03.05.2002 – 12:09 

Frankfurt, Germany (ots) -

The tourist season on the Turkish
Riviera is off to a good start, with passenger figures for the
showcase airport in the Antalya region developing above plan.  The
new terminal - in which Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services
Worldwide acquired a 50-percent share in autumn 1999 - is expected to
reach about 10 million international passengers in 2002, for the
first time.

Antalya Airport (airport code = AYT) served 4.2 million
international passengers in 1999. In 2000, traffic jumped to 6.6
million passengers.  This previous record was exceeded in 2001 when
Antalya Airport welcomed 8.7 million international passengers.
Istanbul Airport which Antalya Airport will likely overtake this
year, recorded only 100,000 more passengers in 2001. Fraport AG's
Andreas Stark, who is one of the two general managers of the Antalya
international terminal and who is responsible for finance, also
expects Antalya Airport to join the league of the world's Top 100
largest airports.

Fraport AG and its Turkish partner Bayindir Group have the
concession for the Antalya terminal until 2007. By that time, a
second runway (now under construction) will have been in operation
for some years and traffic could grow to 15 million passengers per
year. Inaugurated in 1998, the Antalya international terminal will
begin to reach its capacity limits by 2007.

Thus, a second terminal linked to the existing international
terminal is already being considered. The Fraport/Bayindir company
that ensures smooth running operations of Antalya's international
terminal therefore has excellent references for this new terminal
project. A second terminal will greatly enhance tourism in the entire
Antalya region.

For more information about travel and tourism in Turkey, visit the
Internet at: "www.tourism.gov.tr" in English, German and Turkish. 
The Turkish National Tourist Office in Germany (Staatliches
Türkisches Fremdenverkehrsamt) is based in Frankfurt at: 
Baseler Strasse 35, 60329 Frankfurt; Tel.: +49 69 233081; 
Fax: +49 69 232751.

Contact:

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide
Attn: Robert A. Payne - Manager International Press
60547 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tel. +49/69/690'78547
Fax +49/69/690'60548
mailto: r.payne@fraport.de
Internet: http://www.fraport.de (cllick on "Press Lounge")