Saturday 14 March 2020

SEVERAL SIEM REAP BUSINESSES BAND TOGETHER TO PRODUCE VIDEO CAMPAIGN

A video grab of the promotion has cyclists exploring the area.
Photo: Khmer Times
A group of Siem Reap tourism-related businesses have banded together to overcome falling revenues by producing a YouTube video campaign to convince more tourists to stay longer in town.

The campaign, simply called Stay Longer, is spearheaded by local business identity and cafe owner Adam Rodwell, who says the project is the work of seven Siem Reap businesses: The Little Red Fox Espresso, Jaya House Hotels, Treeline Urban Resort, George’s Rhumerie, Phare Cambodian Circus, Wild Frontiers Travel and Mulberry Boutique Hotel.

“With all the negative feelings surrounding tourism numbers I worked with a number of businesses in town to produce a series of eight destination videos,” Rodwell said.

“Two will be released per week, highlighting different aspects of Siem Reap such as dining, drinking, Tonle Sap exploration, Bakong Temple cycling, arts, relaxation, nightlife and performance, and shopping.”

The groundwork for the campaign started in 2019 when it became obvious tourist numbers needed boosting.

“The seven businesses involved all came together last year as a response to the falling numbers of tourists in Siem Reap,” Rodwell says. “We began to strategise on different ideas where we could bring the community together for the benefit of Siem Reap. I proposed a series of short videos themed around different elements of Siem Reap, which everyone ultimately supported and away we went.”

“It is very common for me to hear tourists say they wished they had booked longer once they arrive, whereas others sometimes are not actually aware of the wide range of options Siem Reap has outside Angkor Wat and the other various temples.”

“These videos are but a small step in highlighting just a taste of what Siem Reap can deliver with regards to experiences.”

Rodwell adds that the group has received encouragement from the tourism ministry.

“A few of us have spoken to different sections of the Ministry of Tourism. Their response has been most encouraging,” he says.

“ I think the ministry, alongside the rest of us, are looking at the state of tourism, not just in Cambodia but Southeast Asia in general, and trying to do our best to adapt to the new reality. If we can instigate more community-engaged initiatives like this and work together, we will find ourselves in the best position possible to overcome the hardships that we are looking at for 2020.”

Naida Dizdarevic, regional manager of operations at Asia for Wild Frontiers Travel, says it’s vital that would-be tourists understand the full potential of a longer stay in Siem Reap.

Read the full article at Khmer Times: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50698298/several-siem-reap-businesses-band-together-to-produce-video-campaign?fbclid=IwAR36xRxo1uK7ghDm8tHNCryqqEfkFgauBWjQQbpeOh_jeditXmNzXNkVyKU

Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
c/o 3rd Floor, Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 154 Rama 1 Road
National Stadium, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Web: www.mekongtourism.org
Tel: +66 2038 5071-1
Mobile: +66 8555 44234, +66 8098 95853

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