Rize-Artvin Airport, Türkiye's second airport on the sea, has provided great transportation convenience for the local people and tourists since its opening. The airport, which entered service on May 14, 2022 with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev, has achieved significant success in a short time. Rize-Artvin Airport, which has served over 2 million 800 thousand passengers to date, has made a great contribution to tourism by strengthening the transportation infrastructure of the region.
A Marvel of Engineering Built on the Sea
Rize-Artvin Airport is the second largest airport in Türkiye, built entirely on sea fill. This feature of the airport has made it one of the few projects not only in Türkiye but also worldwide. Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş emphasized that the airport is one of the greatest engineering works in Türkiye, and explained the trust in the project and the benefits it provides to the region. Just a few months after its opening, the airport served 2022 thousand passengers by the end of 524, and hosted 2023 million 1 thousand passengers in 22. As of 2024, the number of passengers has approached 2 million 800 thousand.
Contribution to the Regional Economy
The contributions of Rize-Artvin Airport to the regional economy are also quite significant. The airport has created significant activity, especially in the tourism, accommodation and food sectors. Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş stated that the airport has become an important transportation point not only for Rize but also for the provinces of Artvin and Trabzon. Stating that the use of the airport has increased with both domestic and international flights, Baydaş stated that there is even demand from Georgia. Especially for a region where transportation by land is difficult, the use of air transportation provides a great advantage for the people of the region.
Development of Tourism and Acceleration in the Accommodation Sector
Rize-Artvin Airport has not only facilitated transportation but also provided significant momentum to the tourism sector. Governor Baydaş reports that with the opening of the airport, there has been a significant movement in the accommodation sector in the region. In addition to the local people's longing for their hometown, the rate of tourists visiting the region has also increased. This situation offers great development potential in different areas such as gastronomy, culture and nature tourism.
Future Prospects and Investment Opportunities
Rize-Artvin Airport is expected to grow even more in the future and serve more passengers. The ease of transportation provided by the airport can make the region an important tourism center not only in Turkey but also internationally. Governor Baydaş states that they will feel the impact of the airport in the tourism sector more and expresses his belief that investments in the region will increase.
Rize-Artvin Airport is not only a transportation point, but also an important development tool for the regional economy and tourism. The conveniences it provides for both local people and tourists are an indication that the airport will make great contributions to the development of the region in the long term.
