Minister of Tourism At Seminar on Tourism Development and ASEAN Tourism Skills

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and on my own behalf, I would like to express my profound thanks to Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Mr/Mrs Representatives of Relevant Ministries-Institutions, Private Sector, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen for spending their invaluable time to attend the very significant Seminar on “Dissemination of Tourism Development and ASEAN Tourism Skills for Tourism Trainers and Lecturers” today.

I would also like to express my profound thanks to Dr. Harsh Varma, Director of Technical Cooperation Project of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for spending his invaluable time to be a distiguished speaker at this Seminar, which clarifies the World Tourismm Organization’s renewed support and best cooperation to be aimed at encouraging the tourism development in Cambodia in a sustainable and responsible manner.

As Excellencies, Lok Chunteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen are informed that the whole world has recognized the non-stop new evolution trends on both economic, social, and environmental bases. From time to time, the evolution are developed through changing patterns of human beings livelihoods, interrelation, tradings, and socio-economic activities which create opportunities and other challenges at both global, local and national levels. Cambodia—currently integrating into the region and the world also faces these new evolution trends and has to be timely ready to maximize opportunities and minimize challenges and risks. Tourism—systematically intertwined sector and cross-cutting nature at both global, regional, and national levels has been considered as a main component of socio-economic development and interrelation build-up, in particular peaceful culture advancement.

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

With the world tourism’s trends towards non-stop travels, tourism has been continuing strengthening its pivotal roles through actively contributing to economy, society, and environment. While the world tourist increased up to 1,000 million in 2012, it means that one of seven people will be travelling across the international borders by the end of 2012 and according to the World Tourism Organization, the figure will increase up to 1,800 million in 2030, and it means that 5 million people will be travelling throughout the world a day. Together with the large number, the world tourism has been playing a role as a locomotive to spur economic growth, job creation, and the global development. Namely this sector represented approximately 5% of the global GDP, equivalent to 30% of the world’s total trading in service and created 1/12 for the world labor force. As H.E Teleb Rifai mentioned that this decade from 2010 to 2020 will be marked as the decade of tourism and travel becoming one of the most reliable and promising sectors for human and the planet, particularly, while the world economy is in uncertainty with crises in certain regions and unemployment still being a main challenge, tourism has been considered as a reliable and efficient solution to a spur of growth, contribution to sustainability enhancement, improvement of better life. At the regional level, the Asia Pacific region has been seen as an top and attractive tourist destination because this region will gain 30% of the world’s total market share. Remarkably, ASEAN, a part of the top tourist destination, receives appriximately 79 million international tourists in 2011, including about 34 million intra-ASEAN travelers. And in 2015, ASEAN expects to record approximately 107 million international tourists.

Cambodia which is in the region and has had fast growth has been becoming a potential new tourist destination with comparative and competitive advantages on the basis of abundant cultural heritage and natural resources scattering throughout the country. Depending on thes aspects, the Royal Government of Cambodia with Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN being a sound and brilliant leader has considered tourism as one of the priority sectors for the implementation of the Rectangular Strategy and playing a role as Green Gold which has proudly developed over a period of the last decade, particularly contributing actively to the development of economy, society, and ensuring the sustainability of the natinal development through creating jobs, expanding job opportunities, increasing income, improving living standards, making a contribution towards reducing the poverty of the people, boosting the growth of other revelant sectors along with the enhancement of preservation and conservation of cultural heritage and natural resources with efficiency to be aimed at contributing to Green Economic Development in Cambodia in accordance with the world trends at present.

It is clear that in 2011, Cambodia registered 2.88 million international tourists at the growth rate of 14% compared to 2010 with the domestic tourist growth of approximately 7 million (increased by about 3%). Tourism is an on-site export bringing revenue of approximately USD 1, 912 million into Cambodian economy equivalent to 12% of GDP and creating approximately 350,000 direct jobs and millions of indirect jobs. Besides, for the first 2 months of 2012, Cambodia received 672,127 international tourists at the growth rate of 26.8% compared to the same period of 2011. Following the forecasts, for 2012, Cambodia will receive approximately 3.2 million international tourists, about 4.5 millions in 2015, and approximately 8 million in 2020 with USD 5 billion and approximately 800,000 direct jobs. We can mention that Cambodian tourism has created and increased job opportunities for Cambodian nationals, while active population has more than half of total population (more than 7 millions) because of the pyramid of age of Cambodian population, completely filled with youth and younger (from 15 to 29 year olds). It shows that we have an abundance of labor forces which are able to perform works and other skills. Nevertheless, we have to pay great attention to the transformation of labor force resources into human capital through training which will be able to increase the added-value for the development in Cambodia.

