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Perth is expected to host more than 1,100 delegates to an international aviation forum in 2025.
The annual Routes Asia conference will be held in Perth in March 2025 and regularly attracts key decision makers from over 170 airlines and 300 airports. The three-day forum is tipped to generate over $6 million in delegate expenditure within the state.
Routes Asia is billed as “the only route development event dedicated to Asia Pacific”, and organisers say that over 600 new air services across the region are connected to meetings at Routes events.
According to Perth Airport chief commercial and aviation officer Kate Holsgrove, the forum will offer an opportunity for Perth to present itself directly to international airlines.
“In the post-pandemic aviation sector, there has been enormous competition from airports around the world to reconnect international services and secure new routes,” she said.
“Perth Airport and Tourism WA have worked tirelessly to reconnect Perth to international destinations, an approach which has already delivered new services, new airlines and increased capacity on existing routes.
“Routes Asia is the right event to turbocharge these efforts and take Perth and Western Australia to the next level. Developing new air services to Perth and enhancing the international network of airlines within the Asia region and beyond will benefit tourism, business, international education and fresh produce export sectors.”
WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said the hosting of Routes Asia shows the importance of Perth to aviation in the region.
“Direct flights and aviation links are a key part of our tourism strategy, and we’re really proud to have secured or relaunched 18 direct flights with international destinations since borders reopened last year,” she said.
“Routes Asia will provide a fantastic opportunity to continue our engagement with key players in the aviation industry and keep advocating for more services into Western Australia.”
The 2023 forum was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with Langkawi in Malaysia to host in 2024.
