Cambodia targets direct flights to Melbourne to boost trade, education ties with Australia

The Southeast Asian nation’s interest in Avalon is connected to its growing relationship with Geelong, the state of Victoria’s second-largest city after Melbourne. This connection could offer new university education opportunities to Cambodian students and new tourism prospects, Chanborey said on the sidelines of the annual Australia-Asean Business Forum.

Geelong is the gateway to the popular Great Ocean Road tourist attraction, while Siem Reap is Cambodia’s tourism hub, he added.

“The bilateral relationship [between Cambodia and Australia] has grown from strength to strength over the years,” Chanborey said, adding that Australia is home to the world’s third-biggest Cambodian diaspora.