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Fraport Informs Greek Tourism Sector on Revamp Plans for 14 Airports

Zakynthos Island - Greece, airplane at Dionysios Solomos airport. Photo source: panoramio.com

“We are conducting one of the largest investments in Greece”, George Vilos, the executive director of commercial and business development of Fraport Greece said on Tuesday.

Fraport Greece Executive Director of Commercial and Business Development George Vilos.

Fraport Greece Executive Director of Commercial and Business Development George Vilos.

Speaking during the 15th Tourism & Development Conference of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Vilos said that Fraport’s aim is to provide new and modern infrastructure in the 14 Greek regional airports that are expected to come under its management by the end of January at the latest.

The Frankfurt-based transport company expects to invest over 400 million euros by 2021 for the upgrading and expansion of the facilities in the 14 airports.

“The goal is for today’s image of the airports to become a thing of the past… We will aim to attract more tourists, increase flight frequencies, form partnerships with airline companies and extend the tourism season in Greece”, Vilos said, adding that partnerships will be essential to the projects.

“We will also aim to develop commercial areas (stores) within the airports and in accordance to international airport standards”, he added.

According to Vilos, Fraport Greece expects the 14 airports to serve at least 31 million passengers in the next decade.

He also informed that the passenger fee at the regional airports will be 13 euros, which is the price set by the concession agreements ratified in Greek parliament.

Today the average airport fee at regional airports, which includes a charge for using the airport and a “modernization and development tax” (spatosimo), is some 12,7 euros per departing passenger.

Vilos underlined that the 13-euro fee will include all charges (including the spatosimo) and remain fixed for a period of four years in which time Fraport will be required — according to the deal signed with the Greek government — to implement investments totalling 330 million euros at the airports it manages.

When investments are completed, the charge can rise anywhere up to 18 euros.

In addition, Vilos informed that Fraport Greece is currently hiring staff. The company is seeking to fill in some 500 positions and has already received some 50,000 resumes.

Frankfurt-based Fraport Group inked a 40-year contract in December last year to manage with its Greek partner energy firm Copelouzos the airports at 14 regions across Greece that include three mainland gateways (Thessaloniki, Aktion, and Kavala) and 11 airports on Greek islands (Chania on Crete, Kefalonia, Kos, Mykonos, Lesvos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos).

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