Hellenic sees great future for seaplanes in Greece

[ATHENS] Hellenic Seaplanes, a new airline set to start flying tourists between Greek islands this summer, forecasts that sea-based commercial carriers could generate one billion euros (S$1.75 billion) in annual revenue as European travellers return to a country emerging from recession.

With nearly 6,000 islands and fewer than 50 airports, Greece is a "natural" for seaplanes and could become "the centre of a seaplane industry" in Europe, Nicolas Charalambous, president and chief executive officer of Hellenic Seaplanes, said in an interview in Athens.

"The Maldives and Virgin Islands have shown how seaplanes can contribute to the growth of tourism and we have more islands, a longer coastline and are close to large European tourist markets," he said.