At the end of April, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) unveiled its flagship initiative, Destination Eco-Talents (DET), during a fruitful and lively workshop attended by nearly 80 participants, held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from 26 to 28 March 2025. Cambodge Mag, from Thalias group, was the press partner for this event.
Destination Eco-Talents (DET) is an ambitious OIF programme that aims to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism practices for the benefit of local populations, while promoting the French language as a vehicle for innovation and cooperation. It focuses on professionalisation, employability and empowerment of young people, women and rural and peri-urban communities. The DET project supports the development of competitive and attractive sustainable tourism offerings and coordination between key players in the sector.
The main topics discussed during this launch workshop were training young people and women in sustainable tourism practices, and the use of the French language to promote regional cooperation. The provincial capital Siem Reap has been chosen as the pilot site for the DET project, which will offer resources and training programmes to encourage and advance ecotourism in the target countries in the first instance.
Sustainable tourism, a driver of development
The workshop brought together more than 80 stakeholders from the private, public and voluntary sectors in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to discuss strategies to support initiatives that can transform tourism into a driver of sustainable development. In his opening speech, His Excellency Dr Thok Sokhom, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism, emphasised the royal government’s commitment to green tourism.
Contributions
According to the Secretary of State, this workshop was a crucial step in mobilising regional stakeholders for the launch of this project, which will enable the definition of a common roadmap for the training and development of sustainable tourism products, the structuring of a network, and the promotion and integration of local initiatives into a regional and French-speaking sustainable tourism dynamic.
‘The workshop thus contributes to the Royal Government’s focus on sustainable tourism development. This project is also likely to contribute to building a more competitive, sustainable and resilient kingdom, with the ultimate goal of realising Cambodia’s vision for 2050 as a high-income country,’ he emphasised.
His Excellency then thanked the International Organisation of La Francophonie for its support, recalling that in addition to emphasising regional and international cooperation for the development of sustainable tourism, the project will promote investment in human capital, empower local communities, propose inclusive tourism models and foster digital innovation in this sector.
Finally, the Secretary of State emphasised that the success of sustainable tourism also depended on the implementation of ambitious but achievable strategies that would ensure that ‘tourism remains an engine of economic growth, decent job creation, cultural enrichment and environmental sustainability’.
Read the full press report here
- Subscribe to the Thalias newsletter for exclusive offers, invitations to events and culinary news. Subscribe here
- Find out more: Discover our culinary world in more detail. Visit our website
- Discover the wonders of Cambodia’s vibrant economic, cultural and artistic scene, the must-visit holiday destinations, best gastronomy and so much more. Tune into Cambodge Mag for all the latest updates and insights in English!
Facebook Comments