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A newly published study in PARKS: The International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation has highlighted the significant economic and conservation opportunities that could emerge through tiger reintroduction in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains Landscape.
The paper, titled “Tourism Potential of Tiger Reintroduction in Cambodia: Linking Conservation with Economic Futures,” examines how restoring tigers could help diversify Cambodia’s tourism sector while supporting biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods.
The study comes at a critical time for Cambodia, which welcomed approximately 6.7 million international visitors in 2024, generating nearly US$3.6 billion in tourism revenue. While the country is globally renowned for cultural heritage destinations such as Angkor Wat, the authors argue that Cambodia’s extensive protected area network and globally significant biodiversity offer major opportunities for nature-based tourism expansion.
The paper focuses on the Cardamom Mountains Landscape in Koh Kong province, one of Southeast Asia’s most important remaining forest ecosystems and a candidate site identified under the Cambodia Tiger Action Plan for tiger reintroduction.
According to the study, tiger-based tourism in the Cardamoms could:
Generate US$5-7 million annually within a decade
Create hundreds of direct and indirect employment opportunities
Strengthen conservation financing and protected area management
Increase tourism diversification and support rural economic development
The authors emphasised in a statement that the study does not advocate replicating South Asian tourism models directly, but rather adapting lessons from successful wildlife tourism systems in countries such as India and Nepal to Cambodia’s ecological and socio-economic realities.
The analysis also highlights the importance of:
Strong governance and enforcement
Community-based ecotourism
Sustainable tourism planning
Transparent revenue-sharing mechanisms
Examples such as the Chi Phat community ecotourism initiative in the Cardamom Mountains demonstrate how conservation-linked tourism can support alternative livelihoods while reducing pressure on forests and wildlife.
The paper notes that wildlife tourism in Southeast Asia differs from the open safari models of South Asia due to dense tropical forest habitats and lower wildlife visibility. As a result, tourism experiences in Cambodia are expected to focus on broader forest, biodiversity, and conservation experiences rather than guaranteed tiger sightings.
The publication adds to growing regional discussions on integrating biodiversity conservation with sustainable development and nature-positive economic strategies.
