Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia is undergoing renovations thanks to EU funding. The new larger airport will be better equipped to deal with anticipated rising numbers of passengers travelling to and from the region and will have better safety, technical and operational standards. The overall efficiency of the airport will be improved as a result of the project.
Dubrovnik prepares for future tourism surge by upgrading its airport
- 02 October 2017
The project comprises the upgrading and reconstruction of Dubrovnik Airport, including the building of a new terminal. Currently, the airport is operating at maximum capacity – these restorations will increase its size, enabling it to handle larger volumes of passenger numbers forecast for the future.
Another aspect of the work entails ensuring the airport meets requirements for applying Schengen border code provisions. Croatia is not currently a member of the Schengen Area but is committed to joining in the future.
Meeting international aviation requirements
By developing airside infrastructure, safety requirements can be fulfilled. Upgrading in this way ensures that the airport stays in line with the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization – a United Nations agency that works with governments and industry to reach consensus on aviation standards and practices, and policies to support civil aviation.
A series of environmental and energy-efficient measures will ensure that the airport – which forms part of the comprehensive Trans-European Transport Network – satisfies standards for, amongst others, noise protection and waste management. Nearly EUR 95 million of EU funding is being invested in the project, which has a total budget of over EUR 200 million.
A key entry point for tourists
The southern part of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, where Dubrovnik Airport is situated, is separated from the rest of Croatia by a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina that connects that country with the Adriatic Sea. The airport plays a key role in making the region internationally accessible, with more than 65 % of tourists arriving by air.
The project aims to reduce this isolation, which will greatly benefit the local economy, particularly given the significance of tourism as a source of revenue in Dubrovnik. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Mediterranean region’s top tourist destinations.
Located around 15 km south east of Dubrovnik city centre, the airport is the third busiest in Croatia and one of the main entry points for tourists into the country. Passenger numbers currently stand at 2 million a year, but are expected to increase to 2.4 million in 2020, before going on to reach 4 million by 2032.
Work under the project will increase the terminal space. It will also reduce passenger processing and waiting times from one hour to 40 minutes. the number of people employed at the airport is expected to increase from 447 to 676 by 2020.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Dubrovnik Airport Development Project Phase II” is EUR 200 358 058, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 94 930 046 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.