CHEA VANNAK
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| When the current airport is expanded, more tourists and business is expected. KT/Chor Sokunthea |
The expansion and renovation of Sihanouk International Airport is expected to attract investment as well as increase the number of business travelers and tourists in the province, officials said.
Following Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony, officials said that efforts to boost the airport’s passenger-handling capacity to 500,000 will help the fast-growing airport match the traffic of the two other international airports in Cambodia in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap province.
“Due to the rapid increase in passengers, up 50 percent in 2015 among the three airports, it is necessary to improve the terminal building and the taxiways,” said Sinn Chanserey Vutha, a spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation.
“Once finished, it will be able to handle 500,000 passengers and big airplanes like Boeings will be able to land there.”
Renovation work on the airport’s main terminal and surrounding airstrips started on Saturday, aimed at an overall upgrade as well as an expansion to serve five times the number of passengers it does today.
Mr. Chanserey Vutha added that major commercial airlines from Russia and China have also been asked to look into the possibility of having flights connect at Sihanouk International Airport now that it will be able to handle larger aircraft.
“Airplanes not only from Russia, but also China and other airlines will be expected to have a connecting flight route in Sihanouk,” he said.
Cambodia’s Chamber of Commerce vice-president Lim Heng said that more connecting flights in the province will allow for more foreign business opportunities, in line with the development of the province.
“The extension of the Sihanoukville airport will respond to the demand of passengers in the province, especially investors and businessmen, because Preah Sihanouk province has a lot of investment potential,” he said.
“We expect not just Chinese investment, but we also welcome and hope investments from other countries will come in,” he added.
Provincial governor Yun Min said the airport’s upgrade will further propel the province into becoming an industrial hub.
“Based on our predictions, the number of tourists traveling to the province will increase so increasing airport capacity is in response to current demands,” he said.
“Not only tourists, but we also expect foreign investors to come because there are also special economic zones here. Not only will those from China come, but those from other countries as well,” he said.
Thoun Sinan, the local branch chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, added that having more airlines connect in Sihanoukville will also increase competition among various airlines which will bring down ticket prices, further encouraging locals and foreigners to travel.
“After Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk province is where the country’s tourism potential lies. So if there are more international routes from China and Thailand connecting there…it will be very helpful,” Mr. Sinan said.
“When more airlines connect here, it will give passengers more options and create competition which will bring flight fees down,” he said, adding that now flights connecting at the airport were only domestic ones.
Sihanouk International Airport received 100,000 passengers last year, with the airport now only being able to handle 150,000 passengers a year at the most.
According to local media, the airport in October exceeded 100,000 passengers for the first time. The number proved to be a significant milestone as aviation officials have predicted the airport will serve as many as 500,000 travelers come 2020.
All three international airports in Cambodia have received 6.5 million passengers in the Past 10 years, a 300 percent increase from 2005.
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