iGA Istanbul Airport, which has strengthened its position as one of the most important global hub airports in this region, with its location, infrastructure, technology, and the high level of passenger experience it offers, has become the official host of Routes World 2023, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Promotion of the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Turkish Airlines. Thanks to Routes World, one of the most prestigious organisations in the world aviation industry, nearly 3,000 senior executives from the global aviation industry are expected to visit Istanbul.
iGA Istanbul Airport’s gateway to the world, has earned the right to be the official host of Routes World in 2023, with the collaboration of the General Directorate of Promotion of the Republic of Turkey, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Turkish Airlines. Routes events, which the world’s premier airports and destinations have competed to host since the first one was held in 1995, are regarded as the most renowned organisations in the global aviation sector. The event serves as a meeting place for airlines, airports, and destinations to discuss and plan future services.
The Routes World 2023 event is a significant event in the history of Turkish aviation as well as in the promotion of Turkey and Istanbul on a global scale. This major summit, which will be held for the 28th time in 2023, is expected to play a vital part in the aviation industry’s recovery process. On the other hand, Istanbul offers the opportunity to become a direct destination beyond being a global hub and attract low-cost airline companies in particular.
On Routes World 2023, Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) General Manager Yalçın Lokmanhekim said, one of the largest organisations in the world to be hosted by iGA Istanbul Airport, “It is an important event in Istanbul. and therefore the positive contribution it will make to the promotion of Turkey will undoubtedly be enormous.” Emