The first half of 2023 concluded on a positive note registering 4,808,431 passengers at Cyprus airports, with a 3% increase compared to the benchmark pre-Covid era of 2019.
According to airports operator Hermes Airports, 3,252,612 passengers went through Larnaca airport in January-June, while 1,555,819 passengers were handled at Paphos airport.
Moreover, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, Cyprus airports ranked first.
They achieved full recovery of their total air connectivity (direct + indirect connectivity) since 2019 compared with other European countries.
The loss of the Russian and Ukrainian markets, which accounted for over 20% of the total passenger traffic, has been offset by the development of existing markets, some of which have experienced growth of over 50% compared to 2019.
Additionally, new markets that have been added, such as France and Italy, have made a significant impact.
The top travel markets in the first six months were the United Kingdom, Greece, Israel, Poland, and Germany.
And Austria, Romania, Hungary, Armenia, and France complete the top ten markets.
In line with its route development and airline support strategy, Hermes Airports collaborates with 55 airlines operating flights to and from Larnaca and Paphos airports, offering 155 routes to 39 countries.
New routes have already been launched for the summer season, and based on the available data so far, passenger traffic is expected to approach the levels in 2019.
Maria Kouroupi, Senior Manager of Aviation Development, stated: “Undoubtedly, the country’s connectivity remains at the core of our strategy as it is the driving force of tourism.
“The summer schedule of both Larnaca and Paphos airports offers passengers more options and a wide range of destinations.
“Based on the data so far, Cyprus has the potential to achieve year-round tourism, as this winter has exceeded all expectations.
“Therefore, we should use this positive momentum and the increasing flow of tourists to strengthen our presence in new markets further.
“It is estimated that for every additional flight arriving at Cypriot airports, around 100 additional job positions are created.
Larnaca and Paphos are responsible for over 18,000 job positions in the airports and Cyprus tourism industry.
The island’s two airports are estimated to contribute around 4% of Cyprus’ GDP.
