The World Route Development Forum returns to Europe for the first time since 2007 with a boost in visitor numbers expected this year. Organisers expect around 2,600 visitors in Berlin for this year's forum.
"The good thing this year is we've got a lot of the airport core delegates," explained Routes managing director Nigel Mayes. "A lot of the smaller European airports have come back to the World event. Core airport delegates are considerably up, with another 200 meeting delegates."
There is also a sharp improvement in airline delegates numbers - with around 500 delegates representing 300 airlines - around 100 more than in Vancouver last year.
This year, the co-located conference events have been brought together for the Routes, ICAO and World co-organised World Route Development Strategy Summit. "The rationale was to grow the Strategy Summit and we feel we have raised the bar of the event," said Mayes. The two-day summit will debate issues including air politics, alliances and security, while also featuring dedicated streams on cargo, route development and tourism.
This year will also see the Routes Talks seminars expanded. "These are all topics related to route development and it helps to bring these areas into the event," said Mayes. These sessions cover cargo, tourism and social media. "One of the big ways to create that demand is through social media, so it is great to have some of the people who are really leaders in the social media field here.
Source: Flight Daily News
