There are three countries on TAV's investment radar

TAV CEO Serkan Kaptan said, “We operate 15 airports in 8 countries. We are following Lagos in Nigeria, Podgorica and Tivat in Montenegro, and Kuwait airports.” Kaptan also stated that they are following all opportunities in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the CIS region. While TAV Airports increased the number of passengers it served in the first 6 months of the year, it is also turning its eyes to different regions abroad. In the first six months, the company increased the number of passengers it served by 42 percent to 24 million, and the number of domestic passengers by 18 percent to 15 million. Although the number of passengers from Russia and Ukraine remained low due to the war, the company achieved a turnover of 560 million euros during this period with the contribution of increased traffic from Europe and the Middle East, international operations, and service companies. TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan evaluated the company’s financial results and investment plan at the meeting held with members of the press. Kaptan said, “As of the end of 2022, we have left the pandemic behind financially and operationally. We continued our growth in the first 6 months of this year. 64 percent of our turnover comes from our international operations,” he said. TAV Airports, which announced an EBITDA of 147 million euros in the first six months of the year, expects a year-end EBITDA of between 330 and 360 million euros. Serkan Kaptan said, “There was a significant increase in traffic at Medina Airport after Saudi Arabia lifted the restrictions on Umrah and Hajj. The four-year flight ban between Russia and Georgia was lifted in May. The number of tourists coming to Antalya, Bodrum and Izmir from Western Europe increased significantly. The number of passengers coming to our country from Kazakhstan has also doubled. We have more than compensated for the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.” 2025 turnover target is 1.5 billion euros According to the information provided by Kaptan, TAV Airports, which purchased Almaty Airport and added it to its portfolio in the last 2 years and extended the operation period in Antalya to 2052 and in Ankara to 2050, increased the average operation period from 8 years to 30 years. Kaptan said, “We secured the future of the company by making a significant breakthrough during the pandemic period. We expect double-digit growth in traffic, turnover, and EBITDA in the next three years. Thus, we will reach a turnover of approximately 1.5 billion euros, 500 million euros of EBITDA and more than 110 million passengers in 2025.” Monitoring Nigeria, Montenegro, and Kuwait Among the new projects that TAV Airports is currently monitoring are Lagos Airport in Nigeria, Podgorica and Tivat airports in Montenegro, and Kuwait Airport. Serkan Kaptan said, “We expect developments in Nigeria and Kuwait this year. We are also closely following Montenegro, for which we have received pre-qualification. With the completion of investments, traffic increase, increasing contribution of service companies, and operational leverage, we will enter a strong growth path starting from 2025. Global passenger traffic is expected to more than double by 2040, exceeding 19 billion. This will bring with it a 2.4 trillion-dollar airport investment. We have the know-how, financial and operational capabilities required for airport projects that can meet various needs in our target regions,” he said. Private jet traffic is on the rise Private plane traffic to Bodrum, one of the most important tourism centers in the Mediterranean, has been increasing for the last two years. Compared to 2019, the reference year before the pandemic, the number of passengers passing through the general aviation terminal increased by 34 percent in the first six months of this year. General aviation traffic in the first half of the year is also 3 percent higher than last year. TAV Airports, which operates Milas-Bodrum Airport, offers a service focused on speed and comfort in the 1240-square-meter terminal serving private jets. The Milas-Bodrum Airport General Aviation Terminal welcomed 11,800 passengers from Turkey and abroad in 2019. The number of passengers reached 17,300 in 2022, and it is expected to reach approximately 20,000 passengers this year. When we look at the passengers arriving at Milas-Bodrum by private plane, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, France, and Switzerland are in the first place. There are 36 private jet parking positions at the airport, and an average of 25 flights take place per day. TAV Airports, which will make a 15 million dollar solar power plant investment, is starting an investment in a 110MWh annual solar power plant as part of its clean energy transition strategy. According to the information provided by Serhat Kaptan, TAV will invest 15 million dollars in solar power plants in 2 years. Following the investment that will start in İzmir, Bodrum, and Ankara, TAV will also cover Antalya, Gazipaşa, Üsküp, Almaty, and Medina airports. It is planned to obtain 41 percent of energy consumption from the sun in two years. TAV will obtain all its energy from the sun in the medium term. Kaptan said, “Currently, four airports have carbon-neutral status. The entire portfolio will be carbon-neutral by 2030. We aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.”