Tourism, Poverty, and Income Distribution: Chambok Community-based Ecotourism Development, Kirirom National Park, Kompong Speu Province, Cambodia, Journal of GMS Development Studies, Vol. 3, pp. 25-40

Abstract

Tourism is an important source of revenue in Cambodia, but there is much economic leakage and inequitable distribution of profits. Community-based ecotourism is seen as a good model for community involvement and a way of safeguarding the environment. A case study is presented of ecotourism development by the Chambok community in an area of Kirirom National Park where tourism offers alternative sources of income to logging and firewood and charcoal trading that are now banned. This study investigated the distribution of community-based tourism income in the Chambok community. A scocieconomic survey of 127 households was conducted and the degree of inequality of household income distribution measured using the Gini Coefficient.The study found that tourism income is much less than that from firewood andcharcoal trading—US$26 per year per household for tourism compared to US$200–500 from firewood/charcoal trading. Only 5% of total household income is generated from tourism-related activities. The Gini Coefficient of 0.5 indicates that the distribution of income from tourism among the villagers is unequal, but less so than other activities in the nonagriculture sector. Recommendations to improve ecotourism in the area include further capacity building for tourism-related activities, a marketing strategy that includes cooperation with tour operators and travel agents, and further efforts to raise local awareness and promote understanding of community-based ecotourism among the villagers.