Anlung Pring Community Based Ecotourism’s Product Development, Rebranding and Training

The Anlung Pring (AP) wetland protected landscape is located in Kampot province in the very corner of southeast Cambodia. Despite its small size (217 ha) it comprises various habitats, and hosts many bird species especially a portion of small population of Sarus Crane in dry season. For its natural beauty as well as cultural attractions, AP receives some hundred tourists annually.

A Community Based Ecotourism (CBET) was established and functional to manage the enterprise, to maintain the connection between CBET –as a business- and AP conservation, and to provide benefits to the community from tourism revenues. The AP CBET –despite its small size operation- is considered a successful rural business. Thanks to very good collaboration between the local community and WWT, it receives high rating from its visitors.

As until now the business model of AP CBET was branded around presence of cranes in the site, the majority of tourists come to AP in the period of December to July, leaving the business nearly inactivated for the rest of the year.

WWT, as the core supporter of AP CBET recently conducted a business analysis to develop a new business model in which other tourism attractions of AP also branded to ensure a more even tourism flow all around the year. The results suggest that the AP CBET should improve some of its products, rebrand some other products, and create new services to attract more satisfied tourists. Subsequently, the CBET team require training to understand and adjust to the new business model.