BRAZIL. Flughafen Zürich AG (Zürich Airport) has been awarded the concession to manage and expand Florianópolis Hercílio Luz International Airport in southern Brazil.
Following the signing of the agreement, which is expected in July, Zürich Airport will own 100% of the airport and operate it under a concession until 2047. The Swiss company said it plans to “expand and improve the airport’s infrastructure to achieve its maximum growth potential, utilising the best practices developed in Switzerland while preserving the local Brazilian values”.
Hercílio Luz Airport served 3.6 million passengers and had revenue of CHF26 million in 2016. It proved “resilient” through the Brazilian economic downturn, noted Zürich Airport. The airport achieved an average +9.7% passenger growth per year in the six years before the recession.
The airport serves a local population of 1.1 million inhabitants within its catchment area and is located on the island of Santa Catarina, a holiday destination for both domestic and international travellers.
Flughafen Zürich AG entered Brazil four years ago through the acquisition of a 25% stake in the privatization of Belo Horizonte Airport. (Recently the commercial team there unveiled a dramatic new regional products zone in 3,000sq m, as reported).
Despite Brazil’s recent economic woes, it cited the country as “one of the world’s most dynamic aviation markets with strong long-term fundamental growth prospects”.
Also in Latin America, the airport operator is involved in Bogotá, Curaçao and two airports in Chile.
