World Responsible Tourism Day, a global event for the travel industry, will be promoted in Siem Reap in various locations with cultural performances and handicraft stalls for local craftsmen, organisations and charities.
In close co-operation with hotels and local NGOs in Siem Reap, HOPE, ConCERT – Connecting Communities, Environment & Responsible Tourism and www.angkorhotels.org are organizing a networking event with key industry stakeholders, at the Angkor Palace Resort and Spa on the evening of Wednesday 12th of November where there will be an opportunity for NGOs from all spectrums (environmental, health care, education, arts and crafts, centres for children and vocational training centres) to highlight their work and discuss how the tourism and hospitality industry can impact the communities and environment they operate within in a positive manner.
ConCERT, “Connecting Communities, Environment & Responsible Tourism”, is a new Cambodian NGO, and will be officially launched at this event which inline with conCERT’s overriding aim – is to build a bridge between tourism and poverty alleviation. Tourism and Siem Reap are inextricably linked, and tourism has the capacity both to cause problems, and to bring great benefits to local communities. Benefits can come from:
• the tourism businesses engaging with local communities, buying local goods, produce and services, by employing and training local people, and by operating their businesses in environmentally sustainable ways
• tourists themselves, who are increasingly motivated to engage with and contribute to responsible tourism activities, especially projects and initiatives in the local communities
With this in mind our networking event will include cultural performances and stalls where local craftsmen and organisations can display their wares in order for hotels, restaurants and tour /activity operators to see some of the options available and get a better idea and understanding of how the tourism industry, in a small way, can help towards poverty alleviation and, also, make destinations a better place to live and travel now and in the future.
If you are based in Cambodia and you would like to get involved or receive more information as the event develops please feel free to contact us.
