Tourists arrive at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) in October 2022, its first month of operations. Supplied
Tourism industry insiders have repeated their belief that an increase in international flights to the Kingdom’s provincial Siem Reap and Sihanoukville international airports – in addition to the services available at the Phnom Penh International Airport – will become a driving force in attracting more foreign tourists and investors to Cambodia.
Their comments followed a January 27 meeting at the tourism ministry between Minister of tourism Huot Hak and Mohammed Al Qassim, country manager of Emirates Airline in Cambodia.
According to the ministry, discussions during the courtesy call centred on potential areas of cooperation, including exploring the feasibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the airline and the ministry.
The two sides also focused on means to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector and highlight Emirates’ role in Cambodia.
The minister agreed to the signing of an MoU and appointed a team to discuss the details further.
Hak also requested that the airline consider two requests: An increase in direct flights to destinations beyond Phnom Penh, and that the airline promote the Kingdom through its media channels, with a particular emphasis on collaboration to enhance Muslim tourism.
The ministry reported that from January to November 2024, Cambodia welcomed a total of 6 million foreign visitors, an increase of 22% compared to the same period in 2023. Of them, 3,099 originated in the Middle East, a rise of 12.3%.
Thourn Sinan, president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia, told The Post on January 28 that 4 or 5-star airlines from the Arab region, such as Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, playing an important role in transporting tourists and investors from the UAE and Qatar, as well as other countries around the world, to Cambodia.
If Emirates were to fly directly to Siem Reap, he believed it would drive economic growth.
“Even though world-class airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines operate flights from their countries to Cambodia, it is not just about connecting direct destinations; it’s about connecting one destination to the world,” he said.
He emphasised that Cambodia’s promotion in the Arab region is still lacking and requires more effort, from both the government and the private sector.
Sinan suggested it was too early to predict how the tourism industry will perform in 2025, as global issues such as geopolitical conflicts, global economic growth or natural disasters may still have negative impacts.
Khieu Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association (Katga), agreed that it would be great if Siem Reap International Airport received more direct flights from the Middle East.
He explained that at present, Arab tourists visiting the ancient temples of Siem Reap need to transit through Phnom Penh, or neighbouring countries.
“Most Arab tourists are high-spending, luxury travellers, so if Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk provinces, which have strong tourism potential, could have direct flights from the Arab region, it would be very beneficial,” he said.
Thy believed that the Kingdom has more than enough accommodation and hospitality resources – as well as Arabic-speaking tour guides – to meet the needs of Middle Eastern guests.
According to a progress report from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), the Kingdom’s three international airports – in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville – saw a significant rise in traffic in 2024. A total of 58,354 flights were recorded, rising 14% from 2023, with 6,241,842 passengers passing through, a 22% increase. The report did not provide a breakdown of their nationalities. Air cargo shipments totalled 77,752 tonnes, an increase of 40%.
