Opening Remarks H.E. Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism

First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia and on my own behalf, I have the great honor and pleasures to participate in today’s Workshop on Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in Peri-Tonle Sap Lake and Establishment of Learning Laboratory for Tourism Sustainability in Cambodia with honorary presence of Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, ladies and gentlemen.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my profound thanks to the Queensland University, Australia and UNESCO office in Cambodia for collaborative cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism in organizing this workshop, which is the 3rd and 4th steps of the 6 steps for implementing the project on establishment of learning laboratory for tourism sustainability in Cambodia. I also thank Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, ladies and gentlemen, the representatives from relevant ministries, institutions, authorities, including Tonle Sap Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, Mekong National Committee of Cambodia, Fishery Administration, Apsara Authority, Authorities of Siem Reap, Kompong Thom, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Kompong Chhnang provinces, national-international organizations and private sector for participating in this important workshop. Your presence truly reflects the active participation and support to enhance tourism development in Cambodia, particularly in the Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone.           

The three-day workshop has been organized with the purpose of encouraging studies and research to ensure sustainable and responsible development of tourism in Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone, which is a tool contributing to preservation and conservation of Tonle Sap Lake’s natural resources and biodiversity, and poverty alleviation in local communities along Tonle Sap Lake. To date, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Fishery Administration) has established approximately 170 fishery communities. This workshop also focuses on diversification of tourism products by expanding tourist destinations and linking the package tour from main cultural-historical sites in Siem Reap-Angkor and Preah Vihear temple to the other tourist destinations, particularly to Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone, since Tonle Sap Lake is the biggest Lake in Southeast Asia blessed with abundant potential natural resources which are vital to the livelihood of Cambodia people. Hence, all developments along Tonle Sap Lake shall be thoroughly considered with careful attention in preservation and conservation of biodiversities in this biosphere zone.      

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, national and international distinguished guests!

Being aware of the advantages and necessity of Tonle Sap Lake, the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia under the sound and brilliant leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia has established the Tonle Sap Authority which plays very important role in preservation, conservation, management and development of Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone in a sustainable and responsible manner. Besides, there are other eight relevant provincial authorities around Tonle Sap Lake, in which six provinces, namely Kompong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap and Kompong Thom provinces get involved with Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone directly.

In the recently-held meeting on August 12, 2010, Samdech Techo Prime Minister addressed in the Closing of Meeting on Measures and Prevention of Tonle Sap Lake by appealing all relevant ministries-competent institutions, particularly the six provincial authorities around Tonle Sap Lake to further pay careful attention and active participation to revitalize the seriously-endangered Tonle Sap Lake.

Samdech Prime Minister said that the great potential of Tonle Sap Lake enriches Cambodia with abundant natural resources, including fish, national irrigation system and national tourism. However, there are some troubles arising in the Lake hub, for instance the use of splinter structures across the Lake, causing harmful effects to the fish trail and fish reproduction. Consequently, the number of baby fish has subsequently decreased.        

In addition, Samdech Prime Minister also mentioned that it is necessary to seek capital resources to be used for restoring the level of water in Tonle Sap Lake. At the meantime, the authority shall take stringent measures to render proper solution for people in the local community without any infringement that may affect the people and is obliged to initiate strategies for the interests of local community such as creation of new jobs, supply of species so as to prevent people from destroying jungle and committing land clearance. Samdech Prime Minister also called for the gathering meeting between the conservators and developers.

The above-mentioned remarks and recommendations of Samdech Prime Minister are necessarily considered as meaningful and strategic instruments in conjunction with the purpose of our three-day workshop aimed at undertaking preservation, conservation and development of tourism around Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone in a sustainable and responsible manner, and providing maximized benefits for the people and local communities.  It can be assumed that tourism development will provide local people employments and better livelihood and also be able to protect and develop our natural resources in a sustainable and responsible manner.

- Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen! 

tourism  known as the cross-sectoral industry requires participation from all stakeholders, and it is also one of the top 10 priority sectors in 2nd Phase’s rectangular strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia in the 4th mandate, which plays important role in boosting up social and economic development, creating employment opportunities, generating incomes, upgrading livelihood and alleviating poverty in Cambodia, responding to the climate change and contributing to green economic development in keeping with the current global trend. According to the UNWTO’s report, tourism industry produced carbon CO2 of only 5% while manufacturing and construction produced around 13%.

Cambodian tourism has been accelerating during the global economic recovery. For the first semester of 2010, international tourists to Cambodia reach 1,221,156, an increase of 12.39% compared to the same period in 2009. This projection confirms the trend of rapid recovery for tourism sector in Cambodia. A preliminary study predicts that Cambodia will receive around 2.4 million tourist arrivals in 2010, an increase of approximately 12%.

In particular, Siem Reap-Angkor, the most potential cultural tourist destination, absorbs around 50-60% international tourists of the total tourists visiting Siem Reap province every year. For the first semester of 2010, international tourist arrivals in Siem Reap reach 640,944 equivalent to 52.5% of the total tourist arrivals, an increase of 27.41% compared to the same period in 2009, in which approximately 50% of international tourist arrivals visited Chong Khneas tourism site and Tonle Sap Lake (nature-based tourism passive) which generates annual revenue of around 7 million dollars (regardless of other expenditures). Siem Reap and the surrounding areas are not only full of temples with cultural tourism resources but also rich of national resources and biodiversities along Tonle Sap Lake in Kompong Khlaing and Kompong Pluk where there are plentiful attractive tourist potentials and fantastic tourism products such as fishery village, jungles, fishing means, way of life of local people, and it is also inherited with mystery of aquatic and underground resources, and potentials of tangible and intangible heritages around Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone.

Diversification of tourism products from cultural heritage sites in Siem Reap province to natural and eco-tourism destinations is the key strategic policy of the Royal Government of Cambodia for poverty reduction via creation and development of community-based tourism, whereby today’s workshop truly responses to afore-mentioned strategy.

In this regard, it is necessary to develop Master Plan of for Sustainable Tourism Development around Tonle Sap Lake and feasibility studies for establishment of learning laboratory for sustainability in Cambodia which requires participation, cooperation and support from all stakeholders, private sectors and the communities.

Remarkable, the year 2010 is regarded as the International Year of Biodiversity of the United Nations which shows the importance of biodiversity system and the future of human being in light of the recognition of close relationship between natural resources and socio-economic development.

In responding to this inter-relation, the Royal Government has launched a sustainable and responsible tourism development policy toward green economy development and poverty reduction. In this sense, it is vitally important to encourage the creation of eco-tourism products and development of natural tourism community.

The northern part of the country is expected to be the fast-growing tourism development and the prospective captivating tourist destinations of the country through nation-wide connectivity. Thus, tourism will play important role in socio-economic development and poverty reduction. The benefits of tourism will be the treasures for our generation and the next generation.

-Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, national and international distinguished guests!

I am strongly confident that the presentations of speakers and professors from Queensland University in today’s workshop will provide new inputs and better access to acquire knowledge and share experiences contributing to the establishment of learning labs for sustainability and preparation of Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development around Tonle Sap Lake and its peri-zone. Finally, I wish the entire workshop a great success with new inputs and fruitful outcomes, and wish the professors from Queensland University, Australia a great pleasures and safe stay in Siem Reap-Angkor, the precious land of world heritage.