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

With the spur of growth, the responsiblity also comes higher. The proud figure as mentioned above also requires to ensure the sustainability in line with the concept of the Royal Government, in particular Samdech Techo Prime Minister usually metioned that “Development must serve conservation while conservation supports development”, namely ensuring that the gained benefits will give much benefits to all of us at present and the next generation in the future. In this spirit, tourism development is aimed at the response to the needs of tourists and host communities at present in the midst of the preparation for charting for the future, in particular for all of us from generation to generation on the basis of  economic, social and environmental sustainable principles.  

Ensuring sustainability has presently been becoming a main topic at the global and regional level, while the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will be held in June in Brazil, which will create greater opportunity than ever in order to encourage the recognition of the pivotal role of tourism to ensure the sustainable development. Moreover, ensuring sustainability are also in accordance with the objectives of the Earth Day to be held every April 22 to be intent on raising awareness and enhancing the value of heritage resources, pristine nature and environment around the globe.

Ensuring sustainability referred to the development accountable for growth for a long-term period by ensuring resources of both cultural and natural capital, and human capital development, along with ensuring of financial capital. In addition to the non-stop evolution, including global shift, digital shif, climate shift, tourism has been stepping towards the new historical epoch of Green Era. These also requires for the establishment of a new development model accountable to the growth and sustainability and great attenttion in a high cautious manner as well as contribution as part of relevant stakeholders, including public sector, private sector, people/tourists, and development partners (4Ps).

To ensure the development of Cambodian tourism with sustainability and responsibility, the Royal Government with the Ministry of Tourism being an agency has mainly been taking account of the improvement of tourism service quality along with ensuring of sustainability and balances between economy, society, and environment through developing natural tourism, in particular ecotourism—just emerged and highly increased in the 21st century, which are responsible tourist activities in the natural tourist destinations. Furthermore, the responsible activites are certain to actively contribute to the preservation of nature and environment, reducing the poverty of local people and migration. The ecotourism destinations in the northeast, Tonle Sap Great Lake-Mekong River biodiversity zones, Cardamon mountain range areas, the southwest adjacent to the coastal zone, in particular Cambodia Bay—a member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and so-called Rising Star in the Southwest are certainly the enermous potential for Cambodian ecotourism which is able to attract such a type of tourist more and more in future in addition to a variety of cultural tourism potential. Particularly, in order to ensure the efficiency of development process, the mixed development model should be basically used as follows:

Large-Scale Ecotourism Development based on the private investment which uses high-end techonology responds to the  specific environmental and social preservation.

Small-Scale Ecotourism Development based on the local tourism community / ecotourism activities.

 Even though ecotourism has been developed in any model, there must be the participation of all relevant stakeholders through the quadrilateral mechanism of the public-private-people-development partnership and it needs to ensure the sustainable principle contributing to reducing the poverty of the population. The community-based ecotourism development is basically very important in accordance with the exact situation of the country. The recent cancellation of all fishing lots in Cambodia, along with the establishment of management of fish and biodiversity conserved areas, together with the encouragement of all fishing communities (In future, the fishing communities may serve tourism activities, and the people’s living standards in the local communities will be non-stop improved, in particular the migration shall be reduced) clearly reflect the brilliance of Samdech Techo Prime Minister in leading the development in a sustainable manner and in order for the cause of the nation and people.

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Along with the promotional campaign of “Cambodia: Kingdom of Wonder”, the Royal Government has set out the competitive movement of “Clean City, Clean Resort, Good Service”  and presently, we have the Clean City Standard (consisting of 7 basic indicators divided into 33 detailed indicators and 77 criteria for awarding scores to the candidate cities). The arrangement and management of environment, cleanliness, waste management, awareness raising, green zone, health safety and urban security and order, tourism infrastructure and facilities are completely the main topics used for making assessment and awarding scores to the candidate cities. The National Committee for Clean City Assessment (in short N.C.C.A) with Samdech Techo Prime Minister  as an Honorable Chairman was established under the Royal Decree No. NS/RKT/0611/614 to be aimed at making an assessment of the cities through the Clean City Contest aimed at improving beauty, sanitation, good environment and social order, along with supportive infrastructure along the cities, particularly contributing to making the cities of the Kingdom of Cambodia become the beautiful tourist destination  and transforming Cambodia into the attractive and warmest Green Destination (In future, we will push fowards the implementation to the public gathering places). The main objective of this contest is in accordance with the spirit of the Fourth Mekong-Japan Summit which has just been held in Tokyo, Japan last week, namely the leaders of the Greater Mekong Subregion and Japan have agreed on the challenge of climate change which requires for the proper analysis and responsive strategic measures being timely taken in order to make the whole region become Green Destination to mitigate climate change, reduce natural disasters, keep environment in good condition.

