Siem Reap in Cambodia is not a new spot on the tourism map.  Cambodia is well known for its national icon, Angko Wat, a UNESCO conservation site, and for its civil war resulting in the infamous 'killing fields'.  However, Siem Reap is badly hit by financial crisis this year.  Major hotels reported only 10% occupancy rate.  Some local hotels have already closed down.

Nevertheless, Siem Reap is a tourist town, with hotels of different class catering to backpackers, tour groups and high-end travellers.  Although there have been some corporate groups, government and NGO meetings held in Siem Reap, there is a lack of venues and facilities that can truly fit large conventions and conferences.  Even some of the key international hotels there do not have ballroom that could sit more that 80 guests classroom style.  

The city has a lot of potential to develop into a MICE destination.  Its three-year-old tropical resort-like airport is a pleasant welcome for the guests.  Angkor Wat and other temple ruins, located not too far from the city, are not only great for site seeing, but can also be venues for theme dinners.  The city itself, with various market, pubs and galleries, can be explored by bicycle or tuk tuk, and this is excellent for team-building activities.  For those with more time, a trip to the water villages and water forests at Tonle Sap Lake will be a memorable experience in how ecology shaped a people's lives.

So the challenge for event organisers is to find good hotel venues that could accommodate group sizes of 100 and above, and sufficient function rooms for breakout sessions.  Some hotels are taking this lull period as an opportunity to build larger ballrooms and we are looking forward to better meeting facilities in Siem Reap soon.