In November 2023, the École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule became the First EcoCampus in Cambodia and the first vocational hospitality school globally to receive the Green Flag Award.
Just over a year ago, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) joined forces for the Improved Competitiveness of National Enterprises (ICONE) project, which aims to increase sustainable tourism in Cambodia. By leveraging synergies between FEE’s EcoCampus and Green Key programmes, staff from vocational training schools, their students, personnel and managers from the tourism and hospitality industry in Cambodia, were trained and supported to implement sustainability measures in their corresponding institutions/businesses, including the Green Key certification.
This past June, Green Key International Coordinator and Project Manager, Claudia Bogensperger travelled to Cambodia to participate in a regional conference on sustainability in tourism and to deliver an introductory course on sustainable tourism to three hospitality schools in Cambodia, including the school Ecole d’Hotellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule in Siem Reap.
Founded in 2002, as a project of the nonprofit organisation Formation et Progrès-Cambodge, the École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule, has successfully established itself as one of the most renowned vocational schools for hospitality and tourism in Cambodia, having trained over 4,000 Cambodian future tourism professionals.
Last month, FEE’s Senior Director of Education, Pramod Kumar Sharma travelled to Cambodia to award the École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule, making it the first EcoCampus in Cambodia and the first vocational hospitality school globally to receive the Green Flag Award. In order to receive the Green Flag Award, EHT Paul Dubrule had to successfully embed sustainability initiatives not only into their curriculum but also into the overall operation of the school. EHT Paul Dubrule is a unique example that illustrates how tourism and hospitality, vocational training and sustainability can successfully work together.
We congratulate the École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule on their achievement and look forward to seeing the further development of the sustainable tourism sector in Cambodia.
About FEE:
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world’s largest Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 80 countries. With a network of over 60,000 educational institutions, the Eco-Schools, Learning About Forests and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes empower young people to create an environmentally conscious world through experiential, project-based learning. The Green Key and Blue Flag programmes are globally recognized for promoting sustainable business practices and the protection of natural resources. With over 40 years of impactful experience in ESD, FEE’s strategic plan, GAIA 20:30, prioritises impactful action across all five programmes to address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.