Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) in northwest Cambodia's tourist hub commenced operations on Monday, raising hope for tourism revitalization.

The first commercial flight operated by Bangkok Airways landed at the airport on Monday morning, receiving a warm welcome from Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Vongsey Visoth.

Speaking at the event, Visoth said the SAI, with a 3,600-meters runway, is a 4E-level international airport that can accommodate long-distance flights from across the globe.

"The new airport will give a boost to the development of tourism in Siem Reap province in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era," he said. "It is a testament to the fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."

Visoth said the SAI will contribute to the development of Cambodia's tourism, trade and economy in the long term, and local people in Siem Reap province will reap maximum benefits from this airport.

"This new airport will become a key catalyst to revitalize our tourism," he said. "It will not only support our economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, but also further integrate Cambodia into the region and the world."

The SAI has been invested by the Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., an affiliate of China's Yunnan Investment Holdings Ltd.

Mao Havannall, minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), said the airport will be able to handle 7 million air passengers per annum from 2024 and up to 12 million passengers annually from 2040.

"It is a historic milestone in the development of the aviation industry in Cambodia," he said. "This is also the fruit of the ironclad friendship and the Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework between Cambodia and China."

Covering a parcel of 700 hectares, the SAI is located in Sotr Nikum district, about 40 km from the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archeological Park and 50 km from Siem Reap provincial town.

With the commencement of SAI operations, the old Siem Reap International Airport was entirely closed, as all commercial flights of air passengers and cargo were transferred to the SAI, according to the SSCA.

Duch Sareth, vice president of the Siem Reap Chapter of Cambodia Association of Tourism, said the SAI would not only inject fresh impetus into the development of the tourism sector, but also contribute to improving the livelihoods of locals through job creation.

"It is a great boon for Siem Reap province, as the new airport can accommodate the landing of all kinds of large-scale planes," he told Xinhua. "I believe that this new airport will drive an increase in visitor numbers to Siem Reap province."

Sareth suggests that the new airport operator attract new international airlines to fly to Siem Reap province, so they can help bring more tourists, businesspeople and investors to Cambodia.

"In the medium-to-long term, I think that this new airport will help transform Siem Reap province into a bigger hub of tourism, trade and investment, and local people will directly benefit from it," he said.

Cambodia Tourism Federation president Din Somethearith said the SAI is a new "international gateway" to the cultural province of Siem Reap.

"It makes international passengers easier to travel to Siem Reap province," he told Xinhua. "This large and modern airport will add fresh momentum to the development of tourism, trade and investment in the province, and will importantly contribute to boosting Cambodia's sustainable economic growth in the long term."

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