Spreading the Benefits from Ecotourism
Ecotourism has been developed in Xe Pian NPA to ensure that as many families as possible can benefit directly from it. In each village villagers have been trained as guides, cooks, homestay and guesthouse providers, boatmen, traditional massage therapists, and elephant drivers in order to provide services to visitors. Village tourism service providers are each part of an association so that work and economic benefits from tourism are shared equally. Typically, each family in a village is allowed to provide only one service to ensure that as many families as possible are involved. All trekking tours in Xe Pian require a local guide to ensure that local people benefit and that visitors receive quality information and a local perspective about the area.