PHNOM PENH, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Etihad Airways will start direct flights from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, from Oct. 3, said a news release from Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism on Saturday.

The announcement was made after a meeting between Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak and Charles Tan, regional managing director for Asia & Australia of Etihad Airways, here on Friday.

Hak thanked the airline for the upcoming launch of direct flights from Abu Dhabi to the newly-built Techo International Airport, saying that it would bring more tourists and investors to the Southeast Asian country.

"This new route will certainly help increase the number of international passengers and tourists to Cambodia," he said.

Cambodia's aviation industry has seen significant progress in recent years.

According to the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, a total of 31 domestic and international airlines had operated 37,492 flights, with 4.08 million international passengers, to the kingdom's three international airports during the January-July period of 2025. ■