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Starbuck - Food and beverage outlet at kampot

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in Southeast Asian countries to transform heritage landmarks and deserted infrastructures into food and beverage outlets. From colonial-era buildings to traditional marketplaces, these heritage sites are being revitalized as vibrant culinary destinations that preserve local culture and attract tourists and locals alike.


This technique of re-building and restoring these magnificent infrastructure destinations is called 'Adaptive Reuse'. 


What is 'Adaptive Reuse'?

Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose other than which it was originally built or designed for. The main benefits of adaptive reuse include preserving historical and cultural heritage, transforming neglected areas into vibrant communities, and promoting social change. 


Adaptive reuse concept conserves resources and can breathe new life into neglected or underutilized spaces. A space that confides the history and adds a new character to a place.


Starbucks Kampot, Cambodia

Starbucks Kampot - Fish Market

The Starbucks Kampot – Fish Market was one of the first infrastructures to undergo refurbishment in Cambodia. The food and beverage establishment featured a unique architectural style that combines local materials and motifs with Starbucks' signature branding. The store's interior includes wooden accents and greenery inspired by Kampot's natural surroundings while also incorporating Starbucks' signature green color. With a blend of modern and traditional design, this revitalized infrastructure was once a "Fish Market" (ផ្សារត្រី) or wet market that has stood in the heart of Kampot City since the French colonial era back in the 1930s


This store is part of Starbucks' expansion into the Southeast Asia market as it seeks to tap into the region's growing demand for coffee and premium hospitality experiences. The adaptive reuse of a historic building in the heart of Kampot highlights how businesses can leverage local culture and history to attract sustainable tourism while contributing to the preservation of architectural heritage.


Address: Starbucks Fish Market


Sarnies Bangkok, Thailand

Sarnies Bangkok

Sarnies Bangkok is a franchise of a coffee shop based originally in Singapore. In 2018, they set up an outpost in Bangkok, Thailand. The coffee shop serves food paired with drinks of contemporary and a fusion of Thai and Australian cuisines. Originally, a two-story boat repair shop that had been abandoned for 150 years was converted into a coffee shop on Charoenkrung Road, Bangkok. By preserving the building's original design and repurposing it for a new use, Sarnies has not only created a unique and memorable dining experience for its customers but has also contributed to the revitalization of the surrounding area. 


What started off as a boat-repair shop now serves as a coffee shop as well as a place for locals and tourists to get traditional local food with a fusion twist. The use of locally sourced ingredients and freshly roasted coffee further enhances the hospitality aspect by providing guests with high-quality, delicious meals and drinks. Sarnies Bangkok's adaptive reuse initiative showcases the potential for transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant and successful food and beverage establishments.


Address: Sarnies Bangkok


Place de la Poste (Van’s Restaurant), Cambodia

Place de la Poste (Van’s Restaurant), Cambodia

Nestled beside the iconic Wat Phnom in the heart of Phnom Penh lies Palais de la Poste, formerly known as Van's Restaurant. This French-European fine dining establishment boasts a rich history dating back to the late 1800s when it served as both the French Protectorate and the Bank of Indochina. The Van's family later reacquired the estate and transformed the site into a gastronomic haven in 2007, showcasing their expertise in hospitality in food and beverage. 


Place de la Poste (Van’s Restaurant), Cambodia History

Palais de la Poste's adaptive reuse is a testament to the city's evolution, preserving Cambodia's heritage and history while offering a luxurious dining experience to patrons. The location's decor is adorned with elegance and a serene garden setting that transports diners to a world of sophistication and refinement. Palais de la Poste's commitment to hospitality and culinary excellence has earned it a reputation as one of the premier dining destinations in Phnom Penh.


Address: Palais de la Poste


FCC Angkor by Avani, Cambodia


FCC Angkor by Avani

FCC Angkor by Avani is a 4 stars hotel and resort that combines colonial heritage with modern charm, situated in the lively and historic city of Siem Reap, Cambodia. This site once stood as the grand mansion of a French colonial governor, which later transformed into the renowned Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) – a spot where international journalists and notable figures gathered. Today, it stands to provide a majestic experience for local and global travelers to enjoy the historic estate.


