newstodate.aero
Jul 05, 2018 (newstodate): Estonia's Tallinn Airport is sort of sandwiched between Helsinki Airport on one hand, and Riga Airport on the other. Even so, the airport is seeing growth - and potentials for more..
-We could never compete with Helsinki Airport, given its ample supply of Asian traffic due to Finnair's successful strategy, and Latvia's Riga Airport is strongly supported by its hub function for airBaltic. Anyway, passenger volumes at Tallinn Airport are rising fast these years, exceeding the 2-mio mark in 2017 after growing by 19 percent and probably growing a further 15 percent this year as well, says Eero Pargmae, Tallinn Airport CCO.
-Actually, we do not see Helsinki as a competitor. The huge influx of Asian, notably Chinese passengers into Finland is generating a similar growth in Chinese tourist streams into Estonia as well, creating additional business opportunities for Tallinn Airport also.
-As for Riga Airport, this is up to five hours' drive away from Estonia and if air travel opportunities are available at Tallinn Airport we are the optimal choice for the Estonian market.
-The Estonian home market is very small, so much effort is invested into campaigning for incoming tourism and travel from European markets within some two-three hours' flying time. We are seeing much untapped potential for new routes to Tallinn from a spree of destinations notably in the German, UK and French markets, and we are working actively with tourism boards and agencies abroad to promote Estonia as an attractive market, says Mr Pargmae.
In 2017, Tallinn Airport completed the extension of the runway from 3,070 to 3,480m, making it the longest in the Baltic region, and new apron areas and aircraft parking stands were added as well.
-We could never compete with Helsinki Airport, given its ample supply of Asian traffic due to Finnair's successful strategy, and Latvia's Riga Airport is strongly supported by its hub function for airBaltic. Anyway, passenger volumes at Tallinn Airport are rising fast these years, exceeding the 2-mio mark in 2017 after growing by 19 percent and probably growing a further 15 percent this year as well, says Eero Pargmae, Tallinn Airport CCO.
-Actually, we do not see Helsinki as a competitor. The huge influx of Asian, notably Chinese passengers into Finland is generating a similar growth in Chinese tourist streams into Estonia as well, creating additional business opportunities for Tallinn Airport also.
-As for Riga Airport, this is up to five hours' drive away from Estonia and if air travel opportunities are available at Tallinn Airport we are the optimal choice for the Estonian market.
-The Estonian home market is very small, so much effort is invested into campaigning for incoming tourism and travel from European markets within some two-three hours' flying time. We are seeing much untapped potential for new routes to Tallinn from a spree of destinations notably in the German, UK and French markets, and we are working actively with tourism boards and agencies abroad to promote Estonia as an attractive market, says Mr Pargmae.
In 2017, Tallinn Airport completed the extension of the runway from 3,070 to 3,480m, making it the longest in the Baltic region, and new apron areas and aircraft parking stands were added as well.