Hermes Airports’ Air Service Development team participated this week in CONNECT 2026, one of Europe’s leading and most strategically important route development forums, held in Lublin, Poland, from 17 to 19 February.
During the event, the team conducted 20 targeted meetings with airline partners, focusing on further strengthening connectivity at Larnaka and Pafos airports, securing new routes, and expanding existing airline operations.
Discussions at the forum delivered particularly encouraging signals ahead of the upcoming summer season. Early booking trends from key markets including the United Kingdom, Poland, Scandinavia and Switzerland are performing strongly, while newer markets such as Spain and Italy are also showing promising momentum. Notably, these emerging markets are beginning to generate a sustainable base of inbound demand. Continued, focused promotion of Cyprus and targeted engagement with specific traveller segments will be essential to further build on this positive trajectory.
Looking ahead, early indications for the winter season are equally promising, with several airlines expressing interest in extending their seasonal programmes or transitioning to year-round operations.
Maria Kouroupi, Director of Aviation Development and Communication at Hermes Airports, noted that discussions during the forum confirmed that the company’s agreements with airlines, combined with coordinated initiatives across the tourism sector in recent years, have strengthened Cyprus’ market positioning and stimulated demand. “While the outlook is encouraging, there is still considerable work ahead, particularly in further developing Cyprus as a year-round destination and enhancing its international promotion, to ensure continued and sustainable growth in air connectivity,” she added.
Hermes Airports’ participation in CONNECT forms part of its long-term strategy to continuously enhance Cyprus’ air connectivity, support tourism and business activity, and create lasting value for the economy of Cyprus.
