Air talks between Cambodia and Indonesia

PHNOM PENH Cambodia’s and Indonesia’s leaders have discussed proposals that would provide a direct air link between the two nations to boost trade and tourism.
Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen and Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, discussed establishing a direct airline link during a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum East Asia in Jakarta last week.
No specifics were given and even if the two leaders succeed in opening the door for direct airline routes it is not certain that any airlines would take up the option for scheduled services. There could be some interest in charter flights sold to Indonesian tourists. However, the main tourist attraction would be Siem Reap, home to the Angkor Historical Park, rather than the capital Phnom Penh.
Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen was quoted as saying: “We must encourage discussions between the foreign affairs ministries of both countries to have direct flights.”
inside no 2Government-Private Sector Working Group on tourism co-chair, Ho Vandy, added that the Indonesian national carrier, Garuda Airlines, signed a MoU with Cambodia three years ago, but has not taken any steps to start talks on a flight.
“If the discussions help make the flight happen, the results would be positive. But it is still too early to tell. We still do not know how detailed the discussions have been.”
The Phnom Penh Post report did not elaborate on the commercial potential, or whether route research on the potential number of passengers for both leisure and business travel has been undertaken.
Indonesia’s trade with Cambodia remains small and apart from travel by diplomats between Jakarta and Phnom Penh there is not much commercial passenger traffic.
However, in 2014, Indonesia ranked the 18th largest source of tourists to Cambodia, with 35,655 visitors increasing 26.4% from 28,199 in 2013, according the Ministry of Tourism. As this is likely to increase there could be potential for charter flights to Siem Reap or a nonstop service to Siem Reap that made a stop in Phnom Penh on the return leg to Jakarta.

sourced:ttrweekly.com