Small European island reveals plans for £2million airfield – with first tourist flights in 2026
A TINY island in Europe has revealed plans for a new airfield in a bid to encourage more long-term holidaymakers.
Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago, is often visited as a day trip for people staying in Malta.
However, the Maltese government wants these day-trippers - who visit by ferry - to stay overnight.
Government officials hope to encourage more tourists to Gozo by opening a new rural airfield on the island.
Daily flights will operate between Malta and Gozo, with an aim to entice overnight holidaymakers onto the island.
Plans for the expanded airfield in Gozo were approved by the Planning Authority's Board in October.
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The airfield is located on the outskirts of Xewkija, a village on the island, and is currently only used for emergency purposes.
While the space currently includes a disused heliport, the plans will see the runway extended so small fixed wing aircraft and helicopters can land on the airfield.
When the airfield opens in 2026, it is thought that there will be 15 flights per day, including scheduled and chartered flights.
Island officials hope the expansion of the airfield, and the direct flights between Malta and Gozo will attract more tourists to the tiny European island.
Ronald Sultana, director of tourism and economic development at Malta’s ministry for Gozo and planning, said: "We are not against day tripping, but we want to translate a ratio of that day tripping into longer stays.
"It will become more sustainable and we will be avoiding mass tourism."
Upgrades to the heliport are set to cost €1.6million (£1.3million) with a further €861,000 (£716,000) being spent on three nine-seater aircraft.
Ticket could cost between £20 and £30 when they launch, according to local media.
Infrastructure on the island is also set to be upgraded as part of the plans.
A new sports centre and a range of boutique hotels are also slated to open on Gozo.
Sultana added: "These are some of the different projects we’re trying to implement in order to turn Gozo into a destination that one can enjoy on a longer stay."
It's not the only new airport opening on a popular holiday island.
The Caribbean island of Barbuda has revealed plans for a £10.8million airport.
Greenland has revealed plans for three new airports, and Crete is opening its new Kastelli International Airport by 2026.
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More laid-back and rural than its sister island, locals say that Gozo is what Malta was like 50 years ago.
The ferry ride is quick and cheap, so you’d be daft not to take a day trip to see the golden sands of Ramla Bay, ancient salt pans on the shoreline, the Bronze Age hilltop citadel or Ggantija Temples, man-made structures that predate the pyramids of Egypt.
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