| 'The-most-happening-city' Hyderabad is in race for hosting another mega, global event, this time in the aviation sector.In its quest to turn Hyderabad into a major transit business hub and firmly place it on the radar of many a global airline companies, Rajeev Gandhi International Airport, developed and promoted by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), India's foremost Public-Private initiative in airport sector. GHIAL with active support from the government of Andhra Pradesh, is planning to bring the prestigious 15 World Route Development Forum – 2009 ‘conference to Hyderabad.
'Routes' is an annual gathering of airlines and airports across the globe, which are joined by other interested or associated parties such as tourism, business and economic development boards and authorities, where they will deliberate on how best to enhance air services and meet the growing needs of local business, industry, tourism, research organizations, and other sectors.
The company has, in fact, been participating in 'Routes' conferences since 2004 for proactively marketing the new international airport, which it is developing in Shamshabad. It was however felt that it would best market the airport as well as the Pearl City of Hyderabad to the global airline companies by hosting the event, rather than participating in it elsewhere.
So far, Routes has been held in 11 cities across the global. This year's event is being hosted from September 17-19, 2006, in Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre, while 2007 and 2008 events will be hosted by Stockholm City Conference Centre and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, respectively.
The competition is very tough. Beijing, China, Seoul, South Korea, Abu Dhabi and other countries are also bidding for this mega event. The officials of Routes are visiting to Hyderabad this month to do a site inspection to explore the possible venues and even meet officials from tourism ministry & various partners involved in hosting the event like airlines, logistics, infrastructure etc.
Mr. T Srinagesh, COO, GHIAL, said hosting a gathering of over 350 world airline companies and over 600 airports located across the globe provides the best of opportunity to market not only the up-and-coming airport, but also to showcase the huge potential Andhra Pradesh enjoys in the areas of business, trade, IT, Biotech, agriculture, food-processing, and tourism.
“This way we wish to play our due role in boosting the economic development of Andhra Pradesh in general, and Hyderabad in particular, since we, as the developers of the new international airport in Shamshabad, are best placed to understand and communicate the potential of our catchments areas the State,” he said.
'Routes,' founded by Route Development Group, UK, revolves around a series of formal, productive, and pre-arranged one-to-one meetings/interactions between airports and airline companies. These are interspersed with good social occasions designed to create further informal networking opportunities.
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