A 24.7-million-euro agreement for upgrading the airport on the eastern Aegean island of Chios was signed at the Infrastructure and Transport Ministry in Athens on Tuesday.

Work at the airport, which has been named after the ancient Greek poet Homer, is expected to kick off in early 2022 and be completed in 32 months, according to the agreement signed with the company that is undertaking the project.

It includes extending the length of the runway, improving the existing runway and a technical overhaul that will turn the airport into a “gem” that will help the island “enhance tourism and its economy,” said Minister Kostas A. Karamanlis.

The cost of the project will be covered by European Union structural funds, he said.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.