Minister in Charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) Mao Havannall (centre left) and Malaysian transport minister Loke Siew Fook. SSCA
The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) met with Malaysia's transport authorities to discuss increasing the number of direct flights between Malaysia and Cambodia, aiming to restore the frequency of flights to pre-Covid-19 levels.
In the first eight months of 2024, over 60,000 Malaysians travelled to Cambodia.
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Minister in Charge of the SSCA Mao Havannall held talks with Malaysian transport minister Loke Siew Fook during the 2024 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2024) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from October 21-25.
According to the secretariat, the discussions focused on three main points: restoring flights between Cambodia and Malaysia to pre-pandemic levels; encouraging Malaysia Airlines to resume flights to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI); and establishing direct flight connections from major Malaysian cities, such as Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu to Cambodia.
Ho Vandy, chairman of the Cambodia Tourism Association (CATA) and managing director of World Express Co Ltd, told The Post on October 23 that increasing international flights would greatly benefit travel and trade between Cambodia and Malaysia.
He said that before the pandemic, Cambodia had multiple weekly flights to Malaysia and added that Malaysian visitors include tourists, workers and investors.
Vandy emphasised that with Malaysia having one of the busiest airports globally, more flight connections would not only facilitate travel for Malaysians but also for foreigners travelling through Malaysia.
However, he noted that both the Cambodian government and the private sector need to be committed to promoting international tourism to drive the plan forward.
Vandy also mentioned that starting this October, after the sharp reduction in flights during the pandemic, daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh would be operated by both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, with up to two or more flights on certain days.
Regarding Malaysia Airlines' plans for direct flights to Siem Reap, Vandy said that such connections from various Malaysian cities would ease travel for tourists visiting Cambodia and for Cambodians travelling to Malaysia.
In the first eight months of 2024, the country welcomed 4.29 million foreign tourists, a 22.5% increase from the same period in 2023. Malaysians numbered 61,226, up 1.7% from 2023, accounting for 1.4% of all foreign visitors during the period, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
From January to September, total trade between the two nations reached $659.84 million, up 35.6% compared to the same period in 2023. Imports from Malaysia amounted to $563.84 million, up 36%, while exports to Malaysia totaled $96 million, up 33.3%, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE).
