Cambodia’s three main international airports welcomed about three million passengers in the first quarter of the year, a rise of 26.1 per cent thanks to the increased number of new airlines from China and the opening of new routes.
According to the quarterly report from VINCI Airports, Cambodia Airports’ mother company, the three airports reported sharp traffic growth.
“Growth was particularly strong in Phnom Penh, as the capital’s airport welcomed 1.4 million passengers (up 34.5 percent), reflecting the arrival of new carriers like Malindo, Vietjet and Shenzhen Airlines, the growth of Chinese carriers such as Spring, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, and the opening of major new routes by local airlines such as Singapore and Bangkok by JC Airlines and Lan Mei,” it said.
“Activity was also brisk in Siem Reap (up 17.4 percent) with travelers from China and domestic market being the main drivers of growth.”
Ho Vandy, secretary-general of the Cambodian National Tourism Alliance, said yesterday that the rise in passengers through the airports reflected the country’s political stability, economic growth and the increase in people’s income.
“Of course, I have noticed that our tourism industry is still doing well in the recent months of the year because more and more airlines opened, especially airlines in China, while Chinese tourists are flocking into the country a lot now,” he said.
“I also see more and more local people traveling by air now because their incomes are rising so they want to pay visits or have health checks abroad,” he said.
He said that although Cambodia was to hold a general election in July, the country’s economic activity and especially the tourism sector were still doing well.
“We do hope that our politicians will put the national interest as their priority to maintain the country’s growth to benefit our people.”
