Tourists arriving at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) in October 2023. - PPP
PHNOM PENH: Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) has processed about 900,000 passengers after almost a year of operations, and is expected to pass the 1.5 million milestone by the end of 2024.
The airport welcomed its first flight on Oct 16, 2023. The official inauguration took place a month later on November 16, with Prime Minister Hun Manet and senior Chinese diplomats in attendance.
“Since its opening, the airport has received about 900,000 passengers. It is expected to reach 1.3 million by Oct and 1.5 million by the end of the year,” said Lu Wei, chairman of the board of directors of Angkor International Airport Investment (AIAI), which operates the facility.
He shared the figures during a Sept 4 meeting with Chea Vuthy, secretary-general of the Cambodia Investment Board (CIB) of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), at the CDC headquarters, according to a same-day CDC press release.
During the meeting, Vuthy noted that the opening of the airport has contributed to national economic growth and has attracted foreign tourists to Cambodia, especially Siem Reap province.
In a May meeting with Vuthy, an AIAI delegation sought support for investment projects to develop the economic zone near the airport, which initially plans to invest in solar-powered renewable energy, tourism and agriculture.
During the meeting, Lu introduced a preliminary study project for the development of special energy zones in collaboration with China YNPD, a Chinese company established in 1958 which specialises in electric power, according to the release.
It explained that the special energy zone project will include solar power generation, biomass, wind power and energy storage.
Vuthy welcomed the investment project and requested that the company schedule detailed discussions with the Ministry of Mines and Energy before applying for investment through the CDC.
The Ministry of Tourism announced on Sept 5 that Cambodia hosted around 282,300 domestic tourists and 44,600 international arrivals in the week from August 26 to Sept 1.
It added that the week saw 450 international flights land in Cambodia. Phnom Penh International Airport received 340 flights, Siem Reap Angkor International Airport 100, and Sihanoukville International Airport 10. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
