At a ceremony held on Tuesday, November 1 at the Tuzla International Airport, the first Ryanair flight of on the Vienna-Tuzla-Vienna route was officially welcomed. The ceremony was attended by the Director of Tuzla International Airport, Dževad Halilčević, Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton, Irfan Halilagić and Deputy Director of the USAID/BiH Economic Development Office, Erol Mujanović. This ceremony also marked the start of two additional Ryanair flights on the routes Stockholm-Tuzla-Stochkolm and Memmingen-Tuzla-Memmingen.
Tuzla Airport CEO Dževad Halilčević stated: “It was a special pleasure for us today to welcome the first flight of Ryanair, our new strategic partner. Our expectations are long-term and mutually successful cooperation. Taking into account the flight network, the number and variety of destinations to which Ryanair flies, Tuzla airport is certainly becoming an important factor in air traffic in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in the wider environment. The strategic position of the Tuzla airport was of crucial importance for the development of the Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. We see the three destinations that will be operated by Ryanair in the winter flight schedule W22/23 as the first step in the establishment of a much wider network of flights, which, in addition to the current, predominantly VF&R passengers, will stimulate the development of tourism and create business opportunities in new destinations.”
The introduction of Ryanair flights is the result of cooperation between Tuzla International Airport and the USAID Sustainable Tourism Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Turizam) project aiming to attract new airlines and expand existing routes. The new flights to Tuzla International Airport will operate three times per week to Vienna, and twice per week to Stockholm and Memmingen.
“Globally, air travel accounts for more than half of all foreign tourist arrivals, making it critical to the expansion of the tourism industry. As the largest low-cost carrier operating flights to Tuzla, RyanAir will bring positive developments that were seen in other countries where Ryanair introduced flights. These 3 routes will not only benefit Tuzla Canton, but the entire country as they bring opportunity for tourism organizations to advertise their tourism products to travelers in priority source markets where Ryanair operates.” said USAID/BiH Deputy Head of Office for Economic Development Erol Mujanović said.
Considering that more than half of all international tourist arrivals occur by air transport, on a global level, it is determined that air transport represents a significant component in the growth of tourism industry. The presence and operations of the largest low-cost carrier in Tuzla will bring about positive improvements, that were previously achieved in other countries where Ryanair has established flights. The number of international tourists has increased significantly over the past two decades as a result of Ryanair’s rapid expansion. Additionally, by emphasizing point-to-point services, Ryanair has increased the accessibility of secondary tourist attractions like the Canton of Tuzla.
“As Europe’s No. 1 airline, Ryanair is delighted to officially launch its first flight to/from Tuzla and its first ever Tuzla Winter 2022 schedule, with the start of operations of our new routes to Vienna, Stockholm, and Memmingen. Today marks the beginning of our first ever winter schedule for Tuzla airport, giving Tuzla’s citizens and visitors more options to choose from for their next winter getaway, driving economic growth in the region by supporting jobs whilst driving inbound tourism into Bosnia and Herzegovina. To allow our customers and visitors to/from Tuzla to book their winter getaway at the best possible fares, we are launching a seat sale from just €19.99 for travel from November 2022 until the end of March 2023, which is available for booking until November 30th, 2022. Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out. ” stated Dara Brady, Ryanair’s director of marketing & digital.
In Europe, city breaks are becoming an increasingly popular form of tourism. According to previous research, the availability of affordable flights is one of the key drivers of these forms of travel. Tuzla has the opportunity to promote itself as a vibrant, modern city with a distinctive tourist offering. According to Ryanair’s clientele data, the majority of “citybreakers” are cost-conscious young individuals between the ages of 19 and 35 who fly to cities with a vibrant energy and social life, such as Tuzla.
