The 29th Routes World event is hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain this year.
A Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 in a retro livery (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
This year’s Routes World event is happening in the Kingdom of Bahrain. During the conference, the top industry stakeholders and experts will discuss route development at an international level.
Over the course of the event, these key decision-makers will take part in over 10,000 planned meetings with airport and destination representatives, all with the aim of forging new route development strategies and partnerships.
Expected to participate are representatives from major airlines from all continents, including International Airlines Group, Emirates, Air Canada, Etihad, Air China, Royal Air Maroc, Air France-KLM, and Air New Zealand. The other part of the equation, airport management representatives will also join from entities like Rome Airports, Incheon International Airport, GAP Airports Mexico, Istanbul Airport and other from across the world.
The meeting group will also include aviation authorities such as the International Air Transport Association, national travel associations, technology providers, and top industry media.
Bahrain Airport Company CEO Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said: “We are honored to host Routes World 2024 and welcome aviation leaders from across the globe to experience Bahrain’s exceptional hospitality and connectivity. This event aligns with the kingdom’s vision to establish Bahrain as a global aviation and tourism hub, leveraging its strategic location and world-class infrastructure.”
“This is also in line with Bahrain’s vision and our five-year strategy to connect the Kingdom to 100 new flights by 2025. Routes World provides a significant platform for industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of aviation,” he stated.
Bahrain Airport in 2024 (Photo: Droodkin | Wikipedia)
The venue for the event, Bahrain International Airport, is a postcard for the country. Completed in 2021, a $1.1 billion investment, now has the capacity to serve 14 million passengers or 130,000 air traffic movements annually. Gulf Air, the main airline operating at the airport, reported carrying 3.1 million passengers in the first half of the year. As it would take up less than half of the airport’s capacity there is an expectation of growth in the coming years.
Like other countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain is intending to use the oil industry profits to develop its country and diversify. The outlined Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 is a plan for growth with sustainability, competitiveness, and fairness as key principles for the country’s economy. Not without controversies, but with perseverance, major events like Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix are drawn by the place’s capability to host and convenient location in the Gulf region, between Europe and Asia.
The country is investing to make Manama, the capital city of Bahrain, a major hub for the world’s commerce. The ambitious task gains context when considering that Bahrain’s airport is located only 150 kilometers from Doha, another hub with global reach, and mere one-hour long flight from the United Arab Emirates, where both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are known for growth and ambition as well.
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