Kandal, Cambodia (CNN) 鈥 On a humid day in early September, orange-robed monks gathered in the departures hall of Cambodia鈥檚 newest airport, chanting blessings over a 30-foot golden statue that now watches travelers as they prepare for departure.
Only after the nine-ton Buddha was blessed could planes begin to land at Phnom Penh鈥檚 Techo International Airport.
Four days later, Air Cambodia flight K6 611 from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou taxied in under the spray of celebratory water cannons as traditional Khmer dancers in silk costumes performed in the arrivals hall.
On October 20, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet cut a ribbon to officially inaugurate the airport.
鈥淭his is a new achievement reflecting Cambodia鈥檚 long-term development vision,鈥 he told reporters at the site.
Above all, Hun Manet鈥檚 government hopes the airport will be filled with tourists. Despite its UNESCO-listed temples, beaches, and famously affordable prices, Cambodia attracts only about 2.5 million international visitors a year 鈥 a fraction of the 32 million who go to Thailand and the 18 million who visit Vietnam.
Techo International, about 18 miles south of Phnom Penh, is meant to change that. The 87,000-square-foot facility, named for a Khmer military honorific title granted by the king, is being billed as a gateway to a new era of tourism and investment in Cambodia鈥檚 under-visited south.
Inside, natural light filters through floor-to-ceiling windows onto pale wood floors and tropical greenery. The curving roofline, designed by British firm Foster + Partners, draws inspiration from the ornate headdresses of traditional Apsara dancers.
Nikolai Malsch, a senior partner at Foster + Partners, said the design emphasizes clear sightlines and minimal confusion. Travelers should never feel trapped in a maze of corridors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very simple binary decision,鈥 he explained. 鈥淲alking to the gates, you come to a point where your gate is either left or it鈥檚 right.鈥
The terminal鈥檚 maximum walking distance, he added, is just 500 meters 鈥 roughly 550 yards 鈥 from center to end.
Beyond efficiency, the building aims to be unmistakably Cambodian. The roof鈥檚 swooping ridges double as rainwater catchment points. Local coffee chain Brown Coffee opened early to serve lattes to construction crews.
Charles Vann, director of Cambodia Airport Investment Company, a key financial backer of the airport, said he hopes the airport will help act as a draw for travelers in its own right. 鈥淲e believe that this airport can attract a lot of visitors and tourists to come to Cambodia, similar to Dubai (or) London,鈥 he told CNN.
The government has positioned Techo International as both a modern infrastructure project and a point of national pride. Alongside facial recognition scanners and environmental certification, the airport even has its own theme song 鈥 鈥淧ower of Techo International Airport鈥 鈥 shared on Prime Minister Hun Manet鈥檚 social media accounts.
鈥淭he aviation sector is one of many ways to connect tourists, businesses, political networks, and multi-purpose missions,鈥 Hun Manet wrote. 鈥淐ambodia has actively expanded and upgraded its international airports to meet growing travel demand, enhancing connectivity for travelers.鈥
Techo isn鈥檛 the country鈥檚 only recent airport milestone. The $1 billion (SAI), opened in 2023, was built under China鈥檚 Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect more of the world, and extend Beijing鈥檚 influence, through Chinese-made infrastructure.
Both airports form key pillars of Cambodia鈥檚 鈥淪acred Tourism 2025-2035鈥 master plan 鈥 a blueprint to develop wellness, agricultural, and community tourism. The country wants to diversify its offering beyond Angkor Wat, the ancient Hindu-Buddhist temple complex currently seen as its star attraction.
For Cambodia, new runways promise connection. Flights now link Phnom Penh to Bangkok, Beijing, Hanoi, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, with Turkish Airlines and Etihad set to add direct routes from Istanbul and Abu Dhabi this fall, making it much easier for visitors from Europe and the Middle East to access Cambodia.
Not everything is rosy in Cambodia鈥檚 travel forecast. The airport鈥檚 big inauguration event was held four days after South Korea issued a rare 鈥渃ode black鈥 travel warning for parts of Cambodia, following the death of a Korean student allegedly tortured at a phone scam center. warn travelers of heightened risk of crime in Phnom Penh and dangers from decades-old unexploded ordnance in other regions.
Some in the aviation industry are skeptical of Cambodia鈥檚 big tourism ambitions.
Shukor Yusof, founder of Endau Analytics, believes that a shiny new airport is not enough on its own to bring tourists.
鈥淰ietnam and Thailand have more to offer in terms of culture, food and, more importantly, security,鈥 he says. 鈥Apart from Angkor Wat and the , there aren鈥檛 other spots to lure tourists to Cambodia.鈥
鈥淎t the moment Cambodia is struggling to overcome a reputation as a destination for syndicates involved in scams, frauds and human trafficking.鈥
Across Southeast Asia, the Belt and Road program has also funded , and Chinese investment is helping build a metro system in Vietnam鈥檚 capital, Hanoi.
Phase two of Techo鈥檚 development will eventually add a train connection to Phnom Penh鈥檚 city center. For now, most passengers arrive by private car or tuk-tuk along the new highway stretching through rice fields.
Meanwhile, Phnom Penh International 鈥 the Cambodian capital鈥檚 old airport which had already been eclipsed in size by Siem Reap-Angkor International 鈥 has now closed to traffic and there鈥檚 no official plan yet for its next life.
But under the watchful gaze of its departure hall Buddha, Techo International is beginning to spring into life, step by step.
Cambodia has built the airport it hopes will redefine its global image. Now it just needs the world to show up.
The-CNN-Wire
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