Development of 23 Greek Smaller Airports Starts with Kalamata

Photo source: Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority

Greek authorities announced on Wednesday that they were seeking to recruit special advisors to oversee the tender process for the concession of the Kalamata Airport, paving the way for the development of the country’s 23 smaller regional airports.

More specifically, the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP) is launching a tender procedure (RfP) for the provision of expert services for the development of Kalamata Airport.

The concession tender is expected to be announced in the fall and the contractor will be named in the second half of 2022, HCAP said, adding that the project is closely linked with the further expansion of the tourism industry. 

“The country’s development is directly linked to the efficient use of public property,” said HCAP CEO Gregory D. Dimitriadis, describing the decision as particularly important.

“The airport of Kalamata is one of the most important airports in the country with an impressive increase in traffic in recent years. Upgrading the facilities will further contribute to the general development of the area and the wider Peloponnese region, and of the travel and hospitality services sector in particular,” he added.

Dimitriadis noted that in 2019, some 317,000 international passengers went through Kalamata Airport out of a total of 341,000. 

Overall, in 2019, passengers through all 23 regional airports came to 1.8 million on more than 36,000 flights.

According to the HCAP statement, “the RfP stipulates the provision of expert services for the in-depth assessment of the existing facilities, the identification and assessment of investment needs, in conjunction with alternative scenarios, and the design of a tender procedure for the award of a long-term concession contract”.