Athens/Nicosia  - Cyprus opened a new airport Saturday with the vision of it becoming a regional transport hub in the coming decades.

Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias inaugurated the new Larnaca terminal, built by a consortium of French and Cypriot companies at a cost of 656.3 million euros (977.5 million dollars).

The ceremony was attended by Cypriot and foreign officials, including French European Affairs Minister Pierre Lellouche.

"Today serves as a landmark for the tourism development and the island's infrastructure," said Christofias.

"This will be significant in upgrading Cyprus as a main transit hub in the coming decades."

The new airport is four times larger than the old terminal, which was hastily constructed toward the end of 1974, after the invasion of the island by Turkey forced the closure of Nicosia International Airport.

Cyprus has been divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974, sparked by a brief Greek-inspired coup.

Officials said the new airport will be able to handle 7.5 million people annually.

The new airport is equipped with 16 departure and arrival gates and 67 check-in counters, as well as parking spaces for 2,650 vehicles.

Cyprus Airways and easyjet will be the first to fly out from the new airport beginning Tuesday, and the airport will become fully operational after November 17.

The eastern Mediterranean island attracts approximately 3 million tourists a year, mainly from the European Union and Russia. (dpa)