TAV MACEDONIA WELCOMED THE FIRST DUTCH TOURISTS AT OHRID AIRPORT
The first touristic charter-flight from Amsterdam arrived in Ohrid this morning. It is expected until October over 150 organized charter flights in 2016 summer season and Ohrid to be visited by 25.000 Dutch tourists.
With a water canon in a form of a rainbow, traditional Macedonian shack, as well as a cake for a welcome, TAV Macedonia this morning at Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport has welcomed the first group of 180 tourists that arrived from Amsterdam, with the charter-flight of the company Corendon.
From TAV Macedonia are stressing that they are satisfied that charter flights with Dutch tourists are continuing this summer season as well, which is 6th year in a row.
-We are thrilled that today our valued tourists have arrived with the flight of Corendon and that the tradition goes on. We expect this summer Corendon to bring tourists from Holland, at the beginning with two flights per week, and then during the season, in July and August, with three flights per week to Ohrid. These charter flights, as well as the three regular routes from St. Paul the Apostle to Basel, London and Zurich, along with the new route Ohrid-Belgrade that next month will be introduced by Air Serbia, as well as the charter-flights from Brussels that are beginning this season with the biggest tour operator Thomas Cook, with the ones from Tel Aviv with the Israeli airline Arkia, along with the regular charters by Arkefly also from Holland, will contribute to revival of Ohrid Airport, increased traffic, but a broadened and enriched income of tourists in Ohrid as well. Those who are coming in Ohrid again know its beauties very well, and for those who come for the first time today we believe that will be astonished by the nature and the cultural sights of the Macedonian touristic pearl. For all of this, we want to thank to the Municipality of Ohrid, as well as to ,,Fibula’’, the domestic company that is organizing these flights, for the good cooperation we have with them, stated Zoran Krstevski, TAV Macedonia General Manager.
The charter flights on the route Amsterdam-Ohrid-Amsterdam, begun today and will continue until 7th of October. At the beginning Corendon will fly two times per week to Ohrid, on Tuesdays and Fridays, while in the biggest peak of the season – in July and August, the company will add one more flight in the same days of the week, flying on this route 4 times weekly.
From TAV Macedonia are expecting over 25.000 tourists from Holland to arrive this summer in Ohrid through the charter flights of ,,Corendon’’ and ,,Arkefly’’, which begin in May and will last until October. In this period, it is expected at Ohrid Airport to land over 150 aircrafts full with Dutch tourists.
In 2015, in the period May- October, through Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport has been transported over 80.000 passengers.
From the airport operator are expecting further increase of the air traffic at Ohrid Airport during this summer season, as a result of the introduction of the new regular route Ohrid-Belgrade, by Air Serbia, as well the introduction of the charter flights of Thomas Cook from Brussels, and Arkia from Israel.
TAV Macedonia ended 2015 with 22% increase in the total number of passengers at both Macedonian airports – Skopje Alexander the Great and Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle, reaching 1.560.381 passengers. At the same time, the total number of operations was 15.510, with an increase of 11%.
The trend of increased traffic continues this year as well. In the first 3 months of 2016 through both Macedonian airports were transported 344.267 passengers, with a growth of 28% compared to the same period in 2015. In the same time, the number of operations (takeoffs and landings) at the both airports is increased by 15%.