Two air hubs serving Türkiye's primary tourist attraction Antalya are undergoing a major capacity expansion and renovation effort to meet growing travel demand in the region, according to a report on Sunday.
Every year, Antalya welcomes millions of tourists, and capacity expansion and renovation works are continuing at the city’s two major gateways for air travel: Antalya Airport and Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport.
Investments are being made to increase the passenger capacity of the airports and provide travelers with more comfortable services in the city, which experiences heavy air traffic during the tourism season.
As part of the works carried out by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, infrastructure and terminal investments are continuing at Antalya Airport, one of Europe’s busiest airports, as well as at Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport.
Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin told Anadolu Agency (AA) that passenger traffic is continuing at both airports and that investments are progressing simultaneously.
Şahin stated that investments at Antalya Airport have increased its annual passenger capacity from 35 million to 82 million, while the number of aircraft parking positions has increased from 108 to 176.
He said that the VIP and CIP terminals have been renovated, while a State Guest House, a service building for the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI), staff housing, a mosque, Gates A, C and D, VIP and cargo terminal security entrances, a general aviation terminal, hangar areas, aprons and taxiways have also been constructed.
Şahin said that work to expand the domestic terminal and Terminal 2 has been completed and that the terminals have been opened for service, while suggesting that second-phase investments at the airport are still underway.
He also said that Antalya Airport will gain a tower inspired by the lighthouses of the ancient Lycian civilization. He noted that construction of the tower is currently underway and is expected to be completed next year.
Moreover, Şahin explained that the road routes within the airport are being reorganized to accommodate the increase in passenger and vehicle traffic, adding that the work is progressing rapidly.
"There has been greater traffic circulation at the airport than we expected. As a result, the need to reorganize the internal roads arose," he said.
"We are carrying that out quickly as well. We have opened the roads; only some minor work along the curbs remains, and we will complete that quickly too," he added.
"With its increased capacity, Antalya Airport has become one of the world’s leading airports," Şahin said.
The governor, at the same time, also announced that infrastructure improvement works have begun at Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport, which makes an important contribution to tourism in Antalya’s eastern districts.
He said the airport serves an average of 1 million passengers per year and currently has a capacity of 2 million passengers, with six aircraft parking positions.
Emphasizing the airport’s importance, particularly for tourism in the region, Şahin said the existing terminal was insufficient and that the airport did not have a VIP lounge.
"Gazipaşa Airport is particularly important for tourism in the Alanya-Gazipaşa area. Our biggest shortcoming there was that the existing terminal was not large enough, and there was also no VIP lounge. Construction has now begun. The work is continuing and will be completed within a few months," he said.
He also pointed out that the work is planned to be completed in October and said that the expansion of the terminals would allow the airport to provide better service to passengers.
