10th Routes Asia event officialy opened registration today

Routes Asia is the only network planning forum for the Asia region, and sales for the 10th Routes Asia event officially opened today.

Routes Asia is the only network planning forum for the Asia region, and sales for the 10th Routes Asia event officially opened today. The event will take place on April 15-17, 2012 and will be hosted by Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CDIA), which is located in the central-western region of China.

More than 500 key decision makers from across the region and beyond will gather at the annual event in 2012 to discuss air service development. The event attracts delegates who are responsible for making decisions on both new and existing routes from a wide variety of airlines, and so far, registered airlines include Kingfisher Airlines, Scoot, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, and Jade Cargo, the largest cargo carrier based at CDIA.

In addition to the usual one-to-one meetings, the Routes Asia Strategy Forum will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, April 15 and will be open to all Routes Asia delegates. A panel of leading industry experts will take part in a number of moderator-led discussions, which will address issues affecting aviation and route development across the Asia region including:

– Network development and market opportunity in China
– Challenges and opportunities in India
– Cyclical markets and dealing with traffic downs following economic and natural disasters

The forum, a key element of the event, promises to be both stimulating and enjoyable with moderators encouraging debate between panelists and members of the audience, and should not be missed.

There will also be several Route Exchange Briefings taking place at the event, building on the success of those given last year in Incheon. These sessions will give the airlines the chance to brief airports from a selected market on their network strategy and give a unique insight into their planning strategies.

Chengdu, the capital of the province of Sichuan, has become a major tourist destination, which promotes some famous attractions, perhaps the most well known being the Panda Research Centre, for which it has become internationally renowned. The city is also the most important center of trade and finance, and the most important hub of transportation and communication in its region of China, according to the State Council.

โ€œHosting Routes Asia 2012 in Chengdu, China, is a great opportunity for us to showcase the city and the region to the international community. By hosting this event, we hope to attract friends and partners from all over Asia and world to discuss and exchange ideas about ways to improve global airport services. I believe that Chengdu, as one of the most beautiful cities in China, will be a big surprise to all delegates, who will enjoy the beautiful scenery, the legacy of a brilliant culture and history, and will experience the charm of a booming city that, in the next 10 years, will be among the fastest-developing cities globally,โ€ commented Xiaojun Pan, President of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and General Manager of Sichuan Province Airport Croup.

With 122 domestic routes and a further 51 international (regional), CDIA is now the largest air traffic hub and cargo distribution center in the central-western region of China. Ranked 51st in the world and 6th in China, CDIA welcomed 25.81 million passengers in 2010. In recent years, CDIA has been concentrating on its construction and expansion project, and a brand new airport with two terminals and two runways will open in 2012.

โ€œWe are delighted to be returning to China in 2012, and Chengdu is the perfect location to host our 10th Routes Asia. Not only is the destination rich in culture and history, but it also has a bright future,โ€ said David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Airports for UBM Aviation, continuing: โ€œWith the airport showing consistent growth in its passenger traffic and route network, it now has an extensive network connecting domestic, regional, and international destinations. The new terminal will help with driving this growth, and our delegates will be able to witness its development first hand. We have already received strong interest in Chengdu and expect to have an increased attendance at the event from airlines, airports, and tourism authorities wishing to develop air services within the whole of Asia.โ€

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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