World airports days away from meeting in Panama to chart a course for future growth
– Just four days remain until the ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, the year’s premier by airports, for airports event –
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Montreal/Panama City, 27 August 2015 – The Airports Council International (ACI) Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA), organized this year under the theme “Airports: Shaping our future” and graciously hosted by Tocumen International Airport, is just four days away. From 31 August to 2 September, airport leaders from around the world will gather in Panama City, Panama for an informative conference centered on charting a course for sustainable growth and a leading-edge exhibition featuring the latest innovations from product and service providers specializing in airports.
ACI Latin America-Caribbean Director General Javier Martinez Botacio, along with executives from Tocumen International Airport, met with local press today in Panama City to discuss the upcoming event and why its importance extends far beyond the aviation industry.
“Aviation is a major driver of world economies and connector of people and businesses,” Martinez Botacio explained. “According to statistics from the Air Transport Action Group, aviation supports 58.1 million jobs worldwide and contributes US$2.4 trillion to world gross domestic product. Moreover, throughout the world some 5.1 million people work on site at airports.
“With worldwide traffic expected to nearly double over the next decade and a half, airports’ contributions to their local economies will only increase,” Martinez Botacio continued. “Events like WAGA 2015 are vital for ensuring that airports are well aligned in how best to move forward safely, sustainably and profitably.”
At the latest count, 575 delegates, 45 exhibitors and 26 event sponsors will take part in WAGA 2015. By popular demand, this year’s conference will be preceded on 31 August by an expanded Forum and Symposium programme covering safety, the environment, generating commercial revenues, human resources, and new airport developments in China and the Latin America-Caribbean region.
The conference itself has been crafted from the ground up to give delegates the chance to deliberate on issues of particular interest to airports. Session topics include CEO insights on future challenges and opportunities; catering to the emerging generation of air travelers; improving the passenger journey from curb to boarding; best practices during periods of disruption; and new tools and technologies for improving the customer experience.
Notably, keynote speakers at the event include Jorge Quijano, Chief Executive Officer, Panama Canal Authority and Pedro Heilbron, Chief Executive Officer, Copa Holdings and Copa Airlines. ACI is pleased to announce that Juan Carlos Varela, President of Panama, will open the conference on 1 September.
“Our 590 members operate 1,850 airports in 173 countries, and air travelers worldwide can rest assured that our priorities are firmly set on safety, security, environmental sustainability and customer service,” said Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World. “At WAGA 2015, we’ll have occasion to discuss all of the above and more as the world’s airports meet in Panama next week to shape our future.”
Notes for editors
- For more information on the 2015 ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, please click here.
- Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable.
- Tocumen International Airport is a key point for air connectivity in Latin America. It is the only airport in Central America with two runways at sea level, 34 boarding gates and 6 remote positions, and the ability to move over 12 million passengers per year. Currently, from Tocumen Airport you can be connected with 83 destinations in 34 countries in the Americas and Europe, facilitating business opportunities and offering tourism attractions for a large community at the region. In 2017, the new “South Terminal”, which is the masterpiece of the modernization plan of Tocumen International Airport, is scheduled to become operational. After this expansion, Tocumen will increase its capacity to 18 million passengers per year.
Media contact
Ryan White
Manager, Communications
ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1226
Email: rwhite@aci.aero