May 2010 proved to be a pleasant surprise as the number of foreign charter arrivals significantly increased in comparison to last year.

Specifically speaking in May 2010 the charter arrivals increased by 7,31% resulting in 12.277 more visitors vs May 2009 and 8% vs 2008. According to statistics from Diagoras airport the charter arrivals arriving in May 2010 were 180.263 pax compared to 167.986 pax arriving during the same period in 2009.

Strong pax numbers growth were driven by a successful performance by: France +4,5k pax or +57%, Russia+2,8k or +67%, Germany +2k or +5,7%, Italy+1,5k or+25%, and Sweden +1k or +7,7%. It is worth noting that there was an increase on arrivals even in the declining market of the UK +1,8%. On the contrary theFinish market had a notable decrease of -1,8k pax or -16,9%.

Despite huge losses on the arrivals during April 2010 (mainly due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland) - the results to-date for April-May was only -1.108pax or -0,53% (209.373pax in 2010 vs 210.481pax in 2009).