Serbia's Kon Tiki Travel Sets up Airline in Macedonia To Fly Under Flag Carrier's MAT Brand - Media

“What we take from MAT is a brand that is already known in Europe and wider, as well as part of its experienced personnel. We recognized a potential in MAT, which was crucial for our entry in Macedonia,” Sitel (www.sitel.com.mk) quoted one of Kon Tiki Travel's owners, Darko Milacic, as saying on Wednesday.

The Serbian company's Macedonian airline, MAT Airways DOO, owns one aircraft and would offer charter flights from Macedonia to top tourism destinations like Egypt, Morocco, and Spain’s Tenerife. Flights on the Belgrade-Skopje and Belgrade-Ohrid routes were also planned, Milacic added.

MAT (Macedonian Air Transport) was set up in 1994 with a 100% privately-owned capital soon after the country proclaimed its independence from the former Yugoslav Federation. MAT was grounded earlier this year over its failure to repay more than 20 million euro in debt.
 
Kon Tiki Travel has announced an investment of $10 million (6.6 million euro) in various tourism activities in Macedonia, particularly for bringing tourists to the lakeside resort of Ohrid.
 
“We plan to open an office in Ohrid, as we see great opportunities there. It is a traditional destination for tourists from Serbia and the region,” Milacic said.

In Macedonia, Kon Tiki will launch a full tourism services programme that is already offered in Serbia, where the company holds 50% of the market, Sitel said. 
  
Privately-held Kon Tiki Travel was set up in 1990.

($=0.6616 euro)