Routes Europe opens in Marseille

The 9th Routes Europe, the largest route development event for the European region, will open this weekend in Marseille, France.This year the event expects a record attendance of over 1,100 aviation professionals from

airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss new air services to, from and within the entire European region. The event, which takes place on April 6-8, will be hosted by Marseille-Provence Airport, the gateway to the South of France. It attracts the highest level of senior decision makers, representing over 114 airlines (more than at any previous Routes Europe event), 340 airports and 30 tourism authorities.

In addition to around 6,000 Face-to-Face meetings to discuss air services taking place at the event, Routes Europe will open with the hard hitting Strategy Summit, which will include a keynote address from Frederic Gagey, Chairman and CEO of Air France.

Katie Bland, Director Routes at UBM Live said: “Europe is one of the largest and most advanced aviation markets in the world. You might see more impressive growth rates elsewhere, but the European Union is the world`s largest and probably most interconnected economy, and the region boasts over 500 million affluent consumers. That explains the strong interests and high attendance we see at Routes Europe this year.”Pierre Regis, Managing Director, Marseille-Provence Airport added: “Marseille-Provence Airport and its partners are honored and proud to welcome the Routes Europe 2014 Congress. Marseille-Provence Airport is the gateway to the South of France – Combining Mediterranean mildness with Provence`s quality of life, the Marseille-Provence catchment area attracts some 30 million tourists every year.”

“Marseille was voted No. 2 `Place to Go this Year` in 2013 by the New York Times,” continued Mr. Regis: “The city was founded over 2,600 years ago and is the 2nd city in France and after several years of renovation work and urban investments, rarely equaled in Europe, the New Marseille is finally being unveiled at the heart Provence. That`s the perfect timing to welcome this main event, Bienvenue!”