Royal University of Phnom Penh Subject: Risk and Crisis Management

Department of Tourism Lecturer: Nhem Sochea

Class: D008
Name: Ly MouyLeang

Final Take home Exam

1. The linkage between tourism and disaster:
 Tourism as a trigger and amplifier of disaster: the overwhelming development is the
main cause of natural disaster. For example, the development in coastal areas
normally pollutes the water and living creatures along, especially mangrove forest
that is like a strong shield to prevent disasters like sea surges, tidal waves, floods and
storms.
 The impacts of disasters on the tourism industry: the damage and losses from disaster
have impacts to both direct (tourism) and indirect (other sectors). To be precise, when
the disaster occurs in a practically destination, business owners and the industry will
be facing damage and losses (properties and tourists) as direct impacts, but the other
sectors (food industry, agriculture, small manufacturing, etc) in the area will suffer
along the tourism fallout as indirect impacts.
 Tourism as a driver of disaster recovery process: known as “disaster tourism” that
tourists are encouraged to visit the destination aftermath of a disaster. In this way, the
disaster-affected areas will get support to rehabilitate the destination through the visit
and support from tourists.
 Disaster risk reduction strategies in the tourism sector: consists of 3 key prerequisites:
(1) a coordinated team approach that covers all private and public sector
organizations; (2) consultation of all relevant stakeholder groups and (3) commitment
of the various parties.
Tourist destinations are not likely to face natural disasters often. Since the country
located in a good geography that is mostly be able to escape serious disasters. For
example, the floodplains along the Mekong are more exposed to river flooding, whereas
the mountain ranges (such as the Cardamom) have a higher risk of localized landslides
and flash flooding. Storms and typhoons in Cambodia are often not considered a
significant threat as the country is sheltered by mountain ranges which lessen the impacts.
Which is why, I find it hard to describe the linkage between tourist and disaster in
Cambodia context. However, a report from the National Committee for Disaster
Management shows that natural disasters have killed at least 103 people, injured 120
more and affected 2,000 families, while also damaging thousands of houses, crops and
infrastructure in 2017.
PreventionWeb.Net. (2019). Disaster Risk Reduction in Cambodia. Retrieved from
https://www.preventionweb.net/files/68249_682301cambodiaupdaed16oct2019.pdf
KHMER TIMES. (2017). Natural disasters take a toll on Cambodia. Retrieved from
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/97962/natural-disasters-take-toll-cambodia/
2. Explanation of the model below:
Royal University of Phnom Penh Subject: Risk and Crisis Management
Department of Tourism Lecturer: Nhem Sochea
Class: D008
Name: Ly MouyLeang

 Pre-disaster phase is the pre strategies that we need to get ready before disaster occurs. It
consists of 3 keys (1) preparedness: plan, train, educate handful activities that can be
helped. (2) Prevention: avoid potential adverse impacts through action taken in advance.
(3) Mitigate: measures the level of prevention and preparedness to reduce the impacts.
 Disaster Phase is the state of when disaster is occurring. In this term, we have to response
immediate rescuing to victims and community to save lives and as well as to minimize
the loss from damaging.
 Post-disaster phase is the short term response aftermath of disaster that requires lots of
support from government to restore area back by rehabilitate, rebuild and redevelop.
 Recovery Phase is the long term plan to renew the whole area for a new tourism market
by expanding the community into another level, which demands networks and support
from investors and government.
DIMERSAR ACADEMY. (n.d.). Disaster Management Cycle. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/dimersarred/disaster-management-cycle
AKITABOX. (2020). 4 PHASES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT EXPLAINED (THE
EASY WAY). Retrieved from https://home.akitabox.com/blog/4-phases-of-disaster-
management
Royal University of Phnom Penh Subject: Risk and Crisis Management
Department of Tourism Lecturer: Nhem Sochea
Class: D008
Name: Ly MouyLeang

3. The importance of Collaboration in Transnational Tourism Risk, Crisis and Recovery

Management Network:
 Stakeholders can specialize the important topic in research to reduce time using and be
more productive.
 This way of doing brings various of new finding and creates a flexible network as a
response of the challenges in risk management.
 The related institutions and stakeholders can acquire and share the knowledge and also
contribute the long term development.
 Strategy to tackle the challenges should be made by every party (institute/nation/state) due
some tasks are required collaborative network.
 Collaboration presents many research opportunities to evaluate and analyse the
effectiveness.
Zischg, A. R. (2010). Transnational Collaboration in Natural Hazards and Risk Management in
the Alpine Space - A Flexible Response Network. In G. Nota (Ed.), Advances in Risk
Management (pp. 255-270). EUREC: Italy. Retrieved From:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221909123_Transnational_Collaboration_in_Natural_
Hazards_and_Risk_Management_in_the_Alpine_Space_-_A_Flexible_Response_Network

Beirman, D. (2015). The Development of a Transnational Tourism Risk, Crisis and Recovery
Management Network. In B. W. Ritchie, & K. Campiranon, Tourism Crisis and Disaster
Management in the Asia-Pacific (pp. 175-189). Wallingford: CABI.