The hotel provides exceptional food and beverage, showcasing both Khmer cuisine and international dishes. This array of dishes offered not only enhances guests' experiences but also pays homage to Siem Reap's vibrant food culture. FCC Angkor by Avani demonstrates its dedication to preserving the region's architectural heritage through the adaptive reuse of the historic site. The restoration process prioritized maintaining the cultural foundations of the property and its community and was under the guidance of Malee Whitcraft and Bloom Architecture. 


From a former governor's mansion to FCC estate, now a luxurious hospitality destination, it successfully merges the area's rich history with contemporary comforts, delivering an unforgettable stay for its guests.


Address: FCC Angkor by Avani


Royal Train Cafe (កាហ្វេរថភ្លើង), Cambodia

Royal Train Cafe (កាហ្វេរថភ្លើង), Cambodia

The Royal Train Cafe (កាហ្វេរថភ្លើង), still an operating bustling railway station located in the middle of Phnom Penh city, has been transformed into a cozy coffee shop that transports patrons back in time. The cafe's vintage decor, including antique train carriages, steam engines, and railway memorabilia, creates a unique ambience that blends history with modern hospitality. The menu offers a variety of beverages, snacks, and light meals, making it an ideal spot for travelers, locals, or anyone seeking a 'back to the oldies' experience in Cambodia. 


The adaptive reuse of this historic site demonstrates the potential for transforming underutilized spaces into thriving businesses, showcasing the creativity of the hospitality industry in repurposing old structures for new uses that cater both to history buffs and contemporary tastes.


Address: Royal Train Cafe (កាហ្វេរថភ្លើង)


The Cafe Apartments, Vietnam


The Cafe Apartments, Vietnam

The Cafe Apartment is located in Ho Chi Minh City. With original purpose was a 9-story apartment block rented out for tenants, constructed in the mid-60s, now adapted to a cluster of coffee establishments. With the evolving time of trends and estates, said tenants, from 2010 have moved out and leased their spaces to businesses and coffee shops. As of 2020, there are over 30 businesses, all of which offer great spots to watch the vibrant Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street. Though most operate as a coffee shop, some establishments serve cuisines from Japanese to local Vietnamese street food. 


Today it serves as a tourist attraction in Saigo with bookstores, salons, cafes, boutiques, tea houses and more. This innovative approach to hospitality through adaptive reuse not only provides unique dining experiences but also helps to revitalize urban areas and promote sustainable development.


Address: 42 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.


These adaptive establishments demonstrate how heritage landmarks and estates are being treasured. This concept not only preserves local culture but also promotes tourism and economic development within the food and beverage sector and Southeast Asian countries. 


With our initiative, and our recent involvement in the UNESCO seminar held in regional Nan, Thailand, focused on 'Achieving Sustainable Tourism with Intangible Cultural Heritage and Creative City Network in Waterway Cities'. b. Consulting Food and Beverage Hospitality Tourism Experts Cambodia is ready to collaborate in transforming heritage sites into vibrant culinary destinations namely into vibrant Hotels, Coffee shops or Restaurants that showcase the country's culture and historical background.

 
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Contact b.Consulting

(+855) 10 518 700



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Cultivating Tourism in ASEAN's Waterway Cities and Creative City Network: A Conversation with Montakarn Suvanatap Kittipaisalsilp, Programme Officer for Culture at UNESCO Bangkok

"Fostering meaningful dialogues on sustainable tourism."
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  • What inspired the collaboration behind this project, 'Achieving Sustainable Tourism with Intangible Cultural Heritage and Creative City Network in Waterway Cities of ASEAN'?

It has been a mutual interest between Thailand’s Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) and UNESCO, since their first Memorandum of Understanding in 2014, to work together to safeguard living heritage (intangible cultural heritage / ICH), promote more cities to UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) and to expand partnerships with private and public sectors and civil society on sustainable tourism. With the recent financial support from ASEAN-Türkiye Cooperation, CRIHAP and K11, we are able to achieve this aspiration. This year (2024) marks the first phase of this sub-regional project, which is hoped to continue for longer term. It therefore aims to revitalize the network of people working to develop community-based tourism using local cultural assets – i.e. existing living heritage and creative products and services.


