Yukon's tourism industry gave rave reviews to another summer of hosting European tourists, with the help of a German airline's flights to the territory.

The last Condor Flugdienst flight arrived in Whitehorse on Tuesday, ending the airline's sixth summer of offering direct flights between Frankfurt and the Yukon capital.

This summer marked the longest season for Condor's Yukon-Alaska service, which ran from from May 8 until Tuesday and brought in a total of 55 flights.

"It's been a great season," Whitehorse airport manager John Rogers said Tuesday.

"Very successful, we understand, for them, and certainly for us to be able to provide the airport for them to come to."

Since Condor began offering the Yukon flights in 2001, the German tourist base has become critical for the territory's tourism industry, which has evolved to offer services targeting this emerging market.

"When they arrive, they need rentals, activities [and] guided adventures," said Patti Balsillie, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Yukon.

"They need the facilities, the groceries, the gas, just like any other visitor. Except that they are not coming from traditional North American markets or even domestic [markets] in Canada. They're coming from overseas, and the planes are getting fuller, and they're coming for longer periods of time. It's very, very good."

Airport in-transit lounge in works

But that growth has created some strains on the local airport infrastructure. Before this year's season began, Condor expressed concern about the airport's ability to handle more passengers. The company also had security concerns regarding in-transit passengers continuing on to Alaska.

A local contractor built a temporary in-transit lounge for those passengers and the airline and airport management are now working on a plan to have a permanent lounge in place by the summer of 2009.

"Well, the plans and so on have all been completed," Rogers said. "It's now before [the] management board for their input and say-so and pending their approval, then we're hoping for a winter tender and early spring start."