In the last 30 years, the increase in passenger figures was lastingly higher than the growth in gross domestic product. The financial crisis has slowed down the dynamism of the aviation market. We expect that in the medium and long term, the forces of growth will prevail and air traffic will increase. And airports are becoming increasingly important as hubs of transportation. As interfaces in a globalized world, they are sharpening their profile, and they have long been attractive centers for retailers, caterers and service-providers.

With the new challenges, the demands made on modern airport managements are changing. Only with an improved infrastructure, greater competitiveness and good prospects for growth can an airport be successful. That is why many countries are privatizing their airports and placing the operation and further development of these facilities into non-state hands. In this airport privatization market, HOCHTIEF AirPort (HTA) has established itself as one of the leading players.

From financing and management through strategic alignment, HTA offers all the requisite services from a single source. Since it was founded in 1997, the company has built up an attractive and balanced portfolio of shareholdings in the airports of Athens, Budapest, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Sydney and Tirana. About 90 million passengers a year benefit from airport management by HTA.

HOCHTIEF AirPort intends to play a role in further privatizations, involving facilities of all sizes from smaller airports to large international hubs. In the form of HOCHTIEF AirPort Capital (HTAC), founded in 2005 with three strong financial partners, the company is positioned for further growth. HTAC, comprising Hastings Funds Managements Ltd (Australia), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (Canada) and KfW IPEX-Bank (Germany), is the world's first investment partnership in the airport sector. With this combination of know-how and financial clout, HTA has strengthened its position and extended its scope for action.

In addition, HTA has a 100 percent stake in the company HTAR (HOCHTIEF AirPort Retail). Since 2006, HTAR has been master concessionaire for the retail and gastronomy offer at Tirana International Airport. Plans are to also expand business at other airports.

Since mid-2008, HOCHTIEF AirPort GmbH – together with HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions – forms part of the corporate division HOCHTIEF Concessions.