Anne-Louise Brown | 27th October 2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)
Cambodia's tourism minister Dr Thong Khon travelled to Noosa last Thursday to learn about how the Noosa Biosphere Reserve is managed.
Dr Khon was joined by a delegation from Cambodia's tourism department, with the focus of their visit sustainable tourism.
Cambodia has several biospheres of its own and Ben McMullen, project manager for environmental initiatives for the Sunshine Coast council, said the exchange of ideas was central to the visit.
“In the last decade tourism in Cambodia has taken off and what we want to help the tourism department do is learn how to keep profits local,” Mr McMullen said.
“We also want to help the tourism ministry develop sustainable tourism that is mindful of the environment and of preserving the country's biosphere reserves.”
Dr Khon said he had travelled to Australia several times, but had never been to Noosa.
He was overwhelmed by the region's natural beauty.
“Tourism is Cambodia's major industry and represents 10% of the country's gross domestic product,” Dr Khon said.
“Because every year tourism keeps increasing, we need help to manage the industry correctly, so we are very grateful to come to Australia for assistance and education.”
Biosphere reserves are sites established by countries working with the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, based on local community efforts and sound science.
“As places which seek to reconcile economic development, social development and environmental protection, through partnerships between people and nature, they are ideal to test and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development at a regional scale.”
The Noosa Biosphere Reserve is the only biosphere reserve in Queensland, and one of over 500 which have been established worldwide across 95 countries.
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