The new face of North Cyprus: Ercan Airport

[paul90]

A copy of an article by ÖMER BİLGE in today's Hurriyet Daily News concerning Ercan and hotel capacity:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/the-ne ... sCatID=396

We are going through a period when holiday-goers not only seek sea, sand, sun together with history and nature, but also prioritise peace and safety. North Cyprus, which stands as an island of tranquility at the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, is not an attraction center only for tourists, but also for those who want to reside permanently.

If you want to be a step ahead in tourism, you have to offer good quality service and adequate bed capacity. But the indispensable condition is the best options in transportation. The only window to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the facility that says “Welcome” to those visiting the island is the Ercan Airport. A new one is being built with an aim of becoming a world brand.

Ercan Airport was leased four years ago for 25 years to Taşyapı. The construction of the new airport and the runways are rapidly ongoing. It would not be an exaggeration if we say that the owner of Taşyapı, Emrullah Turanlı, has woven to make the new Ercan the face of the island. On our trip to Northern Cyprus as the daily Hürriyet family of writers, in the “Explore Northern Cyprus” expedition, we were able to visit the site of the new Ercan project.

As soon as Turanlı took over the management of Ercan with T&T, the image of the airport changed rapidly. From hygiene to the parking lot, all the weaknesses were eliminated; a modern and chic duty-free parlour was made, the health need of travellers was prioritised.

The current Ercan Airport is 20,000 square meters; the new Ercan will be almost 10 times bigger, 185,000 square meters. The airport’s capacity last year was 4 million travellers; with the new project they will be able to serve 10 million passengers.

Its architecture is nature-friendly; it has two runways suitable for all types and size of aircraft; it will have an 18-plane parking space, eight boarding bridges, it will be a high-tech airport. With 60 check-in counters, passengers will be free from suffering long queues.

Building facilities alone is not enough of course. Service and the human factor are also important. Turanlı, working with a professional team, is pledging that the new Ercan will be his first airport but it will not be his last. He has rolled up his sleeves to build other airports in different spots of the world. The new Ercan will be, in a way, the project that will make Turanlı prove himself.

Northern Cyprus has a 20,000 bed capacity. Turanlı is looking for hotel projects. He has set his heart to increase the bed capacity of Northern Cyprus from 20,000 to 100,000.

At one end of his mind, he is thinking of achieving international flights that are now blocked because of the Cyprus issue. Only for this target, would he buy an airline company belonging to an EU country and start direct flights to Nicosia? Well, he might…

He is always thinking out of the box. He has a warm personality; he is a people’s person, with a determined character, which is a distinctive character of the people from the Black Sea.

Turanlı and his daughter Ece Turanlı took us, the Hürriyet and TÜRSAB group, to everywhere in Northern Cyprus, which he calls “my new country” and made us experience a festival of history and nature.

There are 62 flights to and from Northern Cyprus every week. It is also possible to reach Northern Cyprus through the sea.

In 2016, Turkish citizens visiting the island have increased by 9 percent, reaching 1,218,232. Foreign nationals visiting the island dropped 3.7 percent in 2016 because of negative developments in the region and remained at 358,841.

Mainland Turks visiting the island are in search of a tranquil holiday, while the drop in the number of foreigners is because they don’t know this feature of the island, being affected by regional events. Northern Cyprus should be re-explored, especially by Turkish people.

[sophie]

Mmmmm......... so by increasing passengers from 4M to 10M and bed capacity from 20K to 100K, this is going to make KKTC more tranquil. Remind me to check this word up in the dictionary.

[woodspeckie]

Mmmmm......... so by increasing passengers from 4M to 10M and bed capacity from 20K to 100K, this is going to make KKTC more tranquil. Remind me to check this word up in the dictionary.

Exactly what I was thinking, sinking in a sea of concrete already.

[Makum]

Big gamble to take expecting direct flights and a 3 fold increase in tourism, an increase numbers , with failing infrastructure, unsuitable transport net work can only frustrate any would be traveler and ensure they will never return, a nice dream, but a severe reality injection is required.

[Ragged Robin]

Mmmmm......... so by increasing passengers from 4M to 10M and bed capacity from 20K to 100K, this is going to make KKTC more tranquil. Remind me to check this word up in the dictionary.

Exactly what I was thinking, sinking in a sea of concrete already.

Me too!

[fatouche]

A large number of Turks go to North Cyprus not to seek tranquility, but to fritter away their cash in the ubiquitous casinos and to imbibe and indulge in women away from prying eyes.North Cyprus is rapidly becoming the Las Vegas of the Mother Land. All the large, vulgar hotels springing up all along the coast are blots on the landscape and contribute greatly to the light pollution. I'm jolly glad we have left the island.

[sammydavis]

Fatouche, I am interested to know where you went when you left this island - may I ask where to as we are considering that too. any major problems to consider on going to new country, assuming not the UK?

[sophie]

Don't forget, all these new visitors can stand and marvel at our new cable car system from Karaoglanoglu to St Hilarion castle which will handle 100's of people an hour. Hopefully to be constructed in 12 months time. I'm sitting here with a wry smile because I can't believe these developers and Belediye can be so deluded.

[fatouche]

Sammydavis, I've emailed you.

[Hedge-fund]

Fatouche, I am interested to know where you went when you left this island - may I ask where to as we are considering that too. any major problems to consider on going to new country, assuming not the UK?

I'm more interested in where he went to imbibe and indulge in women.......sounds like better fun than the telly on a cold night..

[sammydavis]

Fatouche,you say you have emailed me - did you mean a private message through here? Not sure you would have my email address???