Sky Angkor Airlines has inaugurated a new direct route linking Preah Sihanouk in Cambodia with the coastal city of Xiamen in southeastern China, in a move that aviation and tourism officials say will significantly strengthen tourism, trade and investment flows between the two countries. The service, operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, positions Sihanoukville International Airport as an increasingly important gateway for Cambodia’s coastal tourism corridor and for Chinese travelers seeking new leisure and business destinations in Southeast Asia.
A New Air Bridge Between Sihanoukville and Xiamen
The new direct service between Sihanoukville and Xiamen began operating in early February 2026, following regulatory approvals and the rollout of Sky Angkor Airlines’ expanded China network. According to the airline’s latest published schedule, flights operate several times per week, offering a block time of just over three hours between Sihanoukville International Airport and Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. The route is served by single class Airbus A320 aircraft configured for around 180 passengers, aligning capacity with expected demand on this emerging city pair.
Flight timings are structured to appeal to both leisure and business travelers. Departures from Preah Sihanouk are scheduled in the early evening, allowing passengers to enjoy a full day on Cambodia’s coast before traveling, while arrivals into Xiamen are set for later the same night, providing convenient same day connectivity. In the opposite direction, the late night departure from Xiamen and early morning arrival into Cambodia allows Chinese passengers to maximize their time at their destination and connect seamlessly with ground transfers to Sihanoukville’s beaches and nearby islands.
The launch of the Sihanoukville Xiamen service follows Sky Angkor Airlines’ broader strategy of building out a network of point to point links between Cambodian cities and second tier but economically dynamic Chinese hubs. Xiamen, a major port city in Fujian province, brings a mix of outbound leisure, business and overseas Chinese travelers, while Sihanoukville offers Cambodia’s primary deep sea port and a coastline that is increasingly positioned as an alternative to more mature regional beach destinations.
Boosting Coastal Tourism in Preah Sihanouk Province
For Cambodia’s tourism industry, the new connection is particularly significant for Preah Sihanouk province, whose coastal capital Sihanoukville has in recent years undergone rapid hotel and infrastructure development alongside a government led push to diversify away from casino led tourism. Direct access from Xiamen provides a fresh inflow of Chinese visitors who are already familiar with Cambodia as a long established destination through Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, but who have had fewer nonstop options to reach the coast.
The reduced travel time made possible by the nonstop flights is expected to encourage more short break and repeat travel. With no need for domestic transfers through Phnom Penh or regional connections via Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City, Chinese visitors can now reach Sihanoukville in a single sector flight. That simplicity is particularly important for families, group tours and older travelers, who are often sensitive to complex itineraries and long transit times. For tour operators, the route opens possibilities for coastal only packages and combined itineraries that split time between Sihanoukville’s islands and Xiamen’s heritage waterfront and shopping districts.
Local tourism businesses in Preah Sihanouk, including beachfront hotels, island resorts, restaurants and travel agencies, are positioning themselves to capture the anticipated increase in demand. Industry bodies in Cambodia have emphasized the importance of improving service standards, language skills and excursion offerings to match the expectations of a growing Chinese middle class that is accustomed to well organized, digitally supported travel experiences. The new route is expected to catalyze more investments in Chinese language signage, digital payment options and targeted marketing on Chinese social media platforms.
Strengthening Trade and Investment Connectivity
Beyond tourism, the Sihanoukville Xiamen route carries strategic importance for trade and investment ties between Cambodia and China. Sihanoukville hosts Cambodia’s principal deep sea port as well as the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a key manufacturing and logistics hub that has attracted substantial Chinese investment under broader regional connectivity initiatives. Direct air links make it easier for executives, engineers, suppliers and investors to move quickly between production sites in Cambodia and corporate or supplier bases in Xiamen and surrounding industrial regions.
Xiamen itself is a major center for shipping, electronics, machinery and trade related services. By tying it directly to Cambodia’s coastal industrial belt, the new flight adds an air corridor that complements existing maritime and overland supply chains. Business travelers can now conduct site inspections, attend meetings and manage projects in Sihanoukville with less time lost in transit, potentially accelerating decision making on new factory investments, port related logistics projects and service sector ventures.
Cambodian economic planners and business chambers have long argued that efficient connectivity is a key enabler for moving the country up the value chain, from basic assembly and resource exports toward higher value manufacturing and services. A regular, reliable air service between Sihanoukville and a sophisticated coastal economy such as Xiamen supports that shift by deepening people to people commercial links, supporting professional exchanges and signaling continued confidence from carriers in the route’s commercial viability.
Passenger Experience and Operational Details
Sky Angkor Airlines is operating the Sihanoukville Xiamen service using Airbus A320 aircraft, a narrow body workhorse widely deployed across Asia. The aircraft type offers a balance of range and capacity suited to medium haul regional routes, with a flight time of just over three hours between the two cities. The A320’s single aisle configuration typically supports quick boarding and turnaround times, making it ideal for a schedule that must remain tight to maintain on time performance on both legs of the journey.
Schedules published by the airline show multiple weekly rotations, with flights carefully slotted to align with peak demand periods from both the Cambodian and Chinese markets. Early evening departures from Preah Sihanouk help leisure travelers wrap up their stay without rushing, while late evening departures from Xiamen cater to passengers who may be coming from work or connecting from domestic flights within China. Arrival times into Sihanoukville in the early hours allow hotel transfers to be completed before sunrise, giving travelers the option to rest and start their holiday fresh the same day.
