Cambodian Camp chosen as a finalist in WTTC Tourism Awards – Australasian Leisure Management

Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia has been chosen as one of 15 global finalists in the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2019.
 
The camp is one of three contenders in the Changemakers Award category, which, this year, is focussed on fighting illegal wildlife trade through sustainable tourism.
 
In highlighting this issue the WTTC said: “Travel and tourism has a unique opportunity to provide alternative and sustainable livelihoods for people who live and work alongside some of the world’s most endangered, and in demand, species, as well as combating demand for illegally traded wildlife products. This category awards those organisations who have made a significant contribution to the protection of flora and/or fauna through their activities.”
 
Since opening in 2017, the Cardamom Tented Camp has integrated the role of 12 forest rangers who protect a 180 km2 lowland forest concession into the guest experience. In turn, the camp helps the forest rangers with salary support and physical amenities such as solar power generators at ranger stations. The rangers take turn to lead conservation tourism hikes through the forest. They show tourists confiscated traps, mesh and weapons used by poachers.

 
Due to the rangers work, the illegal wildlife trade has been massively reduced in the forest which is now seeing a resurgence in formerly traded mammals such as the endangered clouded leopard, sun bear, northern pig-tailed macaque, pangolin, the Nicobar crab-eating macaque, and the (extremely shy) pileated gibbon, to name a few.
 
“We are humbled and honoured to be recognised in the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards,” said Allan Michaud, lodge manager of the camp and a passionate environmentalist. “A great working partnership between the private, NGO and government sectors makes the camp a unique experience and a possible model for other conservation tourism initiatives.”
 
Cardamom Tented Camp is a partnership between Wildlife Alliance, the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, the Minor Group, and camp operator YAANA Ventures.
 
Since opening, the camp has operated under the slogan, “Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing.” Neighbouring areas in and around the concession have been cleared and replaced with mono-culture plantations of palm oil or rubber, with disastrous results for wildlife.
 
By comparison, in its concession, the Cardamom Tented Camp and its partners are making a stand against habitat destruction and the trade in wildlife species by using sustainable tourism as a force for good.

The winners of the 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards will be announced during the awards ceremony at the WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Spain, 3rd-4th April 2019.

For more information on the awards click here^[1]. 

Other finalists include:

Social Impact Award Finalist 
Intrepid Group, Australia 
https://www.intrepidgroup.travel/^[2]

Climate Action Award
Tourism Holdings Limited, New Zealand
http://www.thlonline.com/^[3]

Related Articles

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15th November 2018 – Global Eco conference to highlight tourism supporting conservation^[5]

2nd November 2017 – Uncertainty over Cambodia’s hosting of 2023 SEA Games^[6]

16th June 2016 – South East Asian nations unite to promote tourism^[7]

1st June 2018 – New walking trail and ecotourism project planned for coastal strip north of Cairns^[8]

21st May 2018 – Victorian Government backs nature-based tourism project on the Great Ocean Road^[9]

11th March 2018 – Townsville to host 2018 Ecotourism Australia conference^[10]

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