FLYING BEYOND BORDERS: INTERMODAL CONSIDERATIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY OF AEGEAN SEA ISLANDS, GREECE USING DISCRETE CHOICE ANALYSIS

Accessibility is of major importance for tourism and trade development in Eastern Aegean Sea islands, Greece. In particular, the island of Chios is heavily dependent on Athens International Airport for both its inbound and outbound tourism. On the other hand, the International Airport of Izmir in Turkey, located much closer to the island, serves several European destinations. Crossing the borders in an intermodal transport context may lead to a substantial air travel alternative for Chios, thus improving its accessibility and potential for tourism development. A discrete choice analysis, based on primary data research regarding travel scenarios from Chios to ten main European airports-destinations, shows the potential for new traffic flows in addition to the existing ones. Airport utility maximization differences observed among various social groups is also noteworthy.