Cambodia’s air transport sector in 2024 achieved a growth of 14 percent with the number of flights of nearly 60,000, but compared to Thailand and Vietnam, it is far behind, requiring Cambodia to make more efforts.
Statistics received from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation show that throughout 2024, Cambodia attracted a total of 58,354 two-way flights with a total of more than 6 million passengers and a total of nearly 80,000 tons of goods, an increase of 40 percent.
According to this record, flights connecting Cambodia to other destinations in the region can only be made 189 times a day. Among them, there are 131 flights at Phnom Penh International Airport, 52 at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, and only 6 flights at Sihanoukville International Airport per day.
Seeing this statistic, if we do not compare it with neighboring countries, it is nothing, we see it as really positive because it has increased both in flights, the number of passengers, and the increase in the inflow and outflow of goods. But if we look at the figures in Thailand and Vietnam, they are very different and should be used to promote marketing and further enhance the prestige to promote the growth of air transport services.
For Thailand, it doesn’t have to be a year, just during the Chinese New Year holiday this weekend, a total of more than 24,600 flights with up to 4 million passengers, through 6 air transport services, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang Chiang Mai, Mae Haad Luang, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai. According to the Bangkok Post,
In Vietnam, during the same New Year period, Ho Chi Minh City International Airport alone can handle 820 to 900 flights per day, so in about a week, Vietnam can handle nearly 1 million air passengers.
VN Express estimates that during the joyous New Year period, Vietnam It is expected to attract a total of no less than 6,000 air transport flights during its holiday period. Based on this argument, we expect stakeholders to understand and make efforts to improve air transport services and further reduce the gap in comparison with Vietnam and Thailand.
As recently as 2024, Cambodia has a new international airport in the southwest, Tara Sakor Airport in Koh Kong Province, which has successfully completed its test flights. In the third quarter of 2025, the newest airport under construction will be completed and put into operation. So, hopefully, Cambodia will increase connectivity and also expect that Cambodia may open new transportation destinations.
Transportation and tourism services cannot be separated from each other, and we hope that all parties will use every image or mechanism to make people know about Cambodia and want to come and invest in various ventures. Therefore, we expect that the benefits gained from the achievements of the two new airports will make flights more and more extensive.
