Siem Reap & Tourism: David-Jaya PIOT, “working to sell an attractive, accessible destination at a good price”

The General Manager of the Angkor Village Group, David-Jaya PIOT, talks about the state of the hotel industry in the provincial capital of Siem Reap and shares his thoughts on some ways to remain optimistic.

David-Jaya PIOT

For those who don't know you, can you (re)introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is David-Jaya PIOT, I co-created Kulen Elephant Forest in 2017, and since 2020 I've been the CEO of the Angkor Village Group. Founded in 1994 by my parents Olivier PIOT and Vattho TEP, Angkor Village is a company built around an uncompromising appreciation for the authenticity of Khmer culture in tourism.

At the beginning of the year, you celebrated the 30th anniversary of Angkor Village. How is the business doing today, and are you optimistic about the future?

We are embarking on our 4th decade of operations with great optimism! The efforts of the Royal Government, the Ministry of Tourism and the Cambodia Tourism Board have given us a promising future. We're also seeing an increase in appreciation from the local and international public for our values, i.e. cultural authenticity and sustainability, which makes our convictions all the stronger.

In your opinion, what are the main assets of your establishment, what are the main reasons for the success of Angkor Village?

Angkor Village is known first and foremost for its authentic architectural style and natural charm, which many people see as a journey back in time. However, what most of our customers remember is the warm, family atmosphere of our team. No scripted interactions, but instead spontaneous gestures that perfectly reflect Khmer hospitality.

Angkor Village

Quite a few hoteliers are talking about a ‘complicated’ situation in the Siem Reap sector. How do you feel about this?

The tourism market in Siem Reap has suffered a major contraction, exacerbated by high seasonal fluctuations. This economic contraction has brought with it all the associated problems: inflation, lack of manpower, low investment, to name but a few. The solutions are very simple to talk about, but extremely complicated to implement.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for dealing with these difficulties?

As many professionals know, the solution lies in marketing Cambodia. We must work to sell an attractive, accessible destination at a good price. Without addressing the problems at a macro-economic level, any solution will only be fragile or temporary.

“On a macro level, I encourage tourism stakeholders to participate in public dialogue via associations to keep our government continually informed of the difficulties facing tourism.”

At the micro-economic level, in Siem Reap, it's all about doing a lot with a little, and everyone already knows that creativity and prudence are our best allies today. Digital marketing is also a very powerful weapon to have in one's arsenal, and one that is inexpensive to master. In Siem Reap, the lack of expertise in this field gives those who know how to master these tools a major advantage.

You offer a holiday with a strong focus on local culture. Are you offering anything new?

We are currently working on some new features, yes, but for the moment they remain confidential!

What are your plans for the future, both personal and professional?

Initially, we're going to work on reopening the Angkor Village Resort and I'll continue to work passionately as a hotel and restaurant owner. As for what's next, we'll see later - I don't like to get ahead of myself!

David with one of the sanctuary elephants

Tell us a little about the Kulen sanctuary

Kulen Elephant Forest continues to promise a happy retirement to our ten residents. Our medical capabilities have improved enormously this year and we plan to develop this further in the coming years. We continue to be accredited by ACES (Asian Captive Elephant Standards) with whom we are working closely to develop new standards for the welfare of captive Asian elephants. We've extended the centre with a new artificial lake, which will soon be ready to entertain elephants brave enough to get off their feet while swimming!