Skopje will launch new regular flights to five European cities during November and December, including the restoration of its air link with Cologne, after several routes were discontinued last year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski announced on Thursday.
From Skopje International Airport, flights to Madrid and Stockholm will begin in November, followed by routes to Prague, Bari, and Cologne in December.
“This morning we signed an agreement for five new destinations to be operated from Skopje Airport,” Nikoloski said at a press conference. “These routes will bring more tourists, more business opportunities, and better connectivity for citizens.”
With these new destinations, the total number of new flight routes introduced within one year reaches 16, according to Nikoloski. In the first half of 2025, 1.5 million passengers traveled through the airports in Skopje and Ohrid — an increase of 5 percent at Skopje Airport and 11 percent at Ohrid Airport compared to the same period last year.
The new routes follow a decision by Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air to discontinue flights from Skopje to Cologne, Copenhagen, and Stockholm in November 2024 due to high service fees at Cologne-Bonn Airport. To maintain interest from passengers in that part of Germany, the airline announced it would increase flight frequencies from Skopje to Dortmund.
Meanwhile, data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism show a significant increase in foreign visitors during the first five months of 2025. The number of foreign tourists rose by 23.6 percent, while overnight stays increased by 18.7 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
France recorded the largest growth, with a 398 percent increase in tourist arrivals and a 303 percent rise in overnight stays, positioning itself as a new strategic focus for North Macedonia’s tourism policy.
Germany followed with a 219 percent increase in arrivals and a 146 percent increase in overnight stays, while the United Kingdom saw growth of 204 and 139 percent, respectively. Turkey, which was the leading market in 2024, continued its steady growth with an 11 percent increase in tourists and a 21 percent rise in overnight stays, maintaining its top position in total arrivals and nights spent.
Nikoloski said additional new routes would be announced in the coming period.