Forty-first (41 st ) meeting of WTO commission for East Asia and the Pacific: Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation Siem Reap 7 th & 8 th June Hue 11 th & 12 th June

Participants from..... Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Rep. of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA & Vietnam

Day One – presentations.... tourism trends in the region tourism trends in the region UN / WTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism ( tourism.org/code_ethics/eng.html) UN / WTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism ( tourism.org/code_ethics/eng.html) Emerald Triangle (provinces in southern Lao, N.East Thailand and N.West Cambodia) Emerald Triangle (provinces in southern Lao, N.East Thailand and N.West Cambodia) short summary of (Thai) proposed project "Heritage Necklace" for the Bagan (Myanmar), Nan (Thailand), Luang Prabang (Laos), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Hue (Vietnam) short summary of (Thai) proposed project "Heritage Necklace" for the Bagan (Myanmar), Nan (Thailand), Luang Prabang (Laos), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Hue (Vietnam)

Day Two Presentations... key note WTO presentations (2) key note WTO presentations (2) WTO ST-EP programme WTO ST-EP programme Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation Siem Reap Siem Reap Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage International Centre for Culture & Tourism Indonesia International Centre for Culture & Tourism Indonesia Thai tourism authority Thai tourism authority Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong & UNESCO. Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong & UNESCO.

Cultural Tourism, Poverty Alleviation and the Lao National Ecotourism Strategy and Action Plan Paul Rogers – SNV Lao PDR Forty-first (41 st ) meeting of the WTO commission for East Asia and the Pacific

Lao Tourism and SNV Centre Level Agreements with NTA, DFRC & STEA Agreements with NTA, DFRC & STEA Advisory support for Nat. Ecotourism Strategy Advisory support for Nat. Ecotourism Strategy Capacity & institution building Capacity & institution building Provincial Level Agreements with 3 Provincial Tourism Offices Agreements with 3 Provincial Tourism Offices Capacity & institution building Capacity & institution building Product development Product development

Cultural Tourism & the National Ecotourism Strategy Cultural heritage is firmly embraced in the Strategy’s : Vision statement Vision statement Guiding principles Guiding principles Ten year goals Ten year goals Five key objectives Five key objectives

Vision Statement Laos will become a world renowned destination specialising in forms of sustainable tourism that, through partnership and cooperation, benefit natural and cultural heritage conservation, local socio-economic development and spread knowledge of Lao’s unique cultural heritage around the world

Guiding Principles 9 principles – 3 examples are: Minimise negative impacts on Lao nature and culture Minimise negative impacts on Lao nature and culture Provide a source of income to sustain, conserve and manage the Lao protected area network and cultural heritage sites Provide a source of income to sustain, conserve and manage the Lao protected area network and cultural heritage sites Promote local styles of architecture and infrastructure that are developed in harmony with the Lao culture and environment,..... Promote local styles of architecture and infrastructure that are developed in harmony with the Lao culture and environment,.....

Ten Year Goals Strengthen national and provincial capacity and expertise in the ecotourism sector to ensure it adheres to guiding principles Coordinate and, where necessary, guide and regulate the development of ecotourism to ensure it adheres to guiding principles Support local communities, Support local communities, the public and private sectors and ensure they are given sufficient freedom and assistance to develop and promote the sector

Five Key Objectives Strengthen institutional arrangements for planning and managing ecotourism growth Support training, capacity building and the promotion of good practice Support environmental protection and nature conservation Provide socio-economic development and cultural heritage protection for host communities Provide socio-economic development and cultural heritage protection for host communities Develop ecotourism research and information

Community-Based Projects Raise awareness of tourism planning and management processes Raise awareness of tourism planning and management processes Provide working models to promote good practice & encourage replication Provide working models to promote good practice & encourage replication Identify management concerns & help to formulate policies and regulatory mechanisms Identify management concerns & help to formulate policies and regulatory mechanisms Identify incentives to encourage entrepreneurship & public and private sector investment Identify incentives to encourage entrepreneurship & public and private sector investment

Dong Phu Vieng: trek, home-stay & boating folk stories about features of the landscape folk stories about features of the landscape home-stay - explanation of traditions & taboos in the houses home-stay - explanation of traditions & taboos in the houses Lao Thueng baci ceremony Lao Thueng baci ceremony folk music folk music sacred forest sacred forest coffin cave coffin cave ancestral poles ancestral poles

Goods & Services: forming service-groups Cooking group (mainly young women) Cooking group (mainly young women) Cultural group (for ceremonies) Cultural group (for ceremonies) Village guides (for trekking, and wildlife watching) Village guides (for trekking, and wildlife watching) Home-stay roster Home-stay roster Handicrafts Handicrafts Boating group Boating group

Dong Phu Vieng – cost breakdown

Village Income

Problems The poorer the target community – the longer the process The poorer the target community – the longer the process Not considered appropriate for married women to engage with tourists Not considered appropriate for married women to engage with tourists Men control majority of tourist income Men control majority of tourist income Translation & interpretation – guide services Translation & interpretation – guide services Use of trust fund income Use of trust fund income

Future Activities Involving women – NTFP harvesting Involving women – NTFP harvesting Handicraft production – private sector intervention Handicraft production – private sector intervention Consolidate guide services Consolidate guide services Use and operation of trust funds Use and operation of trust funds Linking up with private sector & tour companies – encourage investment in infrastructure Linking up with private sector & tour companies – encourage investment in infrastructure