Siem Reap airport lounge to be ready by next month

Wed, 10 February 2016 ppp

Ayanna Runcie

Tourism Minister Thong Khon (left) and Plaza Premium Lounges founder and CEO Song Hoi-see unveil a plaque during the inauguration ceremony of a lounge in Phnom Penh International Airport last month. Heng Chivoan

Plaza Premium Group, the Hong Kong-based company that opened its first lounge in Cambodia at Phnom Penh International Airport last month, will open its second lounge in Siem Reap airport by the end of next month, according to the firm that manages the Kingdom’s three international airports.

“We have transferred the management of airports’ lounges to Plaza Premium Lounge for further services enhancement and ramping-up passenger experience at the airports,” Khek Norinda, communications and PR director for Cambodia Airports, said yesterday.

He said the Plaza Premium Lounge, open to all travellers for a fee, would open in Siem Reap airport’s international terminal by the end of March. The new lounge comes as part of an expansion that will double the floor surface of the terminal’s commercial area.

“Additional outlets and the introduction of new brands mean expanded and diversified range of choices for passengers,” Norinda said.

Edward Cheng, senior manager of cooperate communications for Plaza Premium Group, confirmed the Siem Reap lounge would commence operation “by around Q2 2016”.

He said his company highly anticipates the launch as Siem Reap has Cambodia’s busiest airport, handling over 3.2 million passengers in 2015. The airport is currently undergoing renovations that will increase its capacity to 5 million passengers a year.

Cheng said strong tourism growth, coupled with rising incomes throughout the region, has driven demand for higher quality airport facilities.

“Frequent travellers will generally regard air travelling as a lifestyle and journey of experience,” he explained. “Certainly they are expecting a higher quality of customer service and therefore the demand for premium services and facilities increases.”

While the lounge will remain open to the public, Plaza Premium Group is currently discussing partnership agreements with Vietnam Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Dragonair, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines.

The company also collaborates with a variety of banks, travel agents and hospitality companies.

Cambodia received 4.8 million tourists last year and is projected to receive up to 8 million tourists a year by 2020, according to the Ministry of Tourism.