Bavina Sookdeo
Caribbean Airlines recently announced the expansion of its route network with a new non-stop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Alongside increased frequencies and added routes from airlines such as Frontier, COPA and KLM and with more discussions under way to attract additional carriers, TT is ideally positioned to host the 2024 Centre for Aviation (CAPA) Airline Leaders’ Summit for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Scheduled to be held at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, from August 21-23, the annual summit is organised by CAPA, a subsidiary of Informa PLC, which also hosts premier air service development conferences like Routes World and Routes Americas.
Hayden Newton, general manager of the Airports Authority of TT, told Business Day, "Hosting the CAPA Airline Leaders’ Summit in TT this year is a tremendous honour and an incredible opportunity for our nation. We are thrilled to welcome global industry leaders to our beautiful islands, showcasing not only our world-class facilities but also the warmth and hospitality of our people. This event marks a significant milestone for the Airports Authority of TT as we continue to strengthen our position in the international aviation sector."
In 2023, the summit was held in Queretaro, Mexico, and in 2022, it took place in Salvador, Brazil.
[caption id="attachment_1099870" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Piarco International Airport, Piarco. - File photo by Jeff K Mayers[/caption]
This year, the summit will bring over 200 airline executives to TT. Approximately 100 regional and international delegates have already registered, with 50 local delegates expected to register next week and a further 50 international delegates by August 21.
Major airlines such as Aeromexico, American Airlines, British Airways, CAL, Iberia, InterCaribbean Airlines, LATAM Colombia, Lufthansa Group Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, United and Viva Aerobus have registered for the summit.
Newton explained that the summit brings together CEOs and top executives from airlines and aviation-related industries to assess the state of air travel in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It plays a critical role for nations seeking to attract new airlines and drive economic growth through air service development (ASD).
Host countries can enjoy several economic benefits, which include:
– The conference convenes approximately 200-400 airline decision-makers.
– 68 per cent of former hosts are now outperforming regional benchmarks.
– US$380,000 average advertising value for a host country.
Host countries also have the opportunity to raise awareness amongst the air transport community of a city or destination, showcase the city or region’s offerings to travellers, make connections with new potential business partners and airline providers and build relations to enhance connectivity in the future.
An April 2024 report produced by York Aviation said the economic benefits associated with a CAPA event for a host city are twofold.
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