After the success of mp², Marseille-Provence Airport launches mp1!

In 2014, passenger traffic figures were relatively stable. Now AMP reveals its high ambitions and provides details about tourism spin-offs for the region.

2013 had been a particularly dynamic year for the region, boosted by European Capital of Culture status. Yet the airport managed to maintain stable traffic levels in 2014 - despite an unfavourable national context: major strikes by airline unions and a lack of traffic rights to certain major international destinations.

8.2 million passengers travelled via Marseille-Provence Airport (AMP), down only 0.9% on 2013. The drop mainly reflected traffic at the main terminal (-2.4%), which was impacted by the strikes (an estimated loss of 120,000 passengers). Meanwhile at the mp² low-cost terminal, unaffected by strikes, traffic increased by 3.7%.

In 2014, Marseille-Provence Airport inaugurated the first stages of its major investment plan designed to position France's 4th airport on a par with major international airports in terms of quality of service offered to passengers and airlines.

In November 2014, therefore, AMP inaugurated an extension and modernisation programme for its low-cost terminal, mp². The terminal's huge commercial success since opening in 2006 had rendered a complete overhaul of traveller facilities necessary, to ensure smoother procedures and enhanced comfort, whilst maintaining its main advantage: simplicity. In 2014, over 2 million passengers passed through mp² - an all-time record for the first low-cost terminal in Europe.

Looking towards the future, the airport is also continuing to invest in its cargo business, one of the airport's emblematic activities. With 53,345 tonnes of air cargo (+3%) and 46,988 tonnes of express freight (+3.2%), AMP has held on to its positions as France's No. 1 regional base and the leading airport in the western Mediterranean for express cargo, ahead of Rome and Barcelona.

In terms of governance, the year was marked by Marseille-Provence Airport becoming a limited company (Société Anonyme) with a Management Board and a Supervisory Board on 10 June 2014 and the setting up of Audit and Investment Committees. Their various members, elected for 3 years, will accompany the airport in its development projects and in transferring the airport engineering business to a subsidiary.

After mp²… the launch of mp1! A new brand for a new experience.

After innovating in 2006 by launching mp², the first low-cost terminal in Europe, AMP is marking a new page in its development in 2015, by preparing one of the biggest investment plans in its history. The first phases will be launched during 2015.

These projects will give structure to the airport. For example, launching the new mp1 terminal as a new brand will inject the overall coherency and the clarity that the various buildings lack today, ranging from Hall1 to Hall 4.

The first phase of this transformation will commence in the coming weeks: €14.5m will be invested in the reorganisation of all entry points into the airport and all roads within it to make access to car parks easier, to smooth the flow of traffic, and to give the esplanade back to pedestrians. 

Then, the heart of terminal mp1 will be constructed between current Halls 1 and 4, in order to improve the passenger experience, to reinforce operational efficiency, and to increase handling capacity and quality. The heart of the terminal creates an opportunity to improve the welcome extended to tourists coming to Provence, thanks to new facilities that will include a show-room in arrivals promoting the Aix-Marseille-Provence region in particular, and the South of France in general. Finally air-side, a new jetty will increase aircraft handling capacity, including for wide-bodied jets.

AMP contributes to the region's revenue

In 2013, it was estimated that revenue stemming from expenditure by visitors (tourists) arriving at AMP amounted to over 1 billion euros per year. Recent surveys carried out by AMP among its passengers (on a representative sample of 20,000 passengers) break down the impact on different destinations with the region:

The main destination of 33% of tourists arriving at AMP is Marseille; 14% for Aix-en-Provence; 6% for Avignon.

Individual expenditure varies with destination. The towns where expenditure is highest are Saint-Tropez (953 euros per person per stay) and Cassis (760 euros). The towns that benefit from the highest economic spin-offs stemming from tourists arriving at AMP are: Marseille (€326m in 2014), Aix-en-Provence (€128m) and Avignon (€67m).

In terms of nationalities, the biggest contingent of tourists is British, followed by the Americans. Over 90,000 Americans flew into AMP within the space of one year1. Illustrating the Americans' taste for Provence, the 2014 figure was up 20% on 2013, which had already recorded a 21% increase on 2012!2

1 Survey carried out by AMP between May 2013 and April 2014.

2 Sources : ARC, Atout France USA.

To accentuate such developments, AMP will continue to work alongside the regional tourism board to promote tourism. Also, an agreement to support promotion efforts abroad has just been signed with the tourism boards in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence in an effort to increase awareness of destination Aix-Marseille-Provence and stimulate further tourists to come and visit.

Find out more about Marseille-Provence Airport:

www.mp.aeroport.fr    /  www.mp2.aeroport.fr

 PRESS CONTACT  Audrey Le Blanc audrey.leblanc@mrs.aero +33 (0)4 42 14 26 09