In October 2023, the current flying base next to the Angor Wat temple complex will close once a brand-new airport 50 km east of Siem Reap is almost finished. The former airport will no longer be used for commercial flights, according to the Cambodian civil aviation authorities. The new airport, despite being much further distant, was required, according to government spokesman Chanserey Vutha, to increase the frequency of foreign flights and to stop the environmental harm that aircraft vibrations and pollution were causing to the ancient sites in Siem Reap.
The spokesman stated that current visitor numbers only make up around 40% of the 2019 boom year, when more over 6 million foreigners visited the kingdom. He anticipated that there will be at least 300 flights per week to and from various Chinese cities once the new airport was operational in October. The Yunnan Investment Group, a conduit for Chinese loans and grants, played a significant role in the $1 billion structure’s construction.Techo Takhmao International, a new airport for Phnom Penh, is also planned and is expected to open in 2024.
It will be the ninth largest in the world and incorporate the newest hi-tech elements for communication and safety. It is located in Kandal Province, about 35 kilometers from the city. The absence of direct flights from the United States, Europe, Russia, and India, with the majority of passengers passing through Bangkok, is now the greatest barrier to international tourism in Cambodia. Soon, that brake will be released.
