Climate change impacts and disaster resilience among micro businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector: The case of Kratie, Cambodia

Abstract

Cambodia is considered extremely vulnerable to climate change due to high poverty, limited infrastructure, and weak adaptive capacity. Kratie province, in particular, has suffered from climate-induced disasters, including floods, droughts, storms, lightning, and heatwaves. To date, climate change interventions in the province have primarily focused on impacts on agriculture. However, enhancing the climate resilience of micro businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector is also crucial since the provincial economy increasingly depends on the interlinkage between agriculture, tourism and related enterprises. This article examines how climate change has impacted micro businesses in Kratie Town, and how they responded to the impacts. This study is based on semi-structured interviews with micro entrepreneurs randomly selected in the town. Results show that businesses have been predominantly affected by floods and storms. Business exposures and locations, types of business, production and supply chains, and client bases determined different impacts of and responses to these climate-related hazards. Businesses adopted primarily temporary and reactive responses rather than long-term systematic measures. Strengthening adaptive infrastructure, both physical and informational, will improve businesses’ capability to prepare for and cope with these disasters.