Korean Air has appointed a new country manager in Cambodia who has unveiled grand plans to lure more South Koreans to the Kingdom of Wonder’s shores.
“Not many South Koreans know much about Cambodia, apart from Angkor Wat. Many have explored a lot of South-east Asia and are looking for new places to visit. They know Thailand and Vietnam, but not Cambodia, so I have to provide more information (for them),” said Hoyeon Chang.
Chang has set his sights firmly on expanding the network to lure more South Koreans to the Cambodia’s shores. This includes plans to explore launching flights between South Korea and the recently opened Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, as well as the coastal city of Sihanoukville.
“Cambodia is a very important destination for Korean Air because we have leisure demand and business demand too,” Chang said, adding that the airline currently operates daily flights between Seoul Incheon and Phnom Penh.
According to the latest figures from Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism, South Korea ranks the nation’s sixth strongest source market. Between January and September, there were 125,732 arrivals. In addition, about 300 South Korean companies are based in Cambodia.
“We have a good mix of leisure and business traffic from South Korea but we can further build on the leisure market. South Koreans are searching for new places to visit, so we have to develop new destinations,” Chang noted.
He added that the route connecting South Korea with the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, which launched at the end of last year, has got off to a strong start due to the appeal of the beaches.
“Sihanoukville also has nice beaches and islands, which will make it attractive to South Koreans, and, of course, Siem Reap has a lot – but to make it viable very much depends on the support we get from travel agents and tour operators. It needs this support.”
Chang also noted that a strong part of Korean Air’s Cambodia traffic is outbound business, with many Cambodians travelling to the US. From Seoul Incheon, passengers can fly directly to 13 destinations in North America and Canada.
Since the airline reintroduced its direct connection from Phnom Penh to Japan in 2023, Chang said that the route has proved popular. “We’re seeing a lot of demand between Cambodia and Japan, especially to northern parts like Sapporo,” he said.
