The Nam Ha Ecotourism Project (NHEP) is
a Community Based Tourism (CBT) development
project facilitated by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Laos’
northwestern province of Luang Namtha. Currently,
the ecotourism project encompasses trekking and
paddling routes easily accessible from the city of Luang
Namtha, offering one, two, and three-day hiking
itineraries and three or four day kayak and rafting
trips. All tours are organized and led by the Nam Ha
Eco-guides Association and the Provincial Tourism
Authority. Each of the itineraries offers adventurous
tourists the opportunity to visit remote villages within
the Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area
(NBCA), providing up-close and personal cultural
experiences with the Akha, Lantan, Khmu and Hmong
hill tribe cultures.
The feasibility study revealed that opportunities for
ecotourism did exist in this region and that poverty
levels warranted a new alternative to economic
development. At this point, UNESCO began seeking
funding and government approval for a formal project
to take place in this region. Early on during the
proposal development phase before funding was
approved, UNESCO established a National Supervisory
Committee (NSC). The vice-chair of the National
Tourism Authority (NTA) chaired the committee
comprised of members from the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Ministry of
Information and Cultural Affairs (MICA), UNESCO Lao,
Commission for Planning and Cooperation (CPC), and
the Science, Technology and Environment Agency
(STEA). This supervisory committee played a crucial
role in developing the proposal and likely in getting
the project approved by the Lao national government.
The Nam Ha Ecotourism Project (NHEP) isa Community Based Tourism (CBT) developmentproject facilitated by the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Laos’northwestern province of Luang Namtha. Currently,the ecotourism project encompasses trekking andpaddling routes easily accessible from the city of LuangNamtha, offering one, two, and three-day hikingitineraries and three or four day kayak and raftingtrips. All tours are organized and led by the Nam HaEco-guides Association and the Provincial TourismAuthority. Each of the itineraries offers adventuroustourists the opportunity to visit remote villages withinthe Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area(NBCA), providing up-close and personal culturalexperiences with the Akha, Lantan, Khmu and Hmonghill tribe cultures.The feasibility study revealed that opportunities forecotourism did exist in this region and that povertylevels warranted a new alternative to economicdevelopment. At this point, UNESCO began seekingfunding and government approval for a formal projectto take place in this region. Early on during theproposal development phase before funding wasapproved, UNESCO established a National SupervisoryCommittee (NSC). The vice-chair of the NationalTourism Authority (NTA) chaired the committeecomprised of members from the Ministry ofAgriculture and Forestry (MAF), Ministry ofInformation and Cultural Affairs (MICA), UNESCO Lao,Commission for Planning and Cooperation (CPC), andthe Science, Technology and Environment Agency(STEA). This supervisory committee played a crucialrole in developing the proposal and likely in gettingthe project approved by the Lao national government.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
