Ecotourism and the UN Millennium Goal of Development

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Ecotourism and the UN Millennium Goal of
Development

• Presented by
• Dr. Sasithara Pichaichannrarong
• Deputy Permanent Secretary
• Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand
• Chairperson of ASEAN National Tourism
  Organizations

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Ecotourism involves responsible travel to
  national areas that conserve the environment
• ? improve the well-being of local people
• ? connecting conservation
• ? communities
• ? responsible travel

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? build environmental
• ? cultural awareness
• ? provide positive experiences for visitors and
  hosts
• ? raise awareness of the political
• ? environmental and social climate

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Cambodia
• ? South China
• ? Lao PDR
• ? Myanmar
• ? Thailand
• ? Viet Nam

China
Viet Nam
Laos
Myanmar
Thailand
Cambodia
Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Millennium Declaration
• ?Millennium Development Goals as a
• universal framework for development
• ?developing countries
• ?development partners to work together

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? number of people in developing countries living
  on less than US 1 a day fell to 980 million in
  2004, down from 1.25 billion in 1990
• ? proportion of people living in extreme poverty
  fell from nearly a third of 33 to 29 over
  this period

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? the decline in global poverty is mostly due to
  rapid economic growth
• ? Tourism Strategy of this sub-region therefore
  has placed an emphasis on poverty reduction and
  sustainable development

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Ecotourism, as stated previously, is a strong
  blend
• ?historical
• ?biological
• ?cultural conservation
• ?preservation
• ?sustainable development

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Ecotourism is considered the fastest growing
  segment in the tourism industry with an annual
  growth rate of 5 worldwide and represents 6
  of the world gross domestic product.

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? numerous travel destinations
• ?Myanmars In Lay Lake
• ? Laos Konglor Cave

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Cambodias
• Yeak Loam Lake
• ? Viet Nams
  Ecotourism Complex
• Phong Nha Ke Bang
• ? Thailands
• Khao Yai National Park.

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Various projects such as the National Heritage
  Conservation Management in
• ?Quang-Xi, People Democratic of China
  ?Lao PDR
• ?Cambodia,

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? the implementation of pro-poor community-based
  eco tourism project for Lao PDR, Cambodia and
  Vietnam under the GMS Tourism Strategy are
  excellent examples of ecotourism to eradicate
  poverty

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Developed countries need to deliver fully on
  longstanding commitments to achieve the official
  development assistance target of 0.7 of gross
  national income by 2015

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? We are proud that Asia to has been
  recognized by the United Nations as
  having an impressive reduction in poverty .

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Emphasis on prioritised destinations to be
  developed should be on accessibility with
  reasonable logistical facilities and
  infrastructure ? air
• ? land
• ? waterway transportation

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? The local communitys way of life should not be
  significantly affected by the growth of external
  societies

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Destinations selected are typically defined as
  
• primary attractions
• ? flora
• ? fauna
• ? cultural heritage

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? building natural trails
• ? eco-friendly facilities like piers
• ?camp sites
• ?toilets
• ?shower rooms
• ?parking areas
• ?tourist service areas
• ?restaurants
• ?souvenir shops

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? survey on tourism investment needs
• ? small and medium-sized tourism businesses for
  micro credit
• ? loan of 1,000 1,500 US
• ?safe boat landing in a village
• ?buying clean sets of sleeping materials
• ?acquiring life jackets
• ?building appropriate bamboo paths for
• mangroves trails

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? Introducing a local financial institution such
  as a Bank of Agriculture at a tourist
  destinations may instigate marketing and
  financing, small-scale investment in agro
  tourism, launching of selling points on farm
  products, and also electronic transactions like
  credit cards or currency exchange.

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? short-course training
• ? international language courses
• ? communication skills
• ? safety
• ? security
• ? hospitality management

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? presentation of best practice
• ? exchange of information and technical
• ? exchange and learning from each other

Lao Ecotourism Forum

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• ? Educational institutions should participate in
  monitoring ecotourism development key performance
  indicators
• ? Before and After Mechanism will mirror whether
  ecotourism is indeed responsible travel that
  improves the well-being of local people.

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? trial training course for Cambodia, Lao PDR
  and Thailand under the Emerald Triangle Tourism
  Cooperation in Ubonratchathani
• ? exchanged views on various aspects based

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007
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• ? this project will later be expanded to cover
  Climate Change and Tourism
• ? climate change is projected to have serious
  economic and social

Lao Ecotourism Forum

26 29 July 2007