Air Cambodia inaugurates direct Sihanoukville-Shenzhen service as part of Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025

25 September 2025 marked a decisive turning point in tourism and economic relations between Cambodia and China, with the successful launch by Air Cambodia, the national airline, of a direct air link between Sihanoukville and Shenzhen.

This initiative is part of the ambitious Cambodia-China Year of Tourism, a bilateral project aimed at strengthening cultural and tourist exchanges between the two nations. Photo AKP

The inaugural flights were almost fully booked in both directions, testifying to the growing enthusiasm and strong demand for this new air route. Shenzhen, a leading economic centre in Guangdong province, is now even closer to the Cambodian coast, facilitating travel for business, leisure and discovery between these two dynamic regions.

Air Cambodia points out that this is the only direct route between these two cities, filling a major gap in the market. This opening is in addition to the already established Phnom Penh-Shenzhen and Siem Reap-Shenzhen routes, affirming the airline's strategy to expand its network to meet the growing needs of business and leisure travellers.

This development is part of the bilateral agreement on the Year of Tourism 2025, signed between Phnom Penh and Beijing. This partnership aims to encourage sustainable tourism and cultural exchanges, while consolidating economic ties between the two countries. According to the Cambodian Minister of Tourism, Huot Hak, who pointed out that more than 380,000 Chinese visitors had travelled to Cambodia in the first few months of 2025, an increase of 49% on the previous year, this new air link is an essential vector for attracting more Chinese tourists.

In addition, Air Cambodia has announced a major new route for 26 October 2025 linking Phnom Penh, Fuzhou (another major economic centre in south-east China) and Tokyo, putting Cambodia in direct contact with the Japanese capital via a Chinese hub. This route, operated by Airbus A320 three times a week, represents the first fifth freedom of air travel between these three countries, facilitating trans-regional tourist and commercial flows.

This diversification of air routes reflects Cambodia's desire to increase its international appeal, particularly in the context of China's “Belt and Road” (New Silk Road) initiative, which supports stronger economic and cultural links in Asia. Tourism, regarded by the Cambodian authorities as ‘green gold’, makes a major contribution to economic growth, the protection of cultural heritage and poverty reduction in the country.

For Sihanoukville, this new direct link to Shenzhen opens up new prospects. As Cambodia's major seaside resort on the South China Sea, the city is benefiting from accelerated infrastructure development and is positioning itself as a strategic gateway for Chinese tourists seeking authentic eco-tourism and cultural experiences.

Finally, the exponential growth of Chinese tourism underlines the tangible impact of the bilateral partnership: Phnom Penh recorded a 45% to 48% increase in the number of Chinese visitors in the first seven months of 2025, exceeding expectations and confirming that Cambodia is a preferred destination for this market. The offer of strategic direct flights, including the Sihanoukville-Shenzhen flight, is therefore proving to be a fundamental lever for maintaining this dynamic growth in tourism and strengthening commercial links across borders.