Cambodia has officially inaugurated its newest international gateway, Techo International Airport (KTI), about 30 kilometres south of Phnom Penh. The US$2 billion, three-runway facility replaces the decades-old single-runway airport, marking a significant milestone in the country’s ambitions to expand tourism and attract foreign investment.
The new airport accommodates 31 airlines operating 44 direct routes, handling around 13,500 passengers daily and 130 aircraft movements. Designed to hold an initial capacity of 13 million passengers annually, plans are already in place to scale up to 30 million by 2030 and 50 million by 2050. The terminal marries modern infrastructure with Khmer-inspired design, including a nine-metre Abhayamudra Buddha statue and more than 200 hand-carved stone sculptures by local artisans.
The project is managed by French airport operator VINCI Airports in partnership with Cambodia Airport Investment Co., a subsidiary of the Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation. It represents a significant step forward in international cooperation. SIA Engineering Company will provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, further strengthening the facility's position in global aviation.
Government officials have emphasised that KTI will play a key role in boosting tourism growth across Cambodia. During the inauguration, Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that the new airport would help increase tourist arrivals well beyond pre-pandemic levels. He also noted that it would serve as a major gateway for expanding trade and attracting foreign investment into the country. With connectivity expanding into the Middle East, Europe and Asia, new direct flights to hubs including Abu Dhabi and Istanbul are already planned.
In addition to bolstering passenger flows, the airport is expected to create an estimated 10,000 jobs—tripling employment levels associated with its predecessor—and spark development around Phnom Penh’s southern region, including luxury resorts, eco-tourism, and leisure destinations as Cambodia intensifies its push to diversify tourism beyond its northern Angkor temples, the new airport positions the country to compete more aggressively in the Southeast Asian market with stronger infrastructure, elevated service standards, and broader destination appeal.
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