CEO of Qatar Airways to Participate in World Routes Strategy Summit

Manchester, England (ots/PRNewswire) -

Akbar Al Baker confirms that he will attend and speak at the world's
largest commercial aviation forum

Today saw the official launch of the 19th World Route Development
Forum which will take place on 5-8 October 2013 co-hosted by Las
Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Las Vegas McCarran
International Airport.

World Routes is the largest and most important commercial aviation
networking forum of its kind and 2013 will see Routes head to the
United States for the first time ever when the event takes place in
the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. Tourism is
the number one industry in Las Vegas, with record visitation of
nearly 40 million visitors last year, and the city is also a thriving
business destination hosting more than 21,000 annual meetings and
trade shows with almost five million attendees in 2012.

The event attracts all manner of airlines with low-cost, charter,
regional and flag carriers all in attendance and represented by
delegates who are responsible for making decisions on both new and
existing routes. Early registrations indicate a strong presence from
all regions with more than 100 carriers already registered to attend,
including Air Canada, British Airways, AirAsia X, easyJet, UPS, Delta
Air Lines, Southwest, Emirates, Allegiant, Etihad, COPA Airlines,
Virgin America, Volaris and American Airlines.

This year's event will see a number of content streams running
throughout the four days, including the World Routes Strategy Summit,
held in partnership with ICAO and the World Bank; the World Tourism
Summit, held in partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association
(PATA), the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) and
TTG; Invest and Manage and a programme of social media briefings.

The summits bring together senior leaders and key stakeholders from
aviation, tourism and cargo to participate in discussions that will
set the commercial and political agenda for the industry. The events
attract airline and airport CEOs, Ministers of Tourism and leaders of
industry associations worldwide such as Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar
Airways, Alain St Ange, Minister for Tourism & Culture for the
Seychelles, Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI World, Sani
Sener, President & CEO of TAV Airports, and Rossi Ralenkotter,
President/CEO of Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, who have
all confirmed their participation.

"Las Vegas is honoured to host the first World Route Development
Forum in the United States" said Rossi Ralenkotter, President/CEO for
the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "As the
entertainment and convention capital of the world and an emerging
international business centre, Las Vegas offers a truly unique
experience to the world's aviation leaders. From our new $2.4 billion
state-of-the-art international Terminal 3 to our ability to
continually reinvent Las Vegas as an international tourism
destination, Las Vegas is the perfect stage for industry leaders to
connect and gain key insight into what the future of travel and
tourism holds."

David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Routes said: "For Routes,
taking the event to the United States for the first time will further
strengthen our position in the world's largest aviation market. We
expect over 3,000 delegates to join us in Las Vegas this year,
including senior representation from over 300 carriers from around
the world. McCarran International Airport's expansion offers airlines
new opportunities and hosting World Routes will allow the city to
increase their air services which is fundamental to the prosperity of
the region."

"Last year, McCarran International Airport opened its doors to an
increasing number of travellers from around the world when we opened
our fantastic Terminal 3 expansion," said Randall H. Walker, Director
of Aviation for Clark County, Nev., which owns and operates McCarran.
"This fall, we look forward to welcoming Routes attendees from around
the globe, providing each guest a first-hand opportunity to
experience all that our airport and community have to offer."

Notes to Editors

About Routes

- Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking 
events
  through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each 
year, there is one
  global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the 
Americas and CIS
  respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

- Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK-based ASM 
Ltd.,
  a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for 
airports.
  http://www.asm-global.com

- Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in 
August 2010.
  From 1st August 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference 
and Exhibition
  become part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

- UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies 
across
  five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new
products, promote
  their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such
as MD&M, CPhI,
  IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes 
portfolio of
  events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, 
conferences, awards
  programs, publications, websites and training and certification 
programs are an
  integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 
20 industry
  sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes,
@RouteExchange, @airlineroute

About The LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged
with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention
destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas
Convention Center and Cashman Center. With more than 150,000 hotel
rooms in Las Vegas alone and 10.6 million square feet of meeting and
exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting
ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.
For more information, go to http://www.lvcva.com
[http://www.routesonline.com ] or http://www.lasvegas.com
[http://www.routesonline.com ].

About McCarran International Airport

McCarran International Airport is the world's gateway to Las Vegas,
serving nearly half Southern Nevada's approximately 40 million annual
visitors. McCarran annually ranks among the world's busiest airports,
handling nearly 41.7 million arriving and departing passengers in
calendar 2012. Last summer, McCarran opened its $2.4 billion Terminal
3 expansion, which greatly expanded its ability to welcome direct
international air service with additional gates, hold rooms and
ticketing areas, as well as a larger U.S. Customs and Border
Protection port of entry. For more information, please visit
http://www.mccarran.com [http://www.routesonline.com ]

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