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Proud moments for Cyprus as the new terminal is inaugurated by (left to right) Hermes Airports Chairman Nicolas Shacolas, Minister Nicos Nicolaides, Cyprus President Demetris Christafios and EU Commissioner Antonio Tajani |
CYPRUS. Pafos Airport’s glittering new terminal was inaugurated on Saturday night at a special ceremony attended by Cyprus President Demetrios Christofias, EU Commissioner for Transport Antonio Tajani and around 900 guests from Cyprus and overseas, including The Moodie Report.
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(Left to right) Hermes Airports Chairman Nicolas Shacolas, Minister Nicos Nicolaides and EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani inaugurate CTC-ARI Airports’ ambitious duty free store at Pafos Airport |
The terminal, which can handle around 2.7 million passengers a year, was developed by the Hermes Airports consortium, which invested around €126 million in the project. It contains around 1,200sq m of new retail space operated by CTC-ARI Airports and a strong food & beverage offer from the Cyprus Airports Food & Beverage Company, with the operation managed by SSP. Aer Rianta International-Middle East is a shareholder in the Hermes consortium, as well as joint-venture partner in the CTC-ARI Airports retail business, and it has a stake in the F&B operation too.
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Cypriot President Demetris Christafios praises the project, and adds: “We have to be constantly alert to make sure that our airports can compete with the airports of other tourist destinations” |
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The new terminal receives its formal blessing from Bishop Georgios of Pafos (right) |
President Christafios said: “It is with great pleasure that we inaugurate the new terminal building, a project which is of particular importance for the tourist and economic development not just of Pafos but of the entire island.
“We have to be constantly alert to make sure that our airports can compete with the airports of other tourist destinations. That influenced our decision to build new passenger terminals both at Larnaka and Pafos airports. I congratulate Hermes Airport for the construction of Pafos within the 28 months specified in the contract.
“The Cyprus Government is taking all necessary measures to minimise the consequences of the international crisis on our country. Particular emphasis is given to supporting the tourist industry and maintaining the traffic levels of previous years. This target can only be met by attracting tourists from new markets like Russia and Ukraine.”
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A gleaming new duty free store – targeting the core UK charter passenger |
The driving force behind the creation of the Hermes Airports consortium was Cypriot businessman Nicolas Shacolas. He told assembled guests that the opening was a “historic moment” for aviation in Cyprus. “We intend to further develop Pafos Airport, by offering the most complete services, not only to travellers but also to staff and to visitors. I thank the main contractors, Bouygues Batiment Internationale, Egis, Aéroport de Nice, as well as Iacovou Brothers and Chapo, who have contributed. Also extremely effective was the contribution from Aer Rianta International, which has organised the airport’s [commercial] trading activities with CTC.”
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The main store enjoys great sight lines and strong branding across beauty, liquor, tobacco and notably among all the leading confectionery names (such as Mars, pictured front), heavily featured in the outlet’s central aisle |
Commissioner Tajani reflected on Cyprus’s “worldwide reputation” among tourists and the role of air transport in boosting the economy. But he also said: “We have experienced the first impact of the air transport slowdown, which is entering one of its frequent turbulent zones. The sector will have to adjust to overcome this heavy weather as it has always done. But I will do my best to promote a high-quality, competitive, safe and sustainable transport system in Europe. With the new airport opened today, I know you share my commitment, and there is dynamism and confidence in the future of aviation [in Cyprus].”
Last night’s event opened with a blessing of the facility from Bishop Georgios of Pafos, and also featured contributions from the Pafos Municipality Children’s Choir, plus speeches from the Mayor of Pafos and Minister of Communications & Works Nicos Nicolaides.
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Beauty is a key category at Pafos and CTC-ARI Airports has placed a major focus on the quality of in-store execution |
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A diverse fashion and accessories selection lies across the Departures lounge from the core category store |
Guests were then invited airside to inspect the new retail and food & beverage facilities. The shopping zone is split into two, with one 575sq m main store featuring the core categories of beauty, liquor, tobacco and confectionery. A second store, of around 250sq m, offers fashion, electronics, jewellery & watches, books and other items. In Departures there is strong interplay between the retail and the food & beverage areas, which feature SSP concepts such as Caffè Ritazza, Sbarro and Upper Crust, SSP’s first ‘Beer Garden’ branded concept plus a new Mosaic Café, which offers neat Sense of Place to the central F&B area.
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There is a strong emphasis on local products through CTC-ARI’s Kypriaka concept |
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CTC-ARI Airports’ specialist whisky concept Uisge Beatha enjoys a special area dedicated to it here |
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CTC-ARI Airports General Manager Gerry Crawford (left) with Retail Marketing Manager Martin Mullen |
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Nicolas Shacolas, Minister Nicos Nicolaides and Commissioner Tajani walk the main duty free store |
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Gerry Crawford (left), William Grant & Sons Business Development Manager Michel Abou Jawdeh (centre) and Martin Mullen celebrate the launch of the Glenfiddich Private Vintage 1975, developed for the inauguration |
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ARI-Middle East Managing Director John Sutcliffe toasts the opening with his wife Anna-Marie |
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CTC-ARI Retail Manager Kevin Farrow with a member of the Pafos shop staff |
CTC-ARI General Manager Gerry Crawford said: “We wanted to create a village square atmosphere through the commercial zone, with good adjacencies between the shops and bars and restaurants. The Departures area caters to tourists who are finishing their holiday [over 90% of Pafos’ traffic is charter, most of it to the UK -Ed] so we want to help them relax in a nice atmosphere. There is consistency in the shop fronts, and it’s easy to get around the area. Within the stores there are great sightlines from one end to the other, and you are next to the gates.
