About CBTCR

About Community-Based Tourism COVID-19 Recovery Project (CBTCR)

The Community-Based Tourism COVID-19 Recovery Project will promote tourism development in (i) Techo Thamacheat village in Choam Khsant district, Preah Vihear province, and (ii) Prek Taphor village in Angkor Borei district, Takeo province. The two villages are located in waterfront areas and are close to significant heritage sites of the Sacred Site of the Temple of Preah Vihear and the Phnom Da temple.

The project takes a two-pronged approach by promoting tourism along with supporting surrounding communities through high-value agriculture, to create new agritourism products and help stabilize rural incomes during the low tourist season. The project will benefit 4,000 villagers by (i) building the capacity of local communities to provide new tourism services and products; (ii) improving tourism and agricultural livelihood opportunities; and (iii) providing infrastructure and equipment to support tourism operations. Through tourism development and livelihood improvement, the project will catalyze the project villages’ economic recovery from the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Impacts and Outcomes

The project impact will be tourism promoted in project villages and tourism destinations diversified. The outcome will be tourism developed and incomes increased in project villages. By project completion, (i) average total gross annual household income will increase by 20% in Techo Thamacheat village and by 25% in Prek Taphor village; and (ii) the number of tourists increased by 15% in Choam Khsant district, and 10% in Angkor Borei district.

The average total gross annual household income will increase by 20% in Techo Thamacheat village and by 25% in Prek Taphor village. The baseline survey on total gross annual household income of the villages in Techo Thamacheat village in 2020 is $1,570 and in Prek Taphor village of Angkor Borei is $1,721. The increase of 20% in Techo Thamacheat village will be $314 by 2027 therefore the total gross annual household income of the villagers will be $1,884 while the increase 25% in Prek Taphor village will be $430 by 2027 therefore the total gross annual household income of the villagers will be
$2,152.

Outcome performance indicator 2: The number of tourists increased by 15% in Choam Khsant district, and 10% in Angkor Borei district. Before the onset of COVID-19, in March 2020, the tourist data for the year 2019 was 148,150 tourists (125,669 national, 22,481 international) visiting Choam Khsant district (Sacred Site of Temple of Preah Vihear). In Angkor Borei district, the baseline data of visitors for the year 2019 is 31,701 (30,411 national, 1,290 internationals).

Outputs and Key Activities

Output 1: Local capacity for community-based tourism development and promotion strengthened

This output will benefit villagers by enhancing their capacity to provide tourism services. Under this output, the project will establish one community-based tourism (CBT) group in each project village, ensuring women’s representation, to become local tour operators and service providers. Membership in the CBT groups will be open to all villagers throughout the life of the CBT groups.

A national consulting firm will be recruited to support local communities to establish and manage CBT operations. Training will be provided on CBT group formation, guiding and servicing, hospitality, housekeeping, food and lodging hygiene, public health, COVID-19 prevention, environmental and waste management, and maintenance of the tourism infrastructure to be provided under output 3. While the CBT groups own the tourism infrastructure, they will have the option to enter into sublease agreements with local businesses to manage restaurants at the tourist centers. The project will also provide a three-year marketing campaign to attract tourists. Training on sanitation will follow the government’s latest health and safety standards, which are updated in response to COVID-19.

Output 2: Community-based tourism and livelihood activities implemented

The project will support villagers, including female-headed households and those from vulnerable groups, to establish tourism livelihoods, such as guiding services, restaurants, transport operations, equipment rental, homestay operations, and handicraft and souvenir manufacturing. The project will also support high-value agriculture in both project villages, such as cucumbers, long beans, watermelons, chicken, tilapia, and freshwater prawns, by providing agricultural training and equipment.

With proper marketing, high-value agriculture will be synergic with tourism and stabilize income during the low tourist season. Agritourism interventions will be supported in Techo Thamacheat village (for tilapia farming) and in Prek Taphor village (for prawn farming) so that, as an alternative to dine-in services at tourist centers, tourists can catch and grill fish and prawns after completing hatchery tours.

Output 3: Community-based public facilities and services enhanced

As the project villages lack tourism infrastructure, the project will provide the necessary infrastructure to enhance the villages’ appeal to tourists who are already visiting the nearby heritage sites. Civil work construction will include female laborers. As basic connectivity infrastructure is already in place, the project will focus on “last-mile” tourism infrastructure, including two tourist centers (with parking lots, restrooms, restaurants, and souvenir outlets); walking tracks; small piers; and support for homestays.

The project will also implement CBT-managed waste collection services on a cost-recovery basis and support the expansion of potable water services to about 3,000 households in Techo Thamacheat village and surrounding areas, where the availability of clean water is identified as a constraint to tourism development.
Asset maintenance will be performed by the CBT groups who will receive relevant training under output 1.

Project Implementation Organizations: Roles and Responsibilities

The Civil Society Alliance Forum (CSAF) will be the project’s executing agency. The Interministerial Committee will act as the National Project’s Steering Committee. The National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) in Choam Khsant district, and the Angkor Borei District Administration Office (ABDAO) in Angkor Borei district are the implementing agencies, responsible to coordinate interventions with provincial line departments, local nongovernment organizations, social enterprises, and community-based organizations. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and MTCO will provide advisory services for heritage protection and tourism promotion. The project will work closely with CBT groups, local farmers, and social enterprises. The roles and responsibilities of the project coordination unit (PCU) and project implementation unit (PIU) staff.