Beside the state concerted efforts, the private sector also has to contribute to ensuring the sustainability through reforming the business patterns starting from attention to the concept of “Corporate Social Responsibility-CSR”. Accommodation, transport, food services as well as tour operators must pay great attention to the sustainability of their businesses, which depends not only on even financial capital, but also sustainability of cultural heritage and natural resources by possibly begining the consideration of energy saving and usage efficiency as well. Is there a business model with sustainability?. Answer, “Is there a business without sustainability?”.

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

While we take account of Green Development we must also not forget Grey Development, ie. Human Resource Development, Intellectual Resource, which are the main component for supporting the development. Obviously, in order to respond to the non-stop development of tourism and to lead to the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, ASEAN has set forth the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015 which was adopted by ASEAN Tourism Ministers on the occassion of ASEAN Tourism Forum 2011 in Phnom Penh Capital City in order to make ASEAN become a world class tourist destination and feel the warmth. Namely, the improvement of human resource quality in tourism is one of the three priority strategic goals as follows:

The development of regional tourist products, marketing and promotion with creativity as well as tourist investment strategy

The improvement of tourist service quality and human resource development in the region. Namely, within the regional framework, ASEAN has already set out the number of standards such as ASEAN Green Hotel Standard, ASEAN Green Homestay Standard, ASEAN Public Toilet Standard, ASEAN Spa and Wellness Standard, and ASEAN Security and Safety Guidelines. Cambodia was so proud that ASEAN supported the Cambodian Clean City Standard for using as the basis of the set-up of ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard.

Facilitation of travel and connectivity in the region.

In this sense, the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015 is aimed at efficiently and transparently implementing the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (MRA), which relies on 32 tourism professionals on the basis of Hotel Servcies and Travel Services, divided into 6 divisions:

Front Office

House Keeping

Food Production

Food and Beverage Service

Travel Agencies

Tour Operation

In order to contribute to implementing the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals, the Royal Government of Cambodia decided to establish the two main national organizations: the National Committee for Tourism Professionals (under the Sub-Decree No: 09 RNKR.BK dated January 10, 2011) and the National Sub-Committee for Tourism Professional Accreditation (under the umbrella of the National Training Board).

To make sure that we are properly ready to contribute to encouraging the implementation of this arrangement, it requires the arrangement and development of hard infrastructure and soft infrastructures as follows:

Hard Infrastructure: It needs to strengthen and further expand the facilities serving the tourism professionals training, in particular skill levels which has highly increased currently through establishing and developing tourism professional schools together with enough necessary equipments to ensure the quality and sustainability of trainings, both new training and re-training. At the same time, we must continue pushing forward the establishment of tourism professional schools to promote the possibility and opportunity to get training for all Cambodian younger generation.   

Soft Infrastructure: It needs to continue setting up and finalizing the competency standard, curriculum, qualification framework, and training toolboxes for Cambodian tourism professionals for 6 divisions of 32 tourism professionals of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement-MRA by matching with the ASEAN Common Competency Standard.

- Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

The achievement of these goals with confidence has not been made accidentally, it requires the set-up of realistic and exact strategic plan for managing the effect of externall factors which are able to occur and have an impact on the development of Cambodia (Commonly) and of tourism (Exclusively). And we have to manage the internal factors with responsibility and high attention through taking into consideration the green development model of both public and private sectors, the development of human resource training and skill labor force. Along with this, to ensure the triumph, there must be the support and contribution amongst relevant ministries-institutions, development partners, private sector, in particular all tourism professional schools, trainers, lecturers by ensuring the close cooperation and partnership amongst public-private-people-development partner (4Ps) for the future of Cambodian tourism.

In order to ensure the above development, I am well aware that the establishment of “Tourism Researchers Network” along with the organization of the National Tourism Forum every years is a must and very important to gather together forces and intellectual resources and research technique which are very important to strengthen the basis of tourism development in Cambodia.

At the same time, I would like to express my profound thanks to Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen for from time to time making a contribution towards make close coooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, the National Committee for Clean City Assessment, and the National Committee for Tourism Professionals in encouraging the development of Cambodian tourism with sustainability and responsibility to be aimed at leading to the Green Economic Development, contributing to reducing the poverty of the people, and making Cambodia become a tourist destination at the best quality in accordance with ASEAN trends intended to make the ASEAN region become the world class tourist destination and feel the warmth.

Finally, May I wish Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Lecturers, Trainers, Ladies and Gentlemen with the  four gems of Buddhist blessings: Longevity, Nobility, Health, and Strength.

May I declare the Seminar on “Dissemination of Tourism Development and ASEAN Tourism Skills for Tourism Trainers and Lecturers” from now onwards.

Source - tourismcambodia.org