Phnom Penh launch Emirates 13th in Southeast Asia

Phnom Penh: The first Emirates flight from Dubai to Phnom Penh landed here on Saturday evening, to the traditional welcome of a water salute from fire tenders.

The new route brings to 13, the number of cities in Southeast Asia serviced by the airline.

Badr Abbas, Emirates Senior Vice-President, Commercial Operations Far East, was on board the inaugural flight — operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, along with a number of senior executives from the airline.

Abbas told Gulf News the launch of the Cambodia route coincided with the launch of double-daily Airbus A380 flights, also on Saturday, to Beijing and Shanghai in China.

“All the markets in Southeast Asia have shown double digit growth in terms of passenger numbers and revenue over the past few years,” Abbas said. “We are very optimistic about Asia, which offers infrastructure and development.”

Cambodia’s tourism industry is growing rapidly, Abbas said, with tourist arrivals expected to hit eight million per year by 2020, up from 4.7 million in 2015.

The Emirates executive said the airline also expects cargo to play a key role on the route. Cambodia exports clothing, footwear and machinery, among other goods.

Flights to Phnom Penh will depart daily from Dubai International Airport at 0915, Emirates said in a statement, and connect through Yangon, Myanmar.

The route also marks the first time since 2014 that Phnom Penh and Yangon have been connected by a direct air link, the airline said.

As Cambodia’s largest city and its most important commercial centre, Phnom Penh contributes significantly to the country’s economic growth.

Cambodia in March last year expanded the terminal at Phnom Penh airport.

Among the country’s top tourist attractions is the world famous Angkor Wat temple complex. Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, which is close to the temples, hosts more than 120 hotels, according to official figures.