Project Implementation Organizations	Management Roles and Responsibilities
Ministry of Economy and Finance	– Oversight of financial management, procurement, safeguards and grant covenants. – Endorse signatories for the project’s advance account – Approved annual project plan
National Project Steering Committee (Inter-ministerial Committee)	– Provide policy guidance and advice on project-related issues. – Quality assurance and approval of project achievements as presented in the semiannual progress reports and monitoring and evaluation reports; and – Coordination between the relevant ministries involved in the project.
Executing Agency (Civil Society Alliance Forum) and Project Coordination Unit	Overall responsibility for the execution of the project: – Project startup, including the establishment of financial, management and procurement systems and procedures; – Community-Based Tourism COVID-19 Recovery Project: Project Administration Manual Appoint counterpart staff including PCU and PIU staff; – Appoint the members of the Procurement Review Committee, the Consultant Selection Committee and the Bid Evaluation Committee; – Facilitate approval of work permits and visas for international staff working on the project; – Apply the JFPR visibility guidelines as outlined in the PAM; – Support regular ADB review missions; – Review and endorse any proposed change in the project scope or implementation arrangements; – Ensure compliance with grant covenants in respect of the grant agreement and all subprojects; – Monitor and review the project implementation progress against the implementation schedule; – Develop the project’s annual workplan and budget. Prepare and submit annual and semiannual workplans, consolidating PCU-led activities and work plans received from PIUs for submission to the Project Director for approval; – Administer the project advance account for JFPR Grant; – Prepare project financial statements and coordinate annual project audits; – Prepare and maintain asset registry; – Ensure implementation of financial management action plan; – Facilitate approvals to ensure the timely release of funds to the PIU(s), contractors, suppliers and consultants; – Undertake recruitment, contract management and supervision of consultants; – Undertake procurement of civil works and goods packages in compliance with the project’s procurement plan; – Coordinate all reporting aspects of the project; – Administer and provide technical support to the PIUs; – Submit semiannual environmental and social safeguard monitoring reports to MOE and for onward submission to ADB for disclosure; – Facilitate with relevant agencies to obtain approval of safeguard documents; – Coordinate implementation of all project safeguard procedures (IEE, ESMP, GAP, SCPP, and SDDR); – Coordinate with PIUs and the inputs of concerned stakeholders and project partners; – Coordinate all specified monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities; – Provide monthly progress reports to MEF; – Prepare project’s quarterly progress report – Review progress and monitoring reports and ensure that information on project progress is disseminated to relevant government agencies and address any planning and coordination issues requested by PCU; – Communicate project’s outcomes, outputs, and activities to all stakeholders through the stakeholder communication plan
Implementing Agencies (National Authority for Preah Vihear and Angkor Borei District Administration Office) and Project Implementation Units	Responsible to deliver the project at the provincial level – Prepare PIU annual workplans and budgets for approval by the PIU Directors and onward submission to PCU for incorporation into project’s overall annual plan; – Approve payments for PIU managed expenditures related to project coordination in each project province; – Maintain disbursement records for progress reports and auditing; – Coordinate with all concerned stakeholders; – Provide inputs to quarterly reporting on progress and issues to the PCU; – Facilitate approvals (e.g., CBT registration, construction permits) at provincial/local levels; – Support implementation of output 1 (capacity building) and output 2 (livelihood activities) in close collaboration with local partners, PCU and consultants; – Where appropriate identify and promote PPP initiatives.
Community Based Tourism Organizations (one for each project village)	– Establish the CBT groups, elect the management board and achieve legal registration; – Adopt and implement CBT by-laws; – Enter into land use agreement with the government landowner; – Manage, operate and maintain tourist facilities at Angkor Borei district and Techo Thamacheat village; – Develop operations and management plans for tourist facilities – Oversee homestays, transport, waste management services and other CBT products and services; – Support implementation of the ASEAN CBT Standard and Homestay Standard; – Develop new tourism products and services based on local heritage and natural assets and on-sell to domestic and international tour operators; – Partner with local tourism operators, CBOs and MSEs to provide new tourism products and services; – Operate restaurant facilities or enter into sublease agreements with local businesses for the operation of restaurant facilities; – Support the environmental and heritage protection of O Svay Lake and Phnom Da Temple sites; – Work with local transport providers and boat operators to facilitate local tours.
ADB	– Provide timely advice to government agencies; – Timely review of all documents that require ADB’s approval; – Provide oversight for procurement and consultant recruitment; – Conduct periodic project review missions, midterm review mission and evaluation at project completion; – Timely processing of withdrawal applications and release of eligible funds; – Monitor compliance with grant covenants, financial audit recommendations, and safeguards; – Monitor GAP implementation; – Provide timely update to JFPR on project progress; – Regularly update of project information for disclosure on ADB website.

For further information, please read the Project Administration Manual

Abbreviations

Name	Meaning
ADB	Asian Development Bank
CBT	community-based tourism
ESMP	environmental and social management plan
GAP	gender action plan
IEE	initial environmental examination
JFPR	Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific
MEF	Ministry of Economy and Finance
MOE	Ministry of Environment
MSE	micro and small enterprise
NPSC	National Project Steering Committee
O&M	operation and maintenance
PAM	project administration manual
PCU	project coordination unit
PIU	project implementation unit
PPP	public-private partnership
RP	Resettlement Plan
SCPP	stakeholder consultation and participation plan

Source: Asian Development Bank.