Developing Poverty Reduction-oriented Tourism: A Must for Asia

Developing Poverty Reduction-oriented Tourism: A Must for Asia

Globally, 1.2 billion people live in extreme poverty, of which over two thirds are in Asia. Poverty involves far more than a lack of income and the challenge of development is to improve the quality of life. Although tourism can make a large contribution to poverty alleviation, which has become an essential element for peace, environmental conservation and sustainable development, its position as an important stimulus to international and national economies has not been fully recognised yet.

Top tourism officials from the Asia-Pacific region participated in the Ministerial Conference on Cultural Tourism and Poverty Alleviation in Vietnam's World Heritage-listed Hue City on June 11-12 to discuss measures to fully tap the potential of cultural tourism in reducing poverty. All officials are aware of the extreme conditions of poverty in which a significant proportion of Asians live, and believe that the continuous growth in international tourism, especially that motivated by cultural attractions, and the opportunities offered by sustainable cultural tourism activities, can contribute to poverty reduction in their countries.

Following are statements of some delegates and guests at the conference

Francesco Frangialli - Secretary General of World Tourism Organisation

It is evident that cultural tourism has all the characteristics needed to make it a very promising economic activity in Asia. The richness and diversity of Asian cultures, both in terms of monumental sites and living cultural heritages, provide your countries with a unique opportunity for development. However, this wealth should be correctly conserved and managed, in order for it to contribute significantly to the long-term sustainable development of the continent and to the reduction of poverty.

Cultural tourism, including community-based initiatives through which tourists can experience the daily life and living cultures of local communities, lends itself to small- and medium-sized entrepreneurial developments, offering opportunities to incorporate important poor segments of the population.

Vu Khoan - Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister

We have made continuous efforts to turn tourism into a spearhead economic sector during the country's modernisation and industrialisation. We are confident that Vietnam will be able t achieve the goal.

First, Vietnam has many fantastic landscapes, beautiful and long coastlines and virgin tropical forests. Second, the country has an age-old and unique culture with numerous invaluable sites like the World Heritage-listed Hue. Third, Vietnam has a long history of glorious victories. Fourth, it has a convenient geographic location in Southeast Asia in particular and the Asia-Pacific region in general, which connects well-known tourism attractions with one another. Fifth, Vietnam's stability is maintained, and her people are hospitable and friendly to visitors from all over the world. Sixth, the country pursues an open-door policy, willing to make friends with all peoples. With these characteristics, Vietnam is an ideal environment for eco-tourism, cultural tourism and historical tourism.

Vo Thi Thang - Chairwoman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

We are aware of the special significance of preservation, management, the fight against commercialisation of cultural heritages and environmental protection to the sustainable development of Vietnam's tourism industry. This is exemplified by the fact that the country has seen an annual growth of 11.1 per cent in the number of international arrivals and 16.3 per cent of domestic vacationers over the past 10 years.

The tourism industry increased its share to Vietnam's gross domestic product to 3.5 per cent in 2003 from 1.76 per cent in 1994. The industry's development has made considerable contributions to hunger elimination and poverty reduction.

Eugenio Yunis - Chief of Sustainable Development of Tourism, World Tourism Organisation

The World Tourism Organisation has identified seven ways of addressing poverty through tourism. I will attempt to adapt these seven approaches to cultural tourism and to Asia in particular.

The first way is simply through the employment of the poor in tourism companies, but also in cultural enterprises, within or outside cultural sites or monuments. The second way is through the supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor. The third way is through direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor. Fourthly, the process of supporting the establishment of tourism enterprises by the poor will help alleviate poverty. The fifth way in which tourism can address poverty is through a tax or levy on tourism income or profits with proceeds benefiting poverty reduction programmes. The sixth way is through the voluntary giving by tourism enterprises and tourists. Finally, poor communities can benefit from investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism.

Renuka Chowdhury - Indian Minister of Tourism

Our approach is to facilitate both the "hardware" and "software" components of village tourism. We recognise the rationale for sustainable tourism resource management based on the reality of finite biomass whereby nothing on earth is limitless. With this in mind, our Rural Tourism Scheme encourages our provinces to formulate proposals for our support of the alternative tourism "hardware" activities in potential villages.

Krit Kraichitti - Ambassador of Thailand to Vietnam

Our commitment is to initiate the Five Countries One Destination Project known as the Heritage Necklace under the framework of ACMECS. The five cities in the five countries are Bagan in Myanmar, Luang Prabang in Laos PDR, Siem Riep in Cambodia, Nan in Thailand and Hue in Vietnam. The five cultural heritages will be treated on an equal basis, linked as one destination and standardised in terms of services and management, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation. This 'single destination' formula of the five countries forming the Heritage Necklace reflects the development of cultural tourism in our region.

Duncan Pescod - Deputy Commissioner of Tourism, Economic Development and Labour Bureau, Hong Kong

Travellers are looking for a variety of experiences in the countries and cities they visit, including different cultures, traditions, heritages and lifestyles. Tourism is a fast growing industry with few boundaries and intra-regional travel is becoming a worldwide trend. Under increasingly tight time constraints for traveling, visitors are looking for multi-destination itineraries to experience different cultures in one single trip.n

• Reported by Dong Phong