Cyprus airports: Is Paphos losing out to Larnaca?

— Efforts to attract Hemus Bulgaria, Austrian and Tarom

 

Paphos tourism officials, concerned with the drop in passenger traffic at their airport, hope to persuade the Minister of Tourism and Industry, as well as senior officers of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation to introduce measures that will help stop this downturn.

Nassos Hadjigeorgiou, Marketing Manager of the Paphos Tourism Board, told the Financial Mirror that securing better infrastructure such as the new Paphos airport terminal undergoing a major facelift by the end of 2008 is not enough.

He said that the main cause for the drop of 30-35,000 in the number of passenger arrivals at Paphos airport is that scheduled airline operators are reducing their costs by maintaining logistical and ground support at one airport, in this case Larnaca.

“This has once again transformed Paphos airport into a charter flight terminal,” Hadjigeorgiou said.

After a drop in passenger traffic of 11,6% in April, and 6,6% in May, the deterioration continued with a further drop of 3% in June. If it’s any consolation, cargo picked up in June, up 132%, recovering from the drop of 40% in April and 27% in May, according to statistical data of the Civil Aviation Department. IN contrast, aircraft, passenger and cargo traffic has been on the up throughout April, May and June.

However, Hadjigeorgiou said that Paphos is not giving up.

“We have attracted Bulgaria’s Hemus to fly direct to Paphos, and talks are underway with the likes of Austrian Airlines and Romania’s Tarom.”

“Our aim is to make Paphos an all-year destination,” he said, echoing earlier comments made to the Financial Mirror by Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas who has plans to introduce a Winter Festival, possibly in January or February, to complement the successful Paphos Aphrodite Festival that stages world-class operas, usually in September and attracts international tourism.