Charles Vann, Director of Cambodia Airport Investment Co., Ltd. (CAIC), Monday urged tourism associations and tour operators to actively promote the upcoming Techo International Airport (TIA), set to officially open in July.
He encouraged them to help boost dissemination, mobilise efforts, and attract international tourists to visit Cambodia.
Leading around 200 members of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) on a visit to the new airport in Takhmao city, Kandal province, Vann also recalled that the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) commitment to officially inaugurate the Techo International Airport in July 2025.
“In July, we will be ready to officially launch the new airport. Therefore, I would like to ask all of you, members of the CATA, and other tour operations to pay attention to welcoming visitors and helping to promote this large airport,” said Vann.
Emphasising that tour operators are crucial partners in mobilising and encouraging tourists to visit Cambodia, Vann said that this partnership must be maintained.
“We have had discussions and gained a mutual understanding, but we did not sign any agreement and we need to do to make our work successful from this new achievement. Tour operators will play a key role in attracting visitors to Cambodia. With this support, we aim to see greater tourist growth compared to last year, as we are ready to welcome more tourists in 2025 and beyond,” he said.
“With a larger airport, we will have the ability and capacity to accept large aircraft, which will allow us to attract both tourists and significant investors.”
It may be recalled that Cambodia’s 4F-class TIA will open its first phase in July 2025. Currently, the large airport is more than 90 percent complete and has cost more than $1.3 billion.
The TIA has been named one of the 11 most spectacular architectural creations in the world by CNN, marking a significant achievement for the nation as it forges ahead into the future of aviation.
The airport is designed with remarkable capacity, allowing it to accommodate up to six times more travellers.
Speaking to a group of reporters at the airport, President of the CATA Chhay Sivlin, said that CATA is committed to promoting the new international airport to attract more tourists to Cambodia.
“It is a great achievement for Cambodia, we have a wonderful modern technology international airport. I am proud as a tour operator because this airport will bring prestige to the Kingdom and we can take this product to the international stage to promote and attract more direct flights,” she said.
Sivlin went on to add that this achievement demonstrates to tourists and people worldwide that Cambodia is ready to welcome large investments, as well as direct flights and tourists of all nationalities, without discrimination.
“We will promote our new airport at major tourism exhibitions worldwide, especially in March when we have a mission in Berlin, Germany. We will bring the photos to showcase to tourism professionals and operators from around the world who will be attending the tourism exhibition in Germany,” Sivlin added.
She expressed optimism that once the large airport is officially operational, it will attract more flights to Cambodia.
“When we have more travel connections from major countries, the flow of tourists will increase. At that point, Cambodia will become more prosperous by welcoming tourists, creating job opportunities for locals, and supporting both direct and indirect tourism-related businesses,” said Sivlin.
According to the report from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), Cambodia’s three international airports handled a combined 5.65 million air passengers in 2024, up 39.8 percent from 4.04 million a year before.
