When the pandemic brought global travel to a halt, Siem Reap’s tourism industry – like many others – was left reeling. For Samnang Chhon, a seasoned tourism professional with a thriving career, it meant starting over from scratch.
But instead of letting the crisis define him, Samnang took the opportunity to rebuild, adapt, and eventually launch Sam Inspire, a game-changing event and tourism company in Cambodia.
By blending his deep expertise in tourism with a flexible, client-first approach, Samnang has set Sam Inspire apart from conventional event agencies and travel planners. And as the founder of Angkor Kids Center, he has been instrumental in shaping the future of local youth, providing them with education and career opportunities in tourism and beyond.
In this interview, Samnang shares his journey – from navigating the challenges of starting over to redefining event management in Cambodia. He also discusses his vision for sustainable tourism, the evolving landscape of Siem Reap, and how businesses and travelers can contribute to meaningful change.
You had to leave a growing company due to the pandemic but managed to start Sam Inspire. What were the biggest challenges in rebuilding your career? What kept you motivated?
The first and foremost thing was to manage my mind: refreshing it to the right point to make a move. Start placing myself at the beginning, by which I mean I started my life from zero despite the many responsibilities such as family, debt and the virus itself.
I did not start Sam Inspire right away, but I started playing around with the market demand in different niches but still related to tourism activities. I did not have any skill in market research, or the ability to employ experts to do it.
What I did was just writing a blog on my website – just my personal blogging site, monetized on Google AdSense. After writing a few blogs on keywords like event management services, hybrid event management, corporate travel management etc. I got several requests from big organizations like World Food Program, and private companies. I continued to write and restructure my personal website into a business-feel website with service sections.
In 2022 when COVID-19 rules were finally relaxed, I got promising leads which made me register Sam Inspire as a company. From then, I started receiving business, and got my company up and running. I don’t see it as a challenge, starting SAM INSPIRE, with my rich experiences and network in my field. As long as we keep refreshing ourselves, see challenge as opportunity, and stay in the circle of your expertise while expanding it, that is the way to go.
What makes Sam Inspire different from other event agencies and travel planners in Cambodia?
Providing owner-managed and operated services is Sam Inspire’s unique business model. While most companies do their thing following the pattern, workflow, procedures, in short the “standards” of their own, Sam Inspire uses the format of our clients to execute – including budgeting, contract, policy, execution plans, and final report. We adapt to the clients’ convenience.
One last thing, our event team has a varied and international travel hospitality background, from tour operator operation, restaurant and hotel management. That sets us apart from other providers.
Most other event companies have only event background like AV, branding production. And on the other way round, most other travel planners or DMCs, tour operators have only has only travel-related skills and knowledge but not event management knowledge.
Your company now offers hybrid conference events. Can you share how this trend has impacted your business and the event industry in Cambodia?
Hybrid Conference event management is my favorite. In 2022 and 2023, virtual conferences had volumed down and live event (face to face) has increased. Hi-tech hybrid conference system was popular and required for almost every event.
That helped our business a lot, since all travel companies in Cambodia did not know what a hybrid conference is. But now, since everything is back to normal, and people enjoy traveling, virtual conference is not required anymore. Conference organizer love to make pre-recorded videos from those speakers who cannot attend in person.
However, this doesn’t mean that our hybrid system equipment was ignored. The effect from the virtual visual on the screen created a norm of having a live feed, which is practically similar in setup and method to the hybrid system. In such an event, our tech team is still busy at the console to manage the screen or live events.
And with our technical skills in hybrid system management, we can help our clients switch to hybrid events swiftly, even at a last-minute request!
Siem Reap is known for the Angkor temples, but what are some lesser-known attractions that you think deserve more attention, and have taken your clients to?
Angkor Archaeological Park used to be my play field and place for keeping my herd of buffalos and cows back in 1990s! I don’t see if we missed any small temples from our sights.
I don’t encourage focusing on promoting the small and lesser-known to the perspective of locals. I mean, temples that we as locals know a little, or have just found out. Since our big and grand temples are still absolutely lesser-known!
To my experience, in the eyes of most of my clients, they thought Angkor Temple is just a small single temple of Angkor Wat. If they want to see lesser known or least touristed areas at Angkor Wat, why not bring them to South and North gates of Angkor Wat? We need to develop more activities and programs in this complex, not just copy and paste of those generic itineraries.
You founded Angkor Kids Center as a way to give back to your community. What impact has it had over the years?
My village Samrong is a very secluded village. By having our free school in our village, every year our program empowers village youth to develop their career. Many of them now have degrees from universities, and many others acquired life skills in tourism, often through partnership programs with other foundations or directly with tourism training facilities.
We don’t monitor the numbers precisely, as we are not raising funds or reporting to anyone. But we see from our own eyes and senses. Everywhere I go, such as hotels, restaurants, luxury Mekong cruises, airports, we hear from tour guides and drivers, “hello teacher”.
Image courtesy of All for Kids NGO
Do you see a link between education and the future of Cambodia’s tourism industry? How can they complement each other? Any “alumni” of AKC that you’re particularly proud of?
The pain that I got when I started to work my way up from being just a motorbike taxi rider, it was already tough. Despite living in the Angkor zone itself, we were still shocked and shaken from different cultures and destination developments.
Therefore, we had to equip ourselves with tourism skills, and be educated. Having the right education, I was better prepared to serve and work for tourism well. As a result of education, our AKC alumni can live harmoniously and serve tourists with the best professionalism.
After over 20 years of operation, we have so many success stories from our school. For example: Mr. Hak Hien, now serving as our Executive Director at Angkor Kids Center. He got sponsorship to attend Paul Dubrule school, he worked at Amansara for years, and graduated from university.
Mr. Put Pon received a sponsorship to Thailand, and holds a master’s degree there now. He works in a hospital there. Mrs. Salin NHY, she received a bachelor’s degree in English teaching and now works for an International NGO.
And Mr. Cheay Krom now holds a degree and works for SAI Airport slot management. And that’s leaving out so many cooks, chefs, and other professionals that we are not able to count them all.
What’s your vision for Angkor Kids Center in the coming years, and how can travelers or businesses contribute to its mission?
I want the school to stay as it is. Not growing big, not going small. The students are fluctuating between 300 to 400 learners taking their one-hour class every weekday. We have our supporters who contribute monthly. Businesses and travelers can get inspired from our stories, and contribute as they wish.
Rather than supporting us, I encourage those business (especially the local ones) to start doing something themselves with heart, and sustain it. Then you don’t really need to be certified by a sustainable business organization. Your work is the biggest Certificate and Proof. Instead of paying the annual fees to those institutions, pay to your own organization!
How has the tourism landscape in Siem Reap changed over the years, and where do you see it heading in the future?
I have no doubt that tourism in Cambodia is growing, and will continue to grow massively. Those who travel on traditionally classic itinerary will not book with offline travel agents anymore, but Online Travel Agents (OTAs). Those who need travel planners are looking for customized itineraries with special and personal services.
Siem Reap will be a hot and emerging destination for conferences and events. Even those overseas inhouse or event agency organizers don’t feel confident about it yet, but they are taking risks. Due to the fact that many tourists have already become bored with other ASEAN destinations, Siem Reap will become as busy as Bali with the near future. Investors should get ready with international standard event spaces and facilities.
