Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on

“Approaches to Responsible Tourism and

Human Rights in Myanmar”

Tourism development in Kayah State:

cultures and communities

By: Potjana Suansri and Pascal Khoo Twe Date: 1 October 2015

Placing Kayah State on the tourism map

Three year project launch in September 2014 aims to

enhance job creation and socio-economic development

in Myanmar through an inclusive tourism approach to

benefit local communities.

This project is part of the Netherlands Trust Fund III

programme in support of Export Sector Competitiveness

financed by the Centre for the promotion of Import from

developing countries (CBI)

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Cultural tourism development

in Pan Pet Kayan village,

and Hta Nee La Leh Kayah village,

Kayah State,

Myanmar.

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Timeline : working with communities

Community study

Our Good Things

Study Tour

Program and Activities

Product testing and management

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June

July

August

August

Septembe

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Community Study

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Community Study

Community Cultural Tours… ‘behind the scenes’ 7

Developing tourism in partnership

with local communities is not simple.

Requires a step by step process,

combined with respect & empathy:

Meet the people: learn who is

active and interested?

Make friends and earn trust;

Work as a team to Identify cultural

and natural resources, with

potential for cultural tourism;

‘Community Involvement in Tourism’

Our Good Things

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Why is ‘X’ special and important ?

What else should tourists learn or understand about ‘X’?

What can tourists do? (do, see, hear, smell, touch, taste, imagine)

Are there any dangers or risks?

Are there any taboos?

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Study Tour in Thailand

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Study Tour in Thailand

Study Tour in Thailand 11

Hta Nee La Leh Village – Seven Lakes

Full day tour

• Morning: Kayah cultural insight 2.Lunch – Kayah BBQ

• Afternoon: arts and music experience

Half day tour

• Option 1: Cultural insight

• Option 2: Arts and music experience 3

• Option 3: Highlights

• One option and Kayah BBQ experience

Kayah BBQ experience at 7 lakes

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Half day tour Option 1: Kayah cultural insight

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Welcome to Hta Nee La Leh

Short history

Do’s & Don’ts

Half day tour Option 1: Kayah cultural insight

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Visit totem and animist temple, where spirits of nature and village ancestors are worshipped

Try their hands playing a temple drum

Learn about local beliefs, including the Deku festival

Learn fortune telling using chicken bones

Half day tour Option 1: Kayah cultural insight

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Visit the hunting shaman

Explain the role of hunting in Kayah culture

Try their hand shooting a catapult

Visit the hunting shrine

Half day tour Option 2:Arts and Music experience

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Meet artistic and musical skills

Listen to traditional instruments

Have a go playing the instruments

Learn and try on traditional dress

Visit a traditional Kayah house

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Visit a traditional Kayah house

Explain how traditional houses are made

Telling about life in the village when they were young

Enjoy a ride on an ox cart around the village 18

Traveling past the field

Learn what kinds of agriculture are being practiced

Local guide may point out the fields where your lunch was grown

Kayah BBQ Experience at Seven Lakes

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Enjoy a traditional Kayah BBQ on the lakeside

Help to prepare it, if they wish

Presentation of local food, local dress and time for cultural exchange.

Do, learn, feel, share… in Pan Pet Villages 20

Half day tour

1) Attractive shops, unique products

2) Hands-on, creative, cultural exchange experiences;

Full day tour

• Local guides to be trained for forest trekking

1) Nature Trail – gentle trekking, through the fields

around the village – learn about local way of life

2) The Trail of the Ancestors - moderate, scenic trek

to the original settlement of Pan Pet villages

Local food menu

Shopkeepers and souvenirs 21

Make Friends before you take photos

Encourage visitors to speak and interact and communicate with local people

Present and sell their products

Oh So

Oh

Maya Terai

Bana

Hands on activities in Pan Pet

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Give guests the chance to handcraft their own meaningful souvenir.

Learning to play traditional Kayan instruments

Hands-on activities

Gentle trekking to explore local way of life 23

Enjoy views of surrounding, forested hills and valleys.

Visit the original Pan Pet

Offer authentic, jungle picnics to guest.

Tour Operator Prioritisation: UMTA

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Destination / activity

Not

interested

A little

interested Interested

Very

interested

Loikaw and Demoso

1 Loikaw ethnic group museum 4 9 3

2 Demoso weaving center 1 12 4

3 The path of natural dying 1 9 7

4 The Kayah sausage experience 2 8 6

Other needs / ideas?

Hta Nee La Leh

5 Cultural insight (Totem, Shamen, Hunting) 1 8 8

6 Arts and music experience 2 8 6

7 Visit a traditional, local home 1 5 11

8 Ride in an ox cart and explore the area 3 7 6

9 Kayah BBQ experience - cook, eat cultural exchange 1 5 10

10 Kayah BBQ experience - eat and cultural exchange 1 8 7

Other needs / ideas?

Pan Pet

11 Shopping and cultural exchange 5 8 3

12 Hands-on activities (make your own souvenir) 2 7 7

13 Gentle trekking close to the villages 5 12

14 Full day trek - 'Trail of the Ancestors' 2 7 7

15 Jungle picnic 2 6 9

Other needs / ideas?

Product testing : Pan Pet 25

Product testing : Hta Nee La Leh 26

Management : Hta Nee La Leh

Local Guide

• 5000-8000 Ks

Oxcart

• 4000 Ks

BBQ

• 5000 Ks

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Community Fund

Management : Pan Pet

Local Guide

• 5,000-8,000 Ks

Jungle Lunch

• 5,000 Ks

Performance

• 60,000 Ks

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Community

Fund ?!?

Project Steering Committee Meeting

and Visit Hta Nee Lah Leh

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