CYPRUS: Hermes eyes record in airport passenger traffic

Hermes Airports, operators of Cyprus airports, are eyeing  a record 11 million passengers for 2019.

Confident in Cyprus’ value as a tourist destination, Hermes Airports feel that they will be able to break last year’s record of 10.94 million passengers this year.

Talking to Phileleftheros daily, Maria Kouroupi, senior manager at Hermes Aviation Development, said the company is aiming to surpass last year’s figure which was “the largest number of passengers we have ever had in Cypriot airports – a 62% increase since 2006, when Hermes took over management of Larnaca and Paphos airports”.

Last year’s figures and expectations for the current year confirm Cyprus' "resilience" as a tourist destination, as during a year with several challenges and uncertainties, the upward trend recorded in recent years is continuing.

With regard to England and Russia, the key markets for tourist flows to Cyprus, Kouroupi noted that despite initial indications, tourist arrivals from these countries will remain at about the same level as last year.

At the same time, however, she explained that based on flights scheduled, Hermes expects an increase of arrivals from Israel, Ukraine, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Jordan.