STATE AND TOURISM PLANNING: A CASE STUDY OF CAMBODIA

Abstract

State is a catalyst in tourism planning not just because of economic development and poverty reduction but also for national image and cultural identity. The paper examines the role of state in tourism development policies in post conflict Cambodia by discussing the talks/speeches made by Prime Minister Hun Sen in respect of tourism development policies in Cambodia. Twenty eight speeches were identified and analyzed under the framework of textual analysis and the discourse of power. Nine factor were determined in the context of tourism development: security and safety for tourists; infrastructure and tourism facilities development; stakeholders collaboration; cultural heritage preservation; environmental protection; human resources development; tourism products promotion; simplification of travel procedures; and regional cooperation.