PHNOM PENH, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's international air passenger traffic dropped 11 percent year-on-year to 4.55 million during the first nine months of 2026, according to a State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) report released Tuesday.
The report showed that flights to the Southeast Asian nation's international airports dipped 2 percent to 46,721 from January to September. Conversely, air cargo volume surged 18 percent, reaching 76,294 tonnes during the same period.
Cambodia is primarily served by three major aviation hubs, Techo International Airport serving the capital Phnom Penh, Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, and Sihanouk International Airport.
SSCA Secretary of State and Spokesperson Sinn Chanserey Vutha noted that 35 airlines, 31 international and four domestic, currently connect Cambodia to ASEAN, East Asia, West Asia, and South Asia.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Studies Center at the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, attributed the decline to persistent post-pandemic shifts, a sluggish economic recovery, global conflicts, and inflationary pressures squeezing disposable incomes in key East Asian and ASEAN source markets.
"However, these challenges are expected to gradually subside, with recovery gaining momentum through 2027," he told Xinhua.
Mengdavid added that growth will be driven by new direct flights, targeted visa-relaxation initiatives, joint promotional campaigns across key Asian markets, and the steady expansion of regional air cargo transit. ■
