Cambodia aims to enhance its connectivity with tourist source markets worldwide by developing two more international airports as part of its tourism development program. The State Secretariat for Civil Aviation announced the inclusion of Koh Rong and Mondulkiri international airports in this program. Techo International Airport is also under construction and expected to be operational by 2024.
Invested by Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd (CAIC), the project worth $1.5 billion is being built by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd. The airport is being constructed on 2,600 hectares in the southern provinces of Kandal and Takeo. The construction of the Class 4F airport, the highest class in the world, started in 2019.
According to the master plan, the first stage of the airport will be able to handle 13 million passengers per year. In the second phase, which is set to be completed by 2030, it will be able to handle 30 million passengers, and in the third phase, projected to be completed by 2050, it will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers.
The second airport under development is Koh Kong province's Dara Sakor International Airport. This airport is in its final stages of construction and is being developed by the Chinese company Tianjin Union Development Group (UDG) for $200 million. The airport can accommodate wide-body aircraft like Boeing 777s and Airbus A340s.
The airport is Siem Reap Angkor's international airport, built for $1.1 billion. It was officially inaugurated on November 16 and aims to attract more foreign tourists to the area, home to the famous UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat Archaeological Park.
Between January and October of this year, Cambodia's international airports have seen a significant increase in air passengers, handling 4.11 million passengers in total. This marks an impressive 144% increase from the previous year. During the same period, the country recorded 41,596 flights at its international airports, representing a 93% increase from the prior year.
According to the Cambodian Secretariat of Civil Aviation report, the country currently has direct flights to eight ASEAN member countries, including China, South Korea, and Qatar, among other destinations.