“There are some nice touches to the furniture, there is excellent personalisation, and suppliers have really got behind this project in a big way – and in a short timeframe. For us it’s important to have the security of a long-term, 25-year contract as CTC-ARI. But it also means suppliers can see our investment, and they want to invest with us too, as they see there will be long-term rewards.”
The main shop also features some other nice touches, including CTC-ARI’s Uisge Beatha malt whisky concept which has proved popular in Larnaka Airport – plus a new concept, called Kypriaka, for local products.
Crawford said: “This is more than just a selection of local products. We want to work with local suppliers to develop exclusive ranges just for the airport. It’s a sector that has real potential.”
Another highlight is the launch of a special Glenfiddich Private Vintage by CTC-ARI Airports, in partnership with William Grant & Sons, to celebrate the opening of the new airport terminal. Some 200 bottles of The Glenfiddich Private Vintage 1975, priced at €750 each, have been made available to CTC-ARI Airports, and many of those have already been snapped up even before the terminal opened.
Aer Rianta International-Middle East Managing Director John Sutcliffe expressed his delight at the opening. Sutcliffe leads ARI-ME’s involvement as an 11% shareholder in Hermes Airports, and with a 50% stake in CTC-ARI Airports; he is also Chairman of the Cyprus Airport Food & Beverage Company, in which ARI-ME has a 25% stake.
Sutcliffe told The Moodie Report: “It’s been a fantastic day, and it’s a milestone for ARI-Middle East. It’s the first airport investment we have been involved in so it’s a big moment for the company. This is one major project, and the second, coming in a year’s time, is the opening of the new Larnaka Airport, which will be even bigger.
“Much of the credit for this opening must go to Mr Shacolas, Chairman of Hermes Airports, who has been the driving force behind this project, and who has united so many partners in one cause, and I am really pleased for him tonight that this has been such a success. It has come in on time and on budget.
“It’s also a big moment for Gerry Crawford and his team. Gerry goes back to Dublin Airport soon, he has done a great job here and can be very proud. The size of the retail is not huge – it’s about 1,100sq m with food & beverage on top – but it is very high quality, and as good if not better than most airports you will see in Europe or elsewhere in the world. It sets a new standard for what we intend to do in Larnaka next year, and gives us much to live up to.”
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The commercial offer’s Sense of Place is enhanced by SSP’s Mosaic Cafe concept in Departures |
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SSP Managing Director – Eastern Europe & Middle East George Antoniou welcomes guests to the SSP-inspired F&B zone |
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One of SSP’s signature concepts, Caffè Ritazza, features at the new terminal |
SSP Managing Director – Eastern Europe & Middle East George Antoniou spoke of his delight at the new F&B facilities. He said: “The opening of the new facilities is an historic day for the Cyprus Airports Food & Beverage Company, managed by SSP. The New Pafos International Airport is the most important development in Cyprus travel sector since 1974. This important development puts us on the path to an even more ambitious new terminal at Larnaka next year – this combination will raise Cyprus’ profile as an obvious air hub for the whole region.
“The concepts we’ve introduced here are completely different to the existing terminal at Pafos. Here we have combined free-flow units, a Food Village including our well-known concepts such as Sbarro, Upper Crust as well as a new quality fish and chips concept. We also have the Mosaic Café, tailormade for this airport to help give a Sense of Place to the food & beverage area at the airport. This is a new concept introduced by SSP, which draws on the heritage and style of Cyprus and of Pafos.
“We were very pleased that we were able to further contribute to the customers’ experience by suggesting to the airport that an outdoor area was added, that can be accessed by passengers. We felt that we could help prolong passengers’ enjoyment of Cyprus’ great climate and weather by providing a Beer Garden concept outdoors in the departures area. This is another first for us in Cyprus.
“Passengers will also be able to experience one of our best-known and most popular concepts, Caffè Ritazza, a proven coffee brand with over 350 locations worldwide. There is also the popular Costa Coffee unit in the landside area, catering to arriving and departing passengers, and airport visitors. Another new concept, covering the needs of meeters and greeters, is the Kafenion, introduced close to the car park and transport parking areas, ensuring that people working in the airport and operating services there are accommodated. The Premium Lounge is also managed by SSP; providing VIP lounge services to passengers.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to SSP’s General Manager of Cyprus Airports F&B Frederick Podonowski and his team for playing the key role in turning all this into reality. Frederick has been with SSP for several years, working in Poland and Spain before moving to SSP in Cyprus to oversee this important project.
“This has been a great partnership, between the shareholders of Cyprus Airports F&B Company. We have a contract to operate this business for 13 years, with an option for an extension. At this stage of this major development the investment figure rises to more than 2.5 million Euros.
“Next we turn our attention to Larnaka Airport, which is at the same time a big challenge and a big opportunity for us. We see ourselves as the Food Travel Experts; we feel that we are well-qualified to bring something very different and innovative to the food offer at Larnaka, as we have at Pafos.”
The new terminal at Pafos measures 18,000sq m in total. It is the first project to be completed by Hermes Airports under its 25-year concession signed in May 2006. Following this weekend’s inauguration the new terminal will open on a phased basis to passengers during the week ahead.
Look out for a special edition of The Moodie Report PLUS, dedicated to the opening of Pafos Airport’s new terminal, in coming days.
