Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has described the Techo International Airport (TIA) as a new milestone for Cambodia, noting that it enhances Kingdom’s tourism and economic potential, while also attracting more direct foreign investment into the country.
He highlighted the importance of the facility as he addressed its official inauguration ceremony this morning, October 20. The ceremony was attended by government leaders and officials, representatives from embassies, national and international organisations, the private sector and around 1,500 additional stakeholders.
Manet recalled that the investment project for Techo International Airport originated from a long-term visionary initiative of former Prime Minister Hun Sen — founder of the win-win policy, father of peace and current Senate president. He added that the inauguration of the new airport marked a promising development for the tourism and economic sectors across the country.
He explained that opening the skies and enhancing air connectivity is the second key priority among the five priorities (People, Roads, Water, Electricity and Technology) of phase one of the seventh-mandate government’s Pentagonal Strategy.
It is also the second priority within phase two of the strategy, which focuses on improving connectivity and enhancing the efficiency of the transportation and logistics sector. The strategic goal is to increase the efficiency of supporting infrastructure, as well as the construction and development of new infrastructure.
“Air transport is a vital mode of travel and cargo that serves tourism, investment, business, politics and multi-purpose missions, as well as countless other objectives. Thanks to its expanded passenger capacity and ability to accommodate both regional and long-haul international flights, I believe that Techo International Airport will become a driving force in attracting even more tourists and investors to Cambodia than we welcomed before the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
“TIA is a symbol of Cambodia’s progress under the umbrella of peace and serves as a key driving force to boost national economic growth, elevate the aviation-tourism-investment sectors, and enhance Cambodia’s transportation and logistics sector both globally and domestically,” added a press release from the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA).
Construction began on January 7, 2020, at the peak of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The project is being developed in three phases: Phase 1 (2025–2030), has the capacity to handle 13 million passengers per year, Phase 2 (2030–2050), will handle up to 30 million, and Phase 3 (from 2050 onward), will see capacity reach 50 million.
TIA is classified as a 4F-level international airport, meeting all international infrastructure standards and capable of serving all types of aircraft, including both regional and long-haul flights. The total investment for Phase 1 amounted to $2.3 billion. The facility covers 2,600 hectares, in Kandal Steung district, Kandal province and Bati district in Takeo province, approximately 26 kilometres from the centre of Phnom Penh.
According to the SSCA, sine its September 9 soft opening, TIA has handled an average of 150,000 passengers and 130 flight movements per day. At present, a total of 29 airlines (25 international and 4 domestic) operate at the airport,
“This newly rising star — Techo International Airport — is becoming a hub connecting Cambodia to the world more broadly. It is set to become a solid foundation supporting Cambodia’s multi-sectoral transportation, logistics, tourism and investment industries and will play a major role in driving national economic growth,” it added.
