Routes Europe Hands Over to Marseille for 2014

AsiaNet 53006

BUDAPEST, Hungary, May 14, 2013/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

     After a successful Routes Europe event in Budapest, which with 1,100

delegates was the largest regional route development event ever, Budapest

Airport officially handed over to Marseille-Provence Airport, the host of the

2014 event.

    Speaking at the 8th Routes Europe event which has been taking place 12-14

May in Budapest, Pierre Regis, Managing Director of Marseille Provence Airport

(MRS) commented: "Marseille-Provence Airport is proud and honoured to host the

Routes Europe event in 2014, and to share all of the new opportunities that are

being unveiled at this very moment, as the new Marseille is also this year's

European Capital of Culture!"

    "After this year's successful event in Budapest we are eagerly awaiting

next year's Routes Europe in Marseille," says David Stroud, Executive Vice

President for Routes. "France is one of the biggest aviation markets in Europe

and is the most popular leisure destination in the world. Moreover, the airport

has been doing excellent work to accommodate both full service and low cost

carriers. These factors lead us to believe we can increase airline and airport

attendance even beyond this year's figures."

    Marseille-Provence was founded over 2600 years ago and Marseille is the

second largest city in France after Paris and the regional capital of Southern

France. Combining Mediterranean mildness with Provence's quality of life the

area attracts some 10 million tourists every year. World class sites such as

Provence, St Tropez, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Arles, as well as ski resorts

in the Southern Alps, are all within easy reach.

    After several years of some of the biggest urban investments and building

projects in Europe, the new Marseille, is ready and waiting at the heart of the

ever gorgeous Provence. With its new hotels, new luxury shopping centres and

new museums, Marseille ranked No. 2 in the recent New York Times list of

'Places to Go This Year'.

    Marseille-Provence Airport in South East France on the Mediterranean is

ideally located at the intersection of air, rail and road networks. It is the

gateway to the South of France - to Marseille, to Provence, and to the French

Riviera. In 2012, the airport registered the strongest growth among major

French airports, and came in 4th out of the 80 biggest airports in Europe

(source: ACI). With 8.3 million passengers in 2012 and 13% growth,

Marseille-Provence Airport gained 1 million passengers in one year! In 2013 MRS

will be connected 30 countries, with 28 scheduled carriers flying into 100

different airports. Many new services will start in 2013 including Turkish

Airlines and services to New York.

    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,

@airlineroute, @NLPROU

    Source: UBM Live Routes Ltd