(10/05/24) The vibrant city of Hong Kong has been confirmed
as the host destination for Routes World 2025.
The annual airline route development and airport
services conference and exhibition will be hosted by Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)
with support from the Hong Kong Tourism Board at AsiaWorld-Expo from 24 to 26 September 2025.
Routes World unites decision makers from airlines,
airports and the destinations they serve, with negotiations taking place
that will define future air
connectivity around the globe.
The 30th edition of the event is expected to attract
VPs and heads of network planning from over 260 of the world’s
leading and fastest-growing airlines.
“The application process to host Routes
World 2025 was incredibly competitive. We are delighted to
announce that we will be uniting the global route development
community in Hong Kong for our 30th edition of the event,” said
Steven Small, Director of Routes. “Half of the world’s population lives
within a 5-hour flight of Hong Kong International Airport. With
decision makers from over 130 countries expected to attend, Hong
Kong will showcase the significant infrastructure developments to
the people who decide where the world’s aircraft fly.”
Hong Kong Island and Victoria Habour. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
HKIA handled 4.36 million passengers and 29,840
flight movements in March 2024, year-on-year increases of 56.7%
and 48.2%, respectively.
Cargo throughput at HKIA registered a year-on-year
increase of 15.1% to 428,000 tonnes in March. HKIA has now posted
double-digit year-on-year growth in cargo each month in 2024, on
the back of another successful year in 2023 for which HKIA was
once again named the busiest cargo airport in the world by
Airports Council International.
Export traffic has been the main driver, recording
a 23.7% increase in March compared to the same month last year.
Among key trading regions, cargo traffic to and from North
America, Europe and the Middle East rose most significantly during
the month.
For the first quarter of the year, the airport
handled 12.7 million passengers, marking an increase of 81.7%
compared to the low base during the same period in 2023. Flight
movements registered a year-on-year increase of 63.7% to 86,210.
Cargo volume rose by 18.9% year-on-year to more than 1.1 million
tonnes.
On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume was
45.2 million, or 264.5% higher than the previous comparable
period. Flight movements and cargo throughput saw year-on-year
increases of 92.1% and 9.1% to 309,650 and 4.5 million tonnes,
respectively.
“Routes World is a prestigious
international event which will bring together over 3,000 industry
leaders representing airports, airlines and other key
stakeholders. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to
strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation
hub, connecting people in this world-class metropolis that
embraces business opportunities, cultural diversity and social
vibrancy,” said Vivian Cheung, Chief Operating Officer of Airport
Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). “We look forward to welcoming
our guests from around the globe to visit and explore Hong Kong,
and we hope that through this event, more routes can be opened
connecting our city with more destinations.”
With the completion of the Three-runway System
(3RS) expected by the end of 2024, HKIA’s long-term strategy
focuses on attracting airlines to open new destinations and
leveraging the market potential of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and
Mainland China.
Following the full completion of the 3RS, the
airport will have more slots, allowing new markets such as the
Belt and Road Initiative Countries and the Middle East to connect
to Hong Kong.
