EVENTS : ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE
Busy times
Joe Bates looks back at some of the highlights from the recent ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly , Conference and Exhibition in Phuket .
Despite the beautiful backdrop of Phuket , business and the opportunities and challenges facing Asia-Pacific ’ s airports remained top on the agenda at the recent ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly , Conference and Exhibition in Thailand . This year ’ s Airports Authority of Thailand hosted event attracted over 400 delegates from 33 countries , few of which would have been left in any doubt about the huge growth potential of the region .
Indeed , conference sessions about the role airports play in advancing tourism and economic development ; sustainable development ; as well as planning the future of airport operations and driving cultural changes within airport organisations , all provided a brief snapshot of the type of challenges and opportunities facing ACI ’ s fastest growing region .
In his opening remarks , Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid , managing director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and president of ACI Asia-Pacific , reminded delegates that traffic across the region increased by 7.5 % in 2012 , and showed no signs of slowing down .
“ Our airports handled 1.5 billion passengers last year – that ’ s 30 % of the world market . The top five airports in the world in terms of service delivery , also always come from our region . So , in terms of traffic growth , operational efficiency and service levels to customers , we did very well .
“ But this is just the start , as forecasts predict that this region will grow much further and become the biggest aviation market in the world . There is huge potential as far as Asia-Pacific is concerned . But this also brings its challenges . Passengers will become more selective , more discerning and want even higher levels of service from us in the coming years .
“ We must be up for the challenge . We must ensure that our airports have the capacity to accommodate the growth that is going to take place in this part of the world . We must have the capacity to allow airlines to grow and ensure that we have the facilities and services to meet customer expectations .
“ They are huge challenges , but I am very confident that based on what our airports have done in the last couple of years , we will be able to meet the challenge . But we certainly won ’ t be able to do it by ourselves , we must realise that in order for us to deliver what we are expected to do as airports , we must
work with our stakeholders . This means governments , World Business Partners , tourism ministries , the airlines and others to achieve our goals .”
He added : “ ACI will continue its efforts in advancing the interests of airports and together with other stakeholders , will aim to provide the travelling public with an air transport system that is safe , secure , efficient and environmentally responsible .”
In his keynote address at the conference , Xiaoyu Zhao , vice president of the Asian Development Bank noted that Kathmandu ’ s Tribhuvan International Airport and others in Bhutan , Afghanistan , Laos and Fiji were among the many smaller airports across the region to have benefited from financial aid from the bank .
The theme of the 2013 conference was ‘ Sustainable Airport Business – Expanding Aviation Beyond Boundaries ’, so it was fitting that tourism , and specifically the role airports play in tourism development , was the subject of the first session .
Moderator , ACI World ’ s World Business Partner chairman and Airbiz managing director , Greg Fordham , noted that Melbourne Airport ’ s success in attracting Emirates to the gateway in the mid 1990s was a perfect example of what can be achieved .
“ Back then , Melbourne was considered the rust belt of Australia due to the industries it had lost ,” recalled Fordham . “ People were leaving it in their droves and all international traffic to Australia came through Sydney , so its decision to work with the government of the State of Victoria to attract Emirates came somewhat from the left field .
“ The strategy seemed even more bizarre because back then nobody had heard of Emirates or Dubai , let alone thought about travelling with a Middle Eastern carrier . But they made it happen , and in 1996 it launched three services a week to Melbourne . Today it operates three services a day to Melbourne and 84 weekly to Australia , many with A380 aircraft .
“ Melbourne Airport has since developed the strategy and is now focusing very much on China . As a result , the airport is tailoring its retail , branding and even signage to the Chinese traveller . Victoria ’ s government is signing sister city agreements and trade deals and Tourism Victoria is looking at marketing campaigns with airlines .
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AIRPORT WORLD / JUNE-JULY 2013