Corendon Airlines has signed a five-year deal to resume charter flights to the TRNC, which travel agents’ leaders say could bring in up to 15,000 tourists a year.
The Dutch-based airline restarted flights to the TRNC on Friday, in conjunction with TRNC agents Akmina Travel. Corendon will operate twice weekly flights from Holland and weekly flights from Belgium during the summer, with flights to and from Holland only in winter.
Cyprus Turkish Travel Agents’ Union (Kitsab) chairman Orhan Tolun told Cyprus Today: “We welcome the restart of Corendon Airlines flights to the TRNC. We believe the airline has a potential to fly in up to 15,000 tourists a year and this will add impetus to our tourism sector.”
Akmina Travel Club boss ismail Abidin said: “Corendon will again be bringing thousands of tourists to the country if everyone does their part and carries out their responsibilities properly.”
Corendon coordinator Ufuk Mestan and general manager Şükrü Önal, said they were happy to revive the route. Mr Mestan said Corendon had seen a rise in North Cyprus bookings and was now visiting the TRNC to check on infrastructure and sign contracts for winter holidays. “In the past we had four weekly flights to North Cyprus. If all goes well this could go up to six weekly flights,” he said, commenting that the aim was to have flights year-round, continuing every year until 2019.
By Kerem Hasan for Cyprus Today
