A call for private sector investment is being made for a $55 million project to develop ecotourism products in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains and Tonle Sap region.
The Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project (CSLEP), led by the World Bank, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Rural Development, aims to transform Cambodia into a leading ecotourism hub.
“CSLEP is helping to position Cambodia on a path to join a group of countries that promote ecotourism as one of their core pillars,” said Salimata Follea, World Bank Country Director.
The Cardamom-Tonle Sap Landscape (CMTS) spans over 3.8 million hectares across seven provinces. Under the project, an ecotourism corridor will be created to connect the tourist hubs of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh with the Cardamom Mountains and Tonle Sap Lake.
The Cambodia Sustainable Landscape and Ecotourism Project is currently seeking a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to move the project forward. Investment is being sought for services and activities, including eco-lodges, campsites and food stalls, transport options, hiking and biking trails, visitor centers and nature adventures.
“The growth of the ecotourism sector in Cambodia offers some unique opportunities for public-private partnerships and private investment in protected areas,” said Follea.
To encourage investors, two laws have been created for small-scale development projects: a 15-year extension of concession contracts for areas of less than 10 hectares and a 50-year extension for medium-scale projects. In addition, guidelines are set out in prakas (official announcements) and investment laws and regulations.
World Bank consultant Nick Ray said the project will initially focus on key areas including Oral, Koh Kong and Phnom Kulen districts in Siem Reap province.
“This is the future, and working together to develop ecotourism in these areas is a must,” he noted, citing Shinta Mani Wild and Cardamom Tented Camp as examples of development opportunities.
“Now is the right time to seize this opportunity to promote ecotourism to benefit protected area management, sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity, and to help boost the local economy for local communities,” added Sao Sopheap, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Environment.
As part of a six-year project, 500 kilometers of hiking trails are being created across the Cardamom-Tonle Sap mountain range over the next three years. The first trail on the sacred Kulen Mountain in Siem Reap province will open in May. TTG Asia
