CHEA VANNAK
Direct flights between India and Cambodia will begin next year if current bilateral discussions are successful.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India Tourism Road Show, Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastrava said yesterday that Siem Reap International airport would likely be the first Cambodian destination, if the talks go well, and that such flights would boost tourism, trade between the two countries.
Sin Chansereyvutha, spokesman for State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), said that bilateral discussions on the topic were currently taking place.
“We offer three international airports in Cambodia [Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville] for Indian international flights to land, so the Indian side can land there if they want and are interested,” Mr. Chansereyvutha said.
Presently, passengers traveling between India and Cambodia must connect via a regional hub, usually Bangkok, which extends flight time and inconvenience, said Cambodia Angkor Air vice CEO Lim Kao.
“Cambodia Angkor Air has been conducting numerous studies about the market in India because India is one of the big markets and Siem Reap is a strong potential destination as it is home to a number of Hindu temples, like India has.”
He added that his airline was still looking into the possibility of direct flights to India, but has no current plans to offer the service.
India-Cambodia relations go back to the first century AD when Hindu and Buddhist religious and cultural influences emanated out of India to various parts of Southeast Asia.
The pervading influence of Hinduism, Buddhism and Indian architecture are borne out by the magnificent structures at Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Phrom and other religious and historical sites in Cambodia.
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