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Cambodia airports hit new milestone

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PHNOM PENH, 16 January 2019: Cambodia’s three international airports reported passenger traffic reached 10.6 million in 2018, based on data provided by VINCI Airports, the French-owned company operating international airports in Cambodia.

Monitoring passenger traffic moving through Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville airports the company said traffic grew by 20.1% when compared with 2017.

Cambodian airports hit the 10 million-passenger milestone on 18 December for the first-time, according to parent company Vinci Airports’ CEO Eric Delobel.

 “Connectivity and synergies between the three airports have significantly contributed to bringing in more and more passengers to Cambodia,” he said in the company statement.

VINCI Airports, which has run the country’s international airports since 1995, through its subsidiary Cambodia Airports, said passenger traffic doubled over the last five years.

The company reported it has initiated an ambitious investment programme and contributed to the modernisation and expansion of Phnom Penh airport’s runway to support the increase in passengers.

Cambodia Airports communications and public relations director Khek Norinda told the Phnom Penh Post, Monday, that the attractiveness of Cambodia as a destination for leisure and business was the key driver for air traffic demand.

“It is the result of our strategy for route development and for connecting our three airports to more destinations,” he said.

In its annual report VINCI Airports said its three airports in Cambodia delivered a strong upward trend throughout the year.

But in the fourth quarter 2.9 million passengers travelled through the three airports (17.1% more than in Q4 2018), pushing the full-year figure past the 10 million-passenger mark for the first time ever to reach 10.6 million.

It represented a 20.1% year-on-year increase. These figures reflect an upsurge in demand from China and Thailand, and the fact that eight new routes were opened.

Growth was especially brisk in Phnom Penh (up 27.9%), which cleared the 5-million passenger milestone to reach 5.4 million in 2018.

Siem Reap International Airport saw a slimmer 6.4% year-on-year increase with passenger traffic reaching 4.48 million.

The town, home to the UNESCO Angkor Historical Park, saw a growth in traffic from Japan, Korea and Europe

Sihanoukville International Airport saw the biggest increase in passenger traffic, with traffic growing 92.6%, last year, to reach 651,000. The high growth rate was due to a small passenger traffic base in 2017.

Sihanoukville is emerging as a popular tourist destination, especially for visitors from China and gamblers from neighbouring countries. The coastal town has more than 18 casinos.

VINCI reported 104,805 aircraft take-offs and landings at the three airports; Phnom Penh 52,217, Siem Reap 44,314 and Sihanoukville 8,274.

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