Our story

From Siem Reap to the world's highways

How a conference at Angkor Wat became 7 Million Tourism Jobs, and a thank-you to the people whose ideas made it possible.

How it began

In February 2015, I attended the first UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture in Siem Reap, Cambodia. For two days, ministers of tourism and culture, heritage experts, business leaders and community voices from around the world shared one message: when tourism and culture work together, they can create jobs, protect heritage and bring real benefits to local communities.

I came home with the conference booklet, and later the full report. Reading them again and again, I began to picture a platform that would carry those ideas from the conference hall to every town along the world's great highways. That platform is 7 Million Tourism Jobs.

Ideas from the conference, and what they became

  1. Tourism growth should become opportunity for local people. Opening the conference, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai warned that "one billion tourists can be one billion opportunities or one billion disasters" (report, page 29). On this platform: local people post short videos of the services they offer, and travelers book them directly.
  2. Community tourism in every destination. Prime Minister Hun Sen encouraged community tourism in all cultural destinations, and called on every province to build its own tourism strategy (page 34). On this platform: every town has its own "Discover What's Happening" page, managed by its own tourism office.
  3. Cultural routes link people and spread the benefits. Panel 3 showed how routes that link many places spread visitors across a region, keep them longer, and open small-business chances in remote places (pages 91–92). On this platform: the highway-and-town network, from the Asian Highway to the Pan American Highway.
  4. Living cultures and the voice of the traveler. Panel 2 noted the market power travelers now have through social media, and the importance of putting people at the centre of tourism (pages 75–76). On this platform: travelers share "Dream Makers Wanted" videos, and locals answer with their own.
  5. Tourism can fund what communities value. The Ministerial Dialogue agreed that tourism has a unique capacity to mobilize funds for conservation (page 13). On this platform: Community Development Projects let anyone support a project in a town they love.
  6. Towns should lead their own transformation. Moderator Charles Landry urged historic towns to "take ownership of their transformation" (page 108). On this platform: local tourism officials manage and moderate their own town's page.

With thanks

I am grateful to every speaker at the conference. Your ideas are woven into this platform. Names and titles are taken from the conference report and show each person's role at the time.

Opening ceremony

  • H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni King of the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Prime Minister, Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Mr. Thong Khon Mr. Thong Khon Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Ms. Phoeurng Sackona Ms. Phoeurng Sackona Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Mr. Taleb Rifai Mr. Taleb Rifai Secretary-General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
  • Ms. Irina Bokova Ms. Irina Bokova Director-General, UNESCO (video message)
  • Mr. Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán Assistant Director-General for Culture, UNESCO

Keynote speeches

  • King Simeon II King Simeon II Former Prime Minister, Bulgaria
  • H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Chairman of the Board and President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Saudi Arabia
  • Mr. Tariq Al-Ansari Chief of Cabinet of the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations
  • Mr. Mounir Bouchenaki Director, Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, Bahrain (Setting the Scene)

Panel 1: Promoting and safeguarding culture

  • Ms. Elizabeth Becker Journalist and author of Overbooked, United States of America
  • Mr. Charles Binam Bikoi Executive Secretary, International Centre for Research and Documentation on African Traditions and Languages (CERDOTOLA), Cameroon
  • Mr. Christopher Dobbs Head of Interpretation and Maritime Archaeology, Mary Rose Trust, United Kingdom
  • Mr. John King Chairman, Australian Tourism Export Council, Australia
  • Mr. Kishore Rao Director, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO (Panels 1 and 3)
  • Mr. Sok Sangvar Head of Angkor Tourism Management Plan, APSARA National Authority, Cambodia

Panel 2: Living cultures and creative industries

  • Mr. Jordi Tresserras Director, Laboratory of Heritage, Cultural Tourism and Creativity, University of Barcelona, Spain
  • Mr. Alain St. Ange Mr. Alain St. Ange Minister for Tourism and Culture, Seychelles
  • Mr. Amareswar Galla Executive Director, International Institute for the Inclusive Museum, Denmark
  • Mr. Hansjürgen Schmölzer Project Director, Creative Austria, Austria
  • Ms. Helena Egan Director of Industry Relations, TripAdvisor, United Kingdom
  • Mr. Jaesung Rhee Executive Vice-President for International Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, Republic of Korea
  • Mr. Xu Jing Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Panel 3: Linking people along cultural tourism routes

  • Ms. Penelope Denu Executive Secretary, European Institute of Cultural Routes, Luxembourg
  • Ms. Marcela Bacigalupo Minister – Executive Secretary, SENATUR, Paraguay
  • Mr. John Delaney Senior Vice-President, Seabourn Cruises, United States of America
  • Ms. Laura Cepukaite Head, Tourism Policy Division, Ministry of Economy, Lithuania
  • Mr. Neb Samouth Director-General of Tourism, Cambodia
  • Mr. Yoshinori Ochi Secretary-General, Japan Association of Travel Agents, Japan

Panel 4: Urban regeneration through cultural tourism

  • Mr. Charles Landry Urbanist, Creative Cities, United Kingdom (moderator)
  • Mr. Dato Seri Mohd Nazri Mr. Dato Seri Mohd Nazri Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia
  • Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa Minister of Culture, Bahrain
  • Ms. Sandra Victoria Howard Taylor Vice-Minister, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Colombia
  • Mr. Donald E. Hawkins Professor, George Washington University, United States of America
  • Mr. Javier Bello President, World Heritage Cities of Spain and Mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Spain
  • Ms. Pansy Ho Vice-President, China Chamber of Tourism and Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings Limited, China

Closing session and report

  • The late Mr. Sok An The late Mr. Sok An Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Cambodia (1950–2017)
  • Mr. Graham Brooks Consultant, who prepared the conference report

My thanks also go to the Royal Government of Cambodia for hosting, and to the UNWTO and UNESCO delegations who organized the conference.

Please note: the people and organizations named on this page inspired this platform. They are not affiliated with it and have not endorsed it.

Source: World Tourism Organization (2016), UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture: Building a New Partnership, Siem Reap, Cambodia, 4–6 February 2015, UNWTO, Madrid. Read the report at UNWTO.

Photo credits

Photos are from Wikimedia Commons and are used under their free licences.

  • H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni: photo by Prime Minister's Office, GODL-India, source.
  • Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen: photo by World Trade Organization from Switzerland (proccession made by Roman Kubanskiy), CC BY-SA 2.0, source.
  • Mr. Thong Khon: photo by StagiaireMGIMO, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
  • Ms. Phoeurng Sackona: photo by Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, source.
  • Mr. Taleb Rifai: photo by World Travel & Tourism Council, CC BY 2.0, source.
  • Ms. Irina Bokova: photo by UNESCO/Michel Ravassard, CC BY-SA 3.0, source.
  • King Simeon II: photo by EU2018BG Bulgarian Presidency, CC BY 2.0, source.
  • H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz: photo by World Travel & Tourism Council, CC BY 2.0, source.
  • Mr. Alain St. Ange: photo by World Travel & Tourism Council, CC BY 2.0, source.
  • Mr. Dato Seri Mohd Nazri: photo by US Embassy KL, CC0, source.
  • Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa: photo by culture.gov.bh, CC BY-SA 4.0, source.
  • The late Mr. Sok An: photo by Pedro França / Ministério da Cultura, CC BY 2.0, source.