As with many regional routes, schedule adjustments are possible in response to demand, regulatory requirements or operational considerations. The airline notes that flight times and operating days are subject to change, underscoring the importance for travelers to verify details close to their departure date. However, the addition of Sihanoukville Xiamen to Sky Angkor Airlines’ network, alongside other new Chinese destinations from Cambodian cities, suggests a long term commitment to serving this corridor as travel demand between the two countries normalizes and grows.
Implications for Cambodia China Tourism Flows
China has been one of Cambodia’s most important tourism source markets for more than a decade, and the resumption and expansion of direct air links are central to the country’s tourism recovery plans. While Phnom Penh and Siem Reap traditionally capture the bulk of Chinese arrivals, the Sihanoukville Xiamen route reflects a broader shift toward diversifying entry points and spreading visitor flows more evenly across the country’s regions.
New direct connections to coastal destinations like Sihanoukville offer Chinese travelers alternative itineraries that focus on beaches, marine activities and resort stays. They also create opportunities for multi stop trips that combine Cambodia’s historical attractions in Siem Reap, urban experiences in Phnom Penh and seaside relaxation along the Gulf of Thailand. The Xiamen link, in particular, could support themed travel products that highlight maritime trade history, coastal cuisine and island hopping in both countries.
On a regional level, the route adds another spoke in the growing web of air connections between Southeast Asia and secondary Chinese cities that are home to rapidly growing middle class populations. As carriers like Sky Angkor Airlines continue to add routes linking Cambodian destinations to cities such as Changsha, Quanzhou and Guangzhou, the cumulative effect is a more resilient, diversified tourism base less reliant on any single gateway or market segment.
Opportunities for Local Communities and Small Businesses
For communities in and around Sihanoukville, the new direct flight represents more than a statistical increase in visitor numbers. It offers tangible opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises that supply the tourism sector, from family run guesthouses and street food vendors to local guides, drivers and souvenir producers. Greater visitor volumes create space for new businesses, while more frequent, higher spending visitors can support upgrades in quality and service levels.
Entrepreneurs in niche segments such as eco tourism, diving, island excursions and wellness retreats stand to benefit as the route brings in visitors who may be looking beyond traditional mass tourism experiences. Chinese travelers, especially younger ones, have shown growing interest in outdoor activities, photography oriented trips and locally authentic food experiences. This aligns well with Sihanoukville’s surrounding islands and coastal landscapes, which offer relatively undeveloped beaches and opportunities for low impact marine tourism if managed carefully.
At the same time, local authorities face the task of ensuring that increased arrivals do not outpace infrastructure and environmental protections. Investment in waste management, coastal zoning and community based tourism initiatives will be crucial to ensure that the benefits of the new connectivity are distributed fairly and that Sihanoukville’s natural assets are preserved. Partnerships between the public sector, tourism associations and airlines can help align marketing with sustainable capacity and support training programs that prepare local workers for a more international clientele.
Regional Competition and Network Synergies
The Sihanoukville Xiamen route does not operate in isolation. In recent months and years, carriers serving Cambodia have announced and launched a series of new and restored links between Cambodian cities and Chinese destinations, including services to Quanzhou, Changsha, Chengdu and Guangzhou. This network effect is significant because it strengthens Cambodia’s overall attractiveness as a destination that can be reached directly from multiple points across China, rather than requiring travelers to funnel through a small number of major hubs.
For Sky Angkor Airlines, the new route adds to a portfolio that includes both regional flights within Southeast Asia and growing connectivity with China. The carrier’s focus on point to point leisure and hybrid traffic places it in a competitive field alongside other regional airlines and charter operators that are also targeting recovering demand between Chinese cities and emerging Southeast Asian resorts. By using Sihanoukville as a secondary hub, Sky Angkor is seeking to differentiate itself and tap into demand for less saturated beach destinations while also supporting Cambodia’s policy goals for coastal development.
At the same time, competition from neighboring countries remains strong. Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia all market coastal destinations to Chinese travelers and benefit from extensive air connectivity. The success of the Sihanoukville Xiamen route will therefore depend not only on airfare levels and schedule convenience, but also on the perceived quality and value of the Cambodian experience relative to rival destinations. Coordinated destination marketing, streamlined visa processes and consistent service standards will be key factors in converting the route’s potential into sustained visitor growth.
Outlook for the Sihanoukville Xiamen Corridor
In the near term, industry observers expect the Sihanoukville Xiamen route to cater primarily to leisure travelers, group tours and visiting friends and relatives traffic, with a smaller but important segment of business travelers connected to trade, logistics and industrial projects. Load factors are likely to build gradually as awareness of the route grows among travel agents, online booking platforms and independent travelers researching new destinations.
Over the medium term, the route could evolve into a year round mainstay of Sky Angkor Airlines’ network, anchored by balanced two way demand. Seasonal adjustments in frequency may occur to reflect peak holiday periods in China and Cambodia, but a consistent presence in booking systems and timetables will help the route mature. If successful, it may also encourage airlines to explore additional coastal to coastal links, further integrating Cambodia’s shoreline into the broader regional tourism and trade ecosystem.
For Cambodia and China, the launch of Sky Angkor Airlines’ direct flight between Preah Sihanouk and Xiamen underscores the continuing deepening of economic and people to people ties. It offers travelers a faster, more convenient way to move between two vibrant coastal regions and provides businesses with a new bridge for collaboration. As aircraft continue to traverse this newly established corridor, the link between Sihanoukville’s beaches and port and Xiamen’s dynamic waterfront and industrial base is poised to become an increasingly important strand in the fabric of Cambodia China connectivity.