PHNOM PENH: The Spokesperson for the Secretariat of State for Civil Aviation, Dr. Sinn ChanSerey Vutha, has said that the number of tourists travelling by air is beginning to return to the numbers seen in pre-pandemic times, based on a number of factors including an increase in flight and reconnection.

"The steady increase in the number of passenger traffic and the number of aircraft traffic (number of flights) is a sign that we are returning to the growth path of a pre-determined level from before the pandemic," Dr. Sinn ChanSerey Vutha told EAC News.

According to the Spokesperson, the total number of air passengers as of the end of July 2022 was nearly 1 million (908,059 people), indicating an increase of nearly 500% compared to the same seven-month period in 2021. Total air traffic (the number of plane landings and take-offs) was 12,550 as of the end of July 2022, showing an increase of 110% compared to 2021.

Air transport cargo in the first seven months of 2022, however, only totaled about 34,547 tons, which is down 4.43% compared to 2021.

He added that 26 airlines (including 6 Chinese companies), just more than 50% of airlines compared to 2019, reconnected flights to Cambodia this year. In 2019, there were 51 airline companies that had connecting flights to Cambodia.

What is noteworthy is the two leading air travel routes are from Phnom Penh-Bangkok-Phnom Penh and Phnom Penh-Singapore-Phnom Penh.

According to Dr. Sinn ChanSerey Vutha, despite the increase in air travel, current levels have only reached about more than 70% compared to 2019. However, the Spokesperson said that he expects air traffic in Cambodia to be equal to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023 or early 2024, as a result of the measures put in place by the Royal Government.