Cambodia Rises Again
Cautious optimism for Cambodian airports
Cambodian Airports Authority (Société Concessionaire des Aéroports or SCA) is optimistic for 2010 with a predicted growth in both flights and passengers, which would represent a rebound over 2009. Data for the first ten months of last year point to a contraction of 21.9% at Siem Reap Airport and of 8.5% at Phnom Penh Airport.
According to Nicolas Deviller, CEO of SCA, passengers traffic at both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports should respectively grow by 3.6% and 5.6% due to a relatively sound economy and the opening of more routes out of the airport. This winter, Korean Air opened a new route from Busan to Siem Reap while Asiana reopened its flights Seoul-Siem Reap. Lao Airlines increased also its frequencies from 10 to 14 to Siem Reap from Vientiane and Pakse. New national carrier Cambodia Angkor Air recently has increased its frequencies offering 5 daily flights between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, three daily flights on the Siem Reap-HCM City route and two daily flights between Phnom Penh and HCM City.
SCA is looking to expand Sihanoukville Airport runway, especially with the planned development of the new Song Saa Island Resort in the Koh Rong archipelago, a 30 minute boat ride from the Cambodian resort town of Sihanoukville. The resort will comprise private villas, restaurants and bar, a water sport centre and a spa. It is expected to be completed by the mid of 2011. Sihanoukville is also likely to see more resorts been developed. The city has currently only one hotel of international standard, the Sokha Beach Resort.
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