APD | Siem Reap-Chinese province officially launches direct flight

**By APD writer Kim Ratha **

PHNOM PENM,July.4(APD) -A direct flight between Xishuangbanna airport located in China’s Yunan province and Cambodia’s Siem Reap has officially launched on Monday

The direct air route is operated by Cambodia’s JC International Airline, with a total of 179 passengers were on board of the company’s flight from Siem Reap at 9:30 a.m on Monday and arrive in Xishuangbanna at 12:30 p.m, while return flight took off at 1:40 p.m and arrived in Siem Reap at 2:40 p.m, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

The flight will be taken place three days per week from every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and this newly launched air connectivity is believed to boost further trade between the two countries, while luring more Chinese tourists to the Kingdom.

Figures from the Ministry of Tourism show that there are 181 flights per week between Cambodia and China, while number of direct flights from Chinese province cities linked with the Kingdom – including Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Guangzhou, Xi’an and Guangzhou – while Jilin and Zhejiang from Chinese provinces are planning to the direct light with Kingdom in the near future.

Figure from Siem Reap’s Tourism Department showed that about 540,000 Chinese visiting the province in the first half of the year and Chinese tourists are expected to continue on top the list of tourists by nationality in the province.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)