HOLIDAYMAKERS from York and city tourism businesses have both been given a big boost with news that Ryanair is to launch 14 new routes out of Leeds Bradford Airport.

The budget airline’s new services will go and from a range of popular European destinations including Ibiza, Palma, Venice, Faro, Malaga, Malta, Pisa and Murcia.

Ryanair said it will offer 63 weekly return flights to/from Leeds Bradford in an investment worth over $140 million in the airport, which will increase its annual traffic at the airport to one million passengers and create and sustain 1,000 jobs.

The new flights will not only provide a convenient service to travellers from the York area, but also help tourism businesses in the area attract new custom from abroad.

They may also help to revive a direct coach service from York to the airport, which was scrapped earlier this year by First.

John Parkin, chief executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said the airport would be getting together with Ryanair, Visit York and the tourism organisation Welcome To Yorkshire to examine joint marketing strategies to take advantage of the tourism the new routes would bring.

He said the First York bus route from York to the airport had ceased in the summer but the airport would be entering discussions to see how such services could be resurrected for summer 2010. He said: “We will eventually enter discussions with First York.

“It is an attractive possibility because of the marketing forces of Ryanair. Their policy is to attract more inward flights. We will be looking to sit down with Ryanair and the other organisations this autumn.”

He said York hoteliers would welcome the launch of the new routes, especially the opportunities provided to market York for the winter.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said the new routes would go on sale today.

He said: “With a total of 17 low fare routes from Leeds Bradford Airport next summer, passengers can beat the recession by choosing Ryanair’s guaranteed lowest fares and no fuel surcharges to 17 exciting destinations all over Europe including France, Italy and Spain among others.”