  • How does this webinar contribute to the promoting and development of sustainable tourism in the ASEAN waterside cities?

The project team realize that one webinar cannot manage to promote and advance the sustainable tourism. So when we designed the project, we designed the whole series of engaging discussions that address important questions still in the minds of people working on or supporting sustainable tourism – particularly those concerning community-based tourism efforts. We hope that by setting a clear and continuous goal to stimulate conversation among tourism professionals in different countries can lead to actual and lasting networking that they can all maintain beyond the life of this humble project.


achieving sustainable tourism webinar series poster

  • What can attendees expect to gain from the insights and knowledge shared during the webinar?

First you will get to listen to and learn from experiences – good and bad ones – of those we at UNESCO and DASTA have regarded as experts in the field of cultural heritage, community-based tourism, cultural and creative industries, etc. Our webinars are designed to provide you with opportunities to directly talk to these panelists with encouraging moderated session for you to voice your questions, concerns and stories. We believe that what is equally important to knowledge is to have friends, and we aim to provide chances for you to meet your like-minded new friends.


  • In what ways do you envision this collaboration to impact the future of sustainable tourism initiatives in ASEAN waterway cities such as Cambodia?

We hope that by introducing this international project, a country can see that it does not need to counter challenges or progress alone. Cambodia is a country equipped with dynamic and creative people who are ready to absorb new ideas from elsewhere and contextualize them for local solutions. We would like to encourage more tourism professionals in Cambodia to exploit this networking project and find allies in helping you reshaping how people travelling in your country, using your resources in a more sustainable and beneficial way to your local communities.


cambodia angkorwat tourism

  • How will the selection process for the webinar program be conducted, and what are the eligibility criteria for individuals interested in applying?

For all 6 webinars, all tourism professionals working in all ASEAN countries are eligible to participate. But for the on-site workshop in Thailand, which we plan to launch the call for applications on Friday 24 November, only tourism professionals working in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand are eligible to apply, yet regardless of their nationalities. This means as long as their works are in and benefit the three countries, they can apply. The application form, I have to say, is quite long and challenging, as it was designed by our team of experienced facilitators. They will be the ones reading your applications and select the 30 people from the 3 countries for UNESCO to fully fund their participation.


  • Could you provide additional information about the webinars that are planned up until June 2024 related to this project initiative, 'Achieving Sustainable Tourism with Intangible Cultural Heritage and Creative City Network in Waterway Cities of ASEAN' ?

The line up of exciting webinars are:

  • Webinar 1 | 24 November 2023: Unlocking Potential: Is Community-Based Tourism a Sustainable Business Model in ASEAN Waterway Locales?

  • Webinar 2 | 3 February 2024: Sustainable Gastronomical Experience in UNESCO Locales (Coinciding with an immersive workshop in Thailand’s vibrant Bangkok and Nan Old City, 3–7 February 2024)

  • Webinar 3 | 20 March 2024: Harnessing Digital Tools for Greater Community Involvement in the Tourism Narrative

  • Webinar 4 | 10 April 2024: Exploring Sustainable Festival and Event Tourism as a Growth Driver

  • Webinar 5 | 29 May 2024: Sharing Indigenous Stories and Experiences from the Source of Rivers for a More Profound Tourism Journey

  • Webinar 6 | 19 June 2024: Addressing the Challenge of Plastic Use in Travel: From Policy Formulation to Practical Application

 

Join the first webinar — Webinar 1 - Unlocking Potential: Is Community-Based Tourism a Sustainable Business Model in ASEAN Waterway Locales?


We encourage professionals and stakeholders from the travel and tourism sector in ASEAN countries to participate in this event. Attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to vital conversations that will shape the trajectory of sustainable tourism in ASEAN waterside communities.

webinar 1 poster of discussion sustainable tourism

Join us in our commitment to fostering a sustainable and inclusive future for tourism in ASEAN waterside cities.


Event Details:

  • Date: Friday, 24 November 2023

  • Time: 09:30 - 12:00 (GMT+7)

  • Location: Hosted on Zoom

To register, please visit our Webinar Registration page.




For more information and webinar agenda, please visit our Project Portal or scan the below QR code.

unesco qr code
 

About the Project

logo line of unesco and estemmed partners

"Enhancing Sustainable Tourism in ASEAN Waterside Cities" is a pioneering initiative designed to leverage local communities' unique cultural and natural heritage, fostering sustainable development and regional cooperation.


We look forward to seeing you at all our 6 webinars and to collaborating on sustainable tourism development in our waterside communities.


For press inquiries or further details, please contact City Connext:


Anawit Jitmana (+66) 65 895 6323


Thatsanvanh Banjong (+66) 87 706 5030


Email address: cityconnext@gmail.com


 
b.Consulting logo horizontal

Contact b.Consulting


(+855) 10 518 700



Webinar 1
Unlocking Potential: Is Community-Based Tourism a Sustainable Business Model in ASEAN Waterway Locales?

Bangkok, 10 November 2023 – Under the auspices of UNESCO and in collaboration with distinguished partners including DASTA, ASEAN-Türkiye Cooperation, CRIHAP, K11, ONYX, The City Connext and b. Consulting Cambodia, we are excited to announce the webinar, Unlocking Potential: Is Community-Based Tourism a Sustainable Business Model in ASEAN Waterway Locales?, to be held on Friday, 24th November 2023. This webinar initiates our project, "Enhancing Sustainable Tourism in ASEAN Waterside Cities' ' aiming to empower community-based tourism.


This virtual gathering is the first of a comprehensive series of webinars and workshops designed to stimulate sustainable and inclusive travel discussions. It will spotlight the significant strides in community-based travel, showcasing business models thriving in waterside destinations within the ASEAN region.


Event Insights

The webinar will probe the effectiveness and sustainability of community-based tourism, discuss state-of-the-art trends, and share experiences vital to the operation of such initiatives.


Key discussions will be led by notable experts:
  • Jaranya Daengnoy, Director, The Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I), a pioneer in fostering community involvement in tourism, whose leadership has been instrumental in promoting sustainable tourism practices.

  • Asst. Prof. Kannapa Pongponrat from Thammasat University, whose extensive research and hands-on projects in sustainable tourism and water management have significantly contributed to shaping resilient community development strategies.


  • Nick Ray, an Advisor from Hanuman Travel, a prominent author for Lonely Planet, whose rich history as a journalist and tour leader has been augmented by his experiences in scouting and managing locations for film and television. His firsthand explorations across the region lend a vivid, narrative quality to his insights.


  • Inthy Duanesavanh, the CEO of Green Discovery Lao PDR, who will share his transformative experience in guiding communities towards sustainable tourism, demonstrating the practical application of conservation efforts that simultaneously uplift local economies and preserve ecosystems.


  • Sappawat Kantamara, Strategic Marketing and Sustainability Management from Find Folk (Thailand), whose innovative approaches to integrating sustainability into marketing strategies have highlighted the value of responsible tourism practices in the market.


The session will be moderated by Korakot 'Nym' Punlopruksa, whose expertise in food and travel documentary production brings a unique perspective to the event.


Invitation to Participate:

We encourage professionals and stakeholders from the travel and tourism sector in ASEAN countries to participate in this event. Attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to vital conversations that will shape the trajectory of sustainable tourism in ASEAN waterside communities.


Join us in our commitment to fostering a sustainable and inclusive future for tourism in ASEAN waterside cities.

Event Details

  • Date: Friday, 24 November 2023

  • Time: 09:30 AM - 12:00 PM (GMT+7)

  • Location: Hosted on Zoom


To register, please visit our Webinar Registration page.




For more information and webinar agenda, please visit our Project Portal or scan the below QR code.

unesco qr code
 

About the Project

logo of a unesco partners

"Enhancing Sustainable Tourism in ASEAN Waterside Cities" is a pioneering initiative designed to leverage local communities' unique cultural and natural heritage, fostering sustainable development and regional cooperation.


We look forward to seeing you at all our 6 webinars and to collaborating on sustainable tourism development in our waterside communities.


For press inquiries or further details, please contact City Connext:

Anawit Jitmana (+66) 65 895 6323

Thatsanvanh Banjong (+66) 87 706 5030

Email address: cityconnext@gmail.com

 
b.consulting red logo

Contact b.Consulting

(+855) 10 518 700


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