24 October 2001

Vientiane, Lao PDR: The Nam Ha Ecotourism Project today was awarded the 2001 United Nations Development Award. The National Tourism Authority is the project's primary implementing agency, with technical assistance and monitoring provided by UNESCO. SUNV (joint programme between SNV and UNV) supports the project with advisory services on handicraft production and marketing.

The awards focus on sustainable human development and poverty alleviation is relevant to the project, as a main objective of the project is to develop an economically viable ecotourism development model that contributes to the conservation and protection of the areas unique cultural and natural heritage. The economic benefits local communities derive from the community based cultural and nature tours are a result of their direct involvement in the planning, development and management of such programs. Local guides and community members trained in the principles of sustainable tourism development and heritage conservation form the critical mass of trained local personnel, vested in the protection of the resources that sustain their new found profession. Also, permit and management fees generated by the ecotourism programs support conservation activities and also provide the Provincial Tourism Authority with resources to monitor the operations. In addition, the Nam Ha team spent a great deal of extra time and effort using ICT tools, including DTP and Internet to ensure long-term success of the project.

With traditional culture and natural beauty, tourism development represents an opportunity that can be an important component of heritage conservation and overall economic development in Laos. To this end, UNESCO, SUNV and the National Tourism Authority are presently exploring strategies to expand the Nam Ha Project and replicate its success on a wider scale.

SUNV provides techical assistant through the assignment of UN Volunteer Neslon Akukumah from Ghana who supports the project with advises on handicraft product quality and marketing. In addition backstopping from the SUNV Tourism Advisor and the (S)UNV office is provided to the Volunteer and the project.