development Organisation and the UNWTO that aims to foster sustainable forms of tourism to reduce poverty in the country and to conserve the endangered Mekong River dolphin.

The first phase of the project involved creating a Tourism Master Plan for Kratie Province, located along a 190-km long stretch of the Mekong River where deep-water pools provide a habitat for the dolphins. The project seeks to improve dolphin conservation by creating other income sources for fishermen and by increasing the status of the dolphins.

During this phase, SNV supported and trained communities, individuals and businesses in setting up MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). We also helped establish guide training and accreditation, and ensured economic sustainability by targeting appropriate markets and market segments with promotional materials and familiarisation tours.

However, the most important phase, the two-year implementation, is just beginning.

 Download the "Discover Natural Cambodia" booklet

Cambodia is known for its beautiful landscape, historic sites, rich culture and friendly people. Yet the country remains one of the poorest developing nations in the world in terms of income and human poverty.

SNV believes that tourism has enormous potential for poverty reduction in Cambodia, where 95% of the poor live in the rural areas in the vicinity of the natural sites.

To help develop a sustainable and pro-poor tourism industry in Cambodia, SNV has been providing specialist expertise and capacity-building support to local partners from public, private and civil society organisations in:

• developing tourism policies, strategies and regulations at national and provincial level;
• developing and improving tourism products;
•  mobilising resources;
•  undertaking market research and analysis;
•  developing effective partnerships between the key stakeholders in the tourism industry; and
•  training

Our main clients and partners include the Ministry of Tourism, the provincial Departments of Tourism and Tourism Development Committees, Cambodia Community Based Ecotourism Network (CCBEN) and Cambodian Association of Travel Agencies (CATA). We also have close cooperation with development partners such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Asian Development Bank (ADB), WWF, IFC/MPDF; and local capacity building organisations including the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

SNV Cambodia’s tourism interventions aim at improving the institutional framework, building up the capacity of stakeholders at national and provincial level, diversifying Cambodia’s tourism products, and improving the linkages from tourism to other sectors and supply chains.

 Download the "Discover Natural Cambodia" booklet

Travel Diary
By Dominique Darmon, Campaign Officer SNV