Siem Reap International Airport surpassed three million domestic and international passengers in 2014, which has been hailed as a historic landmark.
Khek Norinda, communication and marketing director of Cambodia Airport, said the increase in passenger arrivals reflected a growing global interest in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s premier tourist attraction.
However Cambodian tourism officials have long been concerned about overcrowding at the site, and have looked at a number of options including a tourist registration program to alleviate congestion and preserve its fragile state.
Ho Vandy, co-chair of a government-private sector working group said the airport can help spur the dispersal of tourism to other parts of Cambodia and boost the regional economy.
"It shows that there are good opportunities for air transportation in our country and I would want to see air connections to Cambodia’s eastern parts like Ratanakkiri or Mondulkiri in the near future," he said.
Last month the CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association Mario Hardy spoke to TravelMole about the need for diversifying Cambodia’s destination marketing to encourage more regional tourism throughout the country.
CEO of Cambodia Airports Emmanual Menanteau said the Siem Reap Airport terminal expansion project, which began in early 2014, will eventually double the airport’s capacity by 2016.
