Varna Airport saw its passenger traffic climb 2.3 per cent on the year to 400 000 in the first half of 2011, the airport’s concessionaire, Fraport Twinstat Airport Management, said on July 13 2011.

The highest rise was registered in tourists from Russia, Finland, Norway and Iran, the company’s spokesperson Ivelina Koeva said.

The largest number of passengers was recorded on flights to and from Russia, Germany and the UK. The airport also recorded an increase in flights to Poland, Hungary and Israel.  Sofia, Moscow and Vienna emerged as the three most popular destinations in the period.

In early July, Fraport said it would invest more than 170 million leva in the airports in Varna and Bourgas over the next three years. The funds will be channelled into the construction of new passenger terminals at the airports, as well as into the upgrade of the Varna airport runway. The project will create about 1500 jobs.