Tourism and Economic Development of Less Developed Countries: The Case of Cambodia

Abstract

This paper aimed to address globalization as a development issue related to less developed country making use of Cambodia as a case study. This paper utilized the traditional developmental perspective alongside the dependency approach to study and rationalize the development of tourism as a catalyst for development and prosperity. The researcher also attempts to argue that the western capitalistic mode of development via industrialization might not work for less developed countries or so-called peripheral areas. The paper makes use of Cambodia as an example to illustrate the problems and barriers to less developed countries' development. Tourism, as a service industry, has been identified by many developing nations as their catalyst for economic development. If tourism can be proved to be an effective alternative for some nations to address issues of poverty and underdevelopment, it can substantially challenge the assumptions of both developmental and dependence perspective. A new theory of development, thus, would have to be developed. This theoretical paper capitalized on Cambodia as a single case for analysis. Multiple sources of data and evidence were utilized for triangulation. Archival analysis, in-depth interview, site visits and observations have been employed as research tactics. In conclusion, a list of recommendations based on the experience and lessons learnt from Cambodia was drawn. Although the high level of complexity delimited the findings and recommendations to the subject, Cambodia, the contributions of discussion applies to other developing areas in the sense of provoking thinking and in terms of adding to the knowledge of development.