Ticket sales for activities and tours in Cambodia have received a transparency and visibility boost, thanks to the launch of a new software programme that allows hotels to sell activities.
To Do In Cambodia software developer, Stéphane Combre, was inspired to launch the project after noting guests at his hotel, The 252 in Phnom Penh, after were checking in for longer and seeking more things to do.
Hotels sign up to the platform, receiving their own page that runs in tandem with their website. A range of activities, entertainment and wellness options are selected by the hotel, which they can offer to guests through this page.
These range from apsara performances and cookery classes to tours, spas and transport. Each activity is listed with a photograph, short description and set price, and can be booked online.
Since launching in March, about 100 leading hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have signed up to the platform, with over 1,000 activities, entertainment options, spa treatments and transport route listings offered by September. Signing up is free for hotels, with businesses paying a one-off fee of US$50.
The To Do Software aims to provide a service where visitors can be sure they are paying the right price, while also offering a platform for hotels to sell tours and activities and drive more customers towards locally-run businesses.
Said Combre: “Everyone benefits, from guests to hotel staff and managers, as well as the small companies offering new activities and adventures to tourists.”
He said: “The goal is to be transformative so that more Cambodian businesses can directly benefit from the influx of tourists to Cambodia. The idea is essentially that the new software is the DNA of a progressive, responsible and equitable tourism industry, which I believe is the model that will distinguish Cambodia regionally and globally.”
As well as providing transparency, To Do In Cambodia cuts down on the time hotel staff spend explaining activities available to guests and then making reservations.
The software also gives real-time tallies on earnings as well as which activities and services are popular with their guests. It also gives tourists the option to book activities before landing in the country.
The software’s success has already led to the To Do In Cambodia team looking to expand into other tourist hubs in Cambodia, such as Battambang, Sihanoukville and Kampot. And Combre hopes to roll out across other Southeast Asian countries in the future, such as Vietnam.
