Passengers passing through Cyprus’ airports in Larnaca and Paphos reached a record high on Friday, with traffic exceeding 12 million passengers, as was predicted earlier in the week.

“This important achievement comes after a period of significant challenges and changes in tourism and aviation, brought about by both the pandemic and the various geopolitical developments,” airports operator Hermes said.

It added that the 12 million passenger milestone was proof of the country’s dynamic as a destination and the resilience of the tourism sector.

Hermes said from day one it has been “implementing a systematic and targeted strategy to strengthen the connectivity of Cyprus which has yielded significant results as a steady expansion of air connections has been achieved by attracting new airlines, expanding the destination network and a significant increase in passenger traffic.

“Today, Cyprus’ air connectivity has not only improved significantly, but has established itself on a very strong and competitive level,” Hermes said.

The airports’ operator said it “remains committed to its strategic goal of further expanding the connectivity of Cyprus, placing emphasis on both the growth of tourist flows and ensuring options for the residents of Cyprus.”