The seniority
of delegates registered for World Routes, the 18thWorld Route
Development Forum is higher than at any previous event. This
year has seen high level registrations from all sectors of the
industry including airline and airport CEOs and Ministers of Tourism.
Participation
from Tourism Authorities from around the world is stronger than ever
at this year’s event, which will take place from 29 September to 2
October 2012 in Abu Dhabi. Many destinations, including Mexico
(the world’s 2ndlargest tourism economy), Greece, St. Maarten,
Sarawak, Trinidad and Tobago, the Seychelles, South Africa and the
Philippines, amongst others have also confirmed that their Minister
for Tourism will be in attendance at World Routes with many
delivering ministerial destination briefings as part of the Routes
Talks Tourism programme.
The number of
Ministers who have registered for the event confirms that
destinations view route development as an integral part of their
economic development and that, as stakeholders, it is important for
them to have a presence at World Routes, the largest commercial
aviation event.
With 40
airline CEOs currently register to attend World Routes, this year
will also see more senior airline delegates in attendance than in
previous years. The total number of C-level delegates
registered for World Routes in Abu Dhabi is 60 and if other senior
delegates such as Vice Presidents and Commercial Directors are
included the total rises to almost 200.
Carriers which
have confirmed that their CEO will be in attendance in Abu Dhabi
include, amongst many others, Kenya Airways, Air Arabia, CSA-Czech
Airlines, Etihad Airways, Vueling and Air Seychelles. Many
other attending airlines have also confirmed that they will bring
senior representatives to the event including Air Berlin’s Senior
Vice President Network Planning & Development and Iberia
Airlines’ SVP Strategy.
This year
World Routes will also see a number of senior airport delegates in
attendance as registrations have already been received from CEOs of
companies such as Aeroports de Montreal, Aeropuertos Argentina 2000,
Bahrain International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International
Airport, Manchester Airport Group, St Petersburg International
Pulkovo Airport and Los Angeles World Airports.
VP and
Commercial, Routes, Nigel Mayes says: “We are thrilled with
level of seniority that this year’s event has attracted from all
sectors of the industry. This interest in World Routes further
strengthens our position as the world’s leading commercial aviation
event for route development and the number of Ministers for Tourism
in attendance from around the world shows how important stakeholders
are during the process of securing new routes to many destinations.”