Alexander Zinell

The 14 regional airports run by Fraport saw record arrivals figures in 2022, with domestic arrivals up 3.4% and international arrivals up 7.2% compared to the pre-pandemic period (2019).

The figures emerged after a meeting Tuesday between Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias and Fraport Greece CEO Alexander Zinell.

Lufthansa is more than doubling its itinerary in Greece with the addition of seven brand new destinations for this summer. From May 21, 2021, Aktio, Chania, Corfu, Kavala, Kos, Mykonos, and Zakynthos will welcome the German air carrier for the first time. This is Lufthansa's largest increase in its 62 years of presence in Greece.

Fraport Greece is considering implementing additional non-obligatory investments at Thessaloniki's Makedonia Airport, including the construction and operation of a hotel. The German-Greek consortium has completed most of the initial 450-million-euro investment program in the 14 regional airports it operates.

The Greek tourism sector needs to create fresh tourism products to attract new investment and make it fetch returns, Ilias Kikilias, general director of the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE), said on Tuesday.

Red tape and the absence of an investment-friendly environment continue to dog Greece, Fraport Greece chief executive Alexander Zinell testified on Tuesday at the InvestGR forum in Athens.

Fraport Greece expects a double-digit percentage rise in passenger traffic through 14 Greek airports this year, its chief executive said on Monday.

Fraport Greece, a consortium of Germany's Fraport and Greek group Copelouzos, has operated 14 Greek airports including at popular tourist destinations Santorini and Rhodes since April last year.

Fraport, which in April signed a 1.23 billion euro deal to operate 14 regional airports in Greece, could seek compensation from the Greek state for damage to buildings and infrastructure that allegedly occurred during the takeover.

Kathimerini understands that the company has submitted an itemized list of the damages to the Civil Aviation Authority.