Siem reap: The national flag carrier Air Cambodia marked a milestone with the inaugural flight of its new direct route from Shenzhen, China, to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. Flight K6929 arrived with a full load of passengers, symbolically connecting the UNESCO World Heritage site, Angkor Wat, with China's major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport celebrated the arrival with a water salute, reflecting the significance of this new connection. Previously, travelers had to transit through Phnom Penh due to the absence of direct flights. This route is anticipated to enhance tourist flows from China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to Cambodia, aligning with the "China-Cambodia Tourism Year 2025" initiative. The inaugural celebrations were attended by senior officials from both countries at the airports in Shenzhen and Siem Reap. Notable attendees included H.E. Chea Aun, Permanent Secr etary of State at the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation of Cambodia, and H.E. Ngouv Sengkak, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap province. Chinese officials included Mr. Zhang Zhaoxin from the Chinese Embassy's Consular Office in Siem Reap and representatives from the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau. The weekly direct flight, operated by an Airbus A320/A321, departs Siem Reap every Thursday evening and returns from Shenzhen on Friday morning. This service offers both business and economy class options, with a flight duration of approximately 2.5 hours. It provides a convenient travel solution, allowing tourists to optimize their itineraries by flying into one Cambodian city and departing from another. The tourism industry has quickly adapted to the new route, with travel agencies launching new packages. Guangzhou GZL International Travel Service has already sent its first group of 50 tourists under the 'Guangzhou-Shenzhen Link, Khmer Twin Cities - 1,000-Person Greater Bay Area Tour to Cambodia' program. Mr. Zhan David, Vice Chairman and CEO of Air Cambodia, highlighted the timing of this initiative with the 67th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and China. He noted that the route, developed in collaboration with Shenzhen Airport Group and Yunnan Air Investment (Cambodia) Airport Management Co., Ltd., addresses a market need for direct flights between Siem Reap and China's major cities. This development is expected to boost tourism from the Greater Bay Area and attract European and American visitors currently in Siem Reap to explore China. The opening of this route is a strategic step towards achieving the vision set by the leaders of both nations for 2025 as the 'China-Cambodia Tourism Year,' celebrating longstanding international relations.