4. The insights from previous disasters and crises tell us to better prepare for the current
pandemic are:
 Targeted relief packages for travel and tourism work best
 Reduce govt red tape for interventions
 Top of mind marketing
 Tracking consumer sentiment and finding resilient segments
 Importance of VFR market
 Local travel, intra-regional travel and some limited cross border travel
 Health protocols and insurance
Royal University of Phnom Penh Subject: Risk and Crisis Management
Department of Tourism Lecturer: Nhem Sochea
Class: D008
Name: Ly MouyLeang

Best lesson learnt for Cambodian context: Cambodia has been marked as one of the
successful countries in term of controlling the spread of Covid-19 as we have not reached
more than 300 cases and zero death from the start until now. Government has always been
prepared for the unforeseen circumstances to prevent the spread and keep the people safe by
providing protocol security service as possible and also encourages people to stay hygiene
and be alert. Crowded places like schools, cinemas, club, etc, where are likely to cause the
spread have suspended and as well the holidays that attract the reunion and gathering have
rescheduled, too. When the pandemic first started invade in the country, the government
responded to the situation by preparing extra hospitals for future patients (schools are being
used). 24/7 hotline (115) is available for consulting about the virus concern and suspect. Last
but not least, Cambodia has ultimately prepared a national budget master plan for Covid-19
pandemic development to back up the loss.
The Phnom Penh Post. (2020). Schools cum hospitals, 1,000 back unchecked. Retrieved from
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/schools-cum-hospitals-1000-back-unchecked
NNA Business News. (2020). Cambodia cuts 2021 state budget due to Covid-19. Retrieved
from https://english.nna.jp/articles/16833

5. Vulnerability and resilience of Cambodian Tourism industry in Covid-19 context.

Covid-19 has turned tourism industry upside down as people are required to keep social
distance to prevent the spread, which means travelling has to be cut down temporarily
until the situation gets better. Tourism is one of the major sectors that supports almost
33% of the country’s GDP beside garment and agriculture industries, the economy is
vulnerable to both demand-side shocks (decline of tourism) and supply-side shocks
(upstream linkage with China); it is estimated that Cambodia will lead to a 1.2-2.9% drop
in GDP- a loss of $283-711 million (Asian development bank). Chinese visitors and
major tourist market have slump down in January and February. Then European market
followed after. Hence, business owners and people who work within the sector have
faced bankruptcy and unemployment increasingly overtime. However, the government
has announced to be using 3% of GDP ($2 billion) to restore the loss. The package
divides as: income for suspended workers, co-funded by their employees, and provides
tax relief to tourism industry. Moreover, the government has extending the low interest
loans to small and medium sized enterprise (SMEs) for businesses to recover.
ASEAN Today. (2020). Covid-19 lesson for Cambodia: Boosting resilience and economic
recovery. Retrieved from https://www.aseantoday.com/2020/04/covid-19-lessons-for-cambodia-
boosting-resilience-and-economic-recovery/
The Phnom Penh Post. (2020). Wither Tourism? Can Cambodia resuscitate the sector post
Covid-19? Retrieved from https://www.phnompenhpost.com/special-reports/wither-tourism-can-
cambodia-resuscitate-sector-post-covid-19-0
Royal University of Phnom Penh Subject: Risk and Crisis Management
Department of Tourism Lecturer: Nhem Sochea
Class: D008
Name: Ly MouyLeang

PLANET ENFANTS & DEVELOPMENT. (2020). How does Covid-19 affec the most
vulnerable? Retrieved from https://planete-eed.org/en/2020/04/10/how-does-covid-19-affect-the-
most-vulnerable/
6. Cambodia Tourism during Covid-19 pandemic is like a roller coaster ride as the people
take the number of cases as their travelling decision. When the cases started in March it
seemed people were following precaution advice seriously, plus, most of international
flights were terminated causing both of domestics and international dropped almost
entirely during the next few following months. The industry has faced momentous crisis
after all, and it’s been thriving to find stability and recovery to get back. As we are well
aware that the government decided to postpone Khmer New Year in April minimize the
spreading, somehow the country hasn’t received such serious cases after all, and along
the situation and condition are seemingly available for the government to pay back the
holidays in August eventually. However, there were over 1.4 million domestics just
within 5 days, and for the unexpected tons of numbers it could be a threat to be facing the
blast of second wave for instance. Recently Cambodia has been ranked as one of the
safest destinations to travel during Covid-19 pandemic due the country does not seem to
receive more cases regularly and as well the amount of current patients has been slowing
down time to time as such.
XIHUANET. (2020). Cambodia sees 99 pct drop in itn’l tourists arrvials in April due Covid-19.
Retrieved from http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-06/16/c_139143269.htm
The Phnom Penh Post. (2020). Khmer New Year Holidays postponed. Retrieved from
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/khmer-new-year-holidays-postponed

Ministry of Tourism. (2020). នាឱកាសឈប់សម្រាក៥ថ្ងៃភ្ញៀវភេសចរដែលបានភែើរភលង

កម្សានតេូទាំងម្របភេសានសរុបជាង ១.៤លាននាក់. Retrieved from:

https://tourismcambodia.org/official-activities/នឱកសឈបសម្សរក៥ងង-

្ញវេសចរែលបនែរលងកម្សសនតេេងបរេសម្សនសរបជង-១៤លននក