Abstract:
Community based tourism (CBT) has been one the driving forces of the growth of tourism in Cambodia. Even though tourism scholars recognise the importance of the subject, community success in Cambodia remains a relatively under researched topic in the field. One of the exemplars of success, is Chi Phat, the community based tourism destination in the southwestern part of Cambodia. But why?
This thesis sets out to explore the factors of Chi Phat’s success through the voices of stakeholders in order to determine if the success could be replicated by other tourism communities. By understanding how different stakeholder groups construct an understanding of success, a contribution is made in how we manage stakeholders through understanding that success.
The study deployed a qualitative research methodology based upon the following objectives. First, to review the literature on CBT in order to evaluate factors of success. Second, to determine how different stakeholders perceive intrinsic or extrinsic factors of success for the Chi Phat CBT destination. Third, to develop a conceptual framework of community based tourism important factors of success. Twenty members of stakeholders including those from the community, local and national authority, NGOs and the private sector involved in Chi Phat had been contacted for an interview by using the semi-structured interview approach.
The contribution of the thesis is to be able to make recommendations for future community based tourism projects by using Chi Phat as an exemplar and that the success of Chi Phat can be replicated by other emerging CBT projects.
The findings suggested that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are extremely important to the development of the CBT. Even though stakeholders agreed on most of the factors, for instance, the collaboration and partnership, some factors were also perceived differently. However, those perceived factors contribute immensely on the success of Chi Phat.
