Cambodia-developed Software Expands Options for Visitors to Region’s Most Treasured Destination
PHNOM PENH (PRWEB) May 21, 2018 -- A new software program developed in Cambodia is adding transparency to ticket sales at hotels, personalizing services for guests and increasing visitors to a wider range of activities in the Southeast Asian nation’s swiftly diversifying tourism industry.
“We have already exceeded our full-year target for distribution of the software at leading hotels in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh,” explains software developer Stéphane Combre. “We are on track to reach 100 hotels by the end of June and expect at least 1,000 listings for activities, entertainment, spa treatments and transport by September,” he said.
“The new software widens the range of activities for guests of each hotel that installs it,” explains Diane Caroen, executive director of marketing and sales for To Do Software. These activities range from traditional cooking and ceramics classes to outdoor adventures, spa treatments and transportation services. “What is important is that the software provides locally-run businesses with more customers, so tourism is having a wider impact on improving livelihoods,” Ms. Caroen said, adding that it is environmentally friendly.
“We are dispensing with flyers and brochures. This reduces waste, which is an emerging priority for the hospitality industry here and the Royal Government of Cambodia. It is also part of the ethos of To Do Software, which is summed up in our slogan ‘Treasure Cambodia’.”
To Do Software sales manager Judith Huillet said sales are brisk. “Convenience, simplicity and transparency are what makes the software so unique,” explains the executive who is based in Siem Reap, Cambodia’s top tourist destination and home to the Angkor Wat temple complex.
The software is tailored to each hotel and runs in tandem with its website, offering guests a range of nearby activities, entertainment and wellness options. They can book tickets or services after viewing photographs and reading descriptions. One spa, for example, lists more than 30 different treatments, with the price and length of each one clearly listed.
The free software can be installed in less than 2 hours and ensures tourists are not overcharged for services or tickets. It also reduces time spent by hotel staff describing activities available for guests and booking reservations for them. Hotels that add a facilitation fee for ticketing can keep these fees. The software also provides real-time tallies on earnings as well as the activities and services that are most popular with guests. Fees for services can be added onto guests’ hotel bills, and bookings can be made before they even arrive in Cambodia.
“Everyone benefits, from guests to hotel staff and managers, as well as the small companies offering new activities and adventures to tourists,” explains Mr. Combre, the founder of one of Phnom Penh’s first boutique hotels, the award-winning Hotel 252.
Pierre Carron, executive director of the Angkor Village Resort – a five star, eco-friendly resort – said quests and staff alike were full of praise for the new software program. “Our guests can easily review a wide range of activities, including the tailored programs we offer, online. The system opens a new era of access to Siem Reap that we can also monitor to ensure safety and transparency for our valued guests,” he said.
“We are also saving time and money while benefiting the local economy by helping to promote small businesses at no cost to them,” Mr. Carron added.
Mr. Combre said he was inspired to create the software because guests at his hotel – which has one of the highest rates of returning customers in Phnom Penh – are staying longer. “Cambodia’s tourism industry is maturing swiftly. Guests are staying longer and seeking new experiences,” he said, adding that he had already received interest from investors in neighboring countries seeking to purchase the proprietary software – which allows for multiple language versions – for use in their countries.
Contact:
Stéphane Combre (in Phnom Penh) stephane(at)todoincambodia(dot)com
Tel: (855) 092 963 532
Diane Caroen (in Siem Reap)
diane(at)todoincambodia(dot)com
Tel: (855) 012 285 912
Judith Huillet (in Siem Reap)
judith(at)todoincambodia(dot)com
Tel: (855) 096 745 1322
Stéphane Combre, To Do In Cambodia, http://www.todoincambodia.com/, +855 92 963 532, [email protected]
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