Businesses mark EasyJet Edinburgh-Hamburg route

Published on 21/03/2013 06:23

EasyJet will mark the launch of its Hamburg route today by flying a trade delegation to the German city.

Representatives from 10 business organisations will take the airline’s inaugural flight from Edinburgh for a two-day visit.

EasyJet announced six new routes from the capital, starting in October: Hamburg and Berlin in Germany, Prague in the Czech Republic, Copenhagen in Denmark, Reykjavik in Iceland and Dubrovnik in Croatia.

Politicians and business leaders welcomed the expansion as a potential boost to the economy through improved trade and tourism links.

VisitScotland hailed the Hamburg connection in particular, with German visitors making up the biggest number of European tourists to Scotland.

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Germany is also Scotland’s number four export market, worth £1.3 billion a year to businesses.

External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf will unveil a new aircraft dedicated as “Discover Scotland” at the airport today at the official launch of the company’s routes.

Mr Yousaf said: “EasyJet’s new route from Edinburgh to Hamburg will help build Scotland’s business and cultural links with Germany’s second-largest and most prosperous city, providing greater opportunities for co-operation between our two nations.”

EasyJet’s Scottish head, Hugh Aitken, said: “EasyJet is committed to providing Scotland with an ever-wider range of holiday and trading destinations and we look forward to welcoming passengers on board the new services.”