MGR Online: Cambodia has launched the Fly Cambodia campaign, offering financial subsidies to airlines to help draw tourists into the country, with a maximum payout of $60,000 (approximately 2 million baht).
The Cambodia Tourism Promotion Organization has unveiled the "Fly Cambodia" initiative to elevate Cambodia's global image and help airlines promote Cambodia's tourism directly to travelers in target markets.
Under the program, the Cambodia Tourism Promotion Organization will reimburse airlines 50% of the costs incurred in running campaigns to attract tourists to Cambodia, with a maximum subsidy of $60,000 per airline per application. The funding is limited strictly to marketing and tourism promotion activities within Cambodia, and does not cover operational costs or route management expenses.
The program is intended to help Cambodia increase international flights, diversify its tourism markets, grow the number of foreign visitors and tourism revenue, encourage tourists to stay longer in Cambodia, promote a wider geographic spread of visitors, and reduce the impact of seasonal fluctuations in tourism.
Cambodia opened the $2.3 billion Techo International Airport in September of last year, claiming that the grand airport would elevate Cambodia's status as a regional aviation hub. In addition, Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport underwent a $1.1 billion upgrade, which has been in operation since 2023, while Sihanoukville International Airport has had its runway extended to accommodate wide-body aircraft and support long-haul international airlines.
However, to this day, Techo International Airport remains largely empty, with very few flights. Most of the flights are transit routes passing from Thailand to Cambodia, and almost all of the passengers on those flights are tourists who came to Thailand in the first place. Furthermore, the number of tourists traveling to Cambodia has dropped sharply, amid concerns over safety given that Cambodia has become a hub for scammer networks.
Kim Minea, CEO of the Cambodia Tourism Promotion Organization, said that air connectivity is the foundation of Cambodia's tourism, but that flight routes to Cambodia must ultimately depend on passenger demand. Cambodia is therefore providing subsidies to airlines because airlines know their markets, their customers, and booking behavior — all of which are essential to reaching the right target audience with greater precision.
The Cambodia Tourism Promotion Organization noted that airlines expressing interest in joint marketing programs include Air Cambodia, Singapore Airlines, and AirAsia, among others, with the aim of correcting perceptions about Cambodia and positioning the country as a year-round travel destination.
