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Cambodia can digitize its workforce and employ technology as much as it needs, but without investing in creative digital marketing campaigns, it will not realize its potential as a premier tourist destination.

Dawit Habtemariam

Cambodia is looking to boost the digital capabilities of its tourism industry to recover from the pandemic and become more competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors. The country has taken steps in terms of workforce and technology, but much more needs to be done in terms of destination promotion.

The industry collapsed during the pandemic. According to the World Bank, the number of tourists to Cambodia fell from 6.6 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in the following year.

To reform and rebuild the tourism industry, the ministry will launch a digital literacy training program and an online college in 2021. We have partnered with event management software vendor Wonderpass to make our ticketing and booking solution more accessible to industry players.

According to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s “2021 Roadmap for Cambodia Tourism Recovery”, the government’s main objective is to work with the private sector to use digital technology to enhance promotional efforts and improve administrative efficiency. and make the tourism industry more productive. During and post Covid-19.

“Outside major tourist areas and facilities, we need to improve people’s literacy by improving their basic IT knowledge and introducing tools that make life easier for businesses and customers. of hotels, homestays and other establishments still make reservations manually.

Cambodia’s tourism sector has gone digital in the last few years. For example, payment transfers have become streamlined and contactless. In the past, tourists often had to rely on cash. “Compared to a few years ago, almost all vendors, including street food vendors, no longer use credit cards, but now he uses QR codes,” Howarth-Archer said. said. “They are accepting new payment methods such as money transfers through Alipay and banking apps.”

At the forefront of digital marketing, the country has a lot of work to do. The Prime Minister acknowledged the lack of “functional marketing and promotion based on international practices” as a continuing weakness to be addressed in the roadmap.

“Currently Cambodia does not have an independent tourism board,” said Nick Ray. The country has the Cambodian Tourism Federation and the Cambodian Travel Agency Association. [both didn’t respond to media inquiries]but no one is in charge of marketing or budgeting, said Nick Ray, Hanuman Travel Product Director.

“Companies can promote themselves, but they have to sit under coordinated campaigns and big umbrellas,” Ray said. We don’t have the strategic vision and budget to back it up that you get from the Thai Tourism Authority. “

A lack of digital marketing may be one reason why Angkor Wat remains the country’s selling point. “Overreliance on Angkor for tourism marketing” was one of the weaknesses of the tourism sector that the prime minister listed on his roadmap.

Cambodia isn’t yet seen as a standalone destination, with a range of beaches, towns, islands, culture and many other compelling offerings, Ray says.Howarth-Archer of G Adventures He said:

Tourists will have to stumble upon Cambodia’s other offerings on their own. “Perhaps more promotion will come from passing bloggers. [Cambodia]unpaid or unorganized,” said Howarth-Archer.

As such, Cambodia is stuck as an add-on to travel to competing countries in Southeast Asia. Its weak air connection is certainly one of the reasons. The cash-strapped airline has not resumed operations. There are no direct flights with European or US markets. To enter Cambodia, you must first pass through either Vietnam or Thailand, said Olivier He Marshen, his general manager at Intrepid in Cambodia.

“Our biggest vulnerability is being perceived as a destination for add-ons or extensions, which is not the right position,” Hanuman’s Ray said. “You’re giving Thailand or Vietnam a 10 or 12 day vacation. Cambodia, or really only Angkor Wat, is getting this little add-on for a couple of days of him. It’s huge for the country.” It does not bring in any significant amount of income or profit.”