Management at Knock Airport have unveiled a plan to turn the 140-acre site into an international airport, offering consumer, leisure, business and freight travel between the west of Ireland and countries abroad.
Announcing the five-year business plan, Mr Liam Scollan, chief executive of the airport, said it was expected that turnover would rise from €4 million in 2002 to €12 million by 2007.
Management wanted a global perspective for the airport, not just a regional one, he said.
The 2,300 metre runway at the airport, which is capable of landing jet aircraft, qualified it for international status and in this respect it differed from other airports, such as Sligo, Galway and Donegal.
Work had begun on a major extension to the terminal building to cope with increased passenger traffic. "Knock is international and this is where we are pitching ourselves," said Mr Scollan.
"Minister Seamus Brennan has been supportive with us in this regard. It is strategically well positioned as the only international airport serving the 13 Border region counties, with a catchment of 1.2 million people, and has huge potential for benefits to the local economy.
"We can move freight abroad, which is of great interest to multi-national companies in the region. We have 320-seater planes coming in here, and there is a thirst for more. There is also phenomenal growth in sun-holiday traffic, which is telling us that people from Northern Ireland and Sligo are coming here," he said.
Weekly flights to Malaga and Majorca have already been included for this year's summer season. The airport is also anticipating major growth in pilgrimage traffic.
Mr Scollan said the new marketing strategy would ensure the airport lost its "foggy boggy" image.Almost 200,000 passengers travelled through Knock Airport last year and 300,000 have made bookings for 2003.