Approximately 13 million passengers are expected to pass through Larnaca and Paphos airports this year, Maria Kouroupi, Director of Aviation Development, Marketing and Communications at Hermes Airports, told CNA, adding that indications for passenger traffic for the summer season will be increased, with new routes and new airlines starting flights to and from Cyprus.
The year, noted Ms. Kouroupi, "started very well, including the first three months of winter, already having an increase of around 7% compared to the corresponding period last year."
"One of our goals is to extend the winter tourist season and combat seasonality in Cyprus' tourism," he said.
When asked about the new summer season, he replied that "normally and based on the airline companies' planning, it starts at the end of March. It seems that passenger traffic will be increased, since several new routes have already been announced, new airlines that are starting to fly to and from Cyprus, while there are also additions to existing routes with an increase in weekly flights."
Responding to a relevant question, the Director of Aviation Development, Marketing and Communication of Hermes Airports said that "among new airlines we have AnimaWings, SkyUP which is returning to the Cyprus market this time with the Chisinau route, Air Haifa which has started flights to Larnaca and Paphos as well as Saudia which is starting routes from Riyadh, which is one of the routes that both we and the state were pursuing."
He also noted that "new routes to Larnaca will begin operating from France by the airline Transavia, more specifically at the airports of Marseille and Lyon, while Aegean is starting flights from Larnaca to Rome."
Moreover, he added, "EasyJet has started flights to and from Amsterdam, which will strengthen Transavia's existing connection, while Cyprus Airways offers a seasonal route to Venice."
Regarding Britain, Ms. Kouroupi noted that "in 2025, an increase in existing routes is planned, more specifically to and from Manchester airports and London airports, Luton and Gatwick."
He also said, "the Condor company, which had stopped its flights from Germany, is returning with two routes from Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, which is considered a particularly encouraging development for this particular market."
At the same time, he continued, "Ryanair is adding flights from Düsseldorf's second airport, Wieze from Paphos, while there are increases on some other routes from Poland, such as Katowice."
Regarding passenger traffic, Ms. Kouroupi said that "we estimate that based on the airline companies' programs for 2025, we will reach 13 million total passengers."
Ms. Kouroupi also stated that "we view all these developments with great optimism and continue our efforts to improve the connectivity of our country."
He also noted that Hermes attended the recent Berlin Tourism Fair together with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.
He concluded by saying that "this year, as every year, we will participate in the "Routes Europe" event that will take place in Seville, Spain, from April 8-10, which gives airports and airlines the opportunity to discuss possible collaborations."
Source: KYPE
