PHNOM PENH: Spring Airlines, the Chinese budget carrier, has resumed its direct flights from Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi province to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first flight, which landed on Sunday, was greeted by Cambodian and Chinese officials, marking a significant step in revitalizing travel between the two nations.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the flight’s arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport was celebrated with a ceremony attended by H.E. Mao Havannall, Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, and H.E. Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia. Airport officials and representatives from tour companies were also present. Traditional performances, including the Chhay Yam dance, added cultural significance to the event, and passengers were presented with Krama, a UNESCO-listed woven textile, and jasmine garlands as a welcome gesture.

H.E. Mao Havannall emphasized the importance of the flight resumption, noting it would facilitate an influx of Chinese tourists and investors into Cambodia. He highlighted the renewed interest of Chinese tourists in Cambodia following the pandemic disruptions. The Minister pointed out a noticeable increase in Chinese tourists, attributing it to the expanded flight services by Chinese airlines.

H.E. Ambassador Wang Wenbin underscored the significance of the resumed flights as a milestone in enhancing tourism cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and Cambodia. He noted that the frequency of Chinese flights to Cambodia had reached over 60 percent of the levels seen before the pandemic, indicating a strong recovery in travel between the two countries.

China ranks as the third-largest source of foreign tourists to Cambodia, following Thailand and Vietnam, as per recent data from Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism. The Kingdom reported 769,775 Chinese visitors from January to November 2024, a 54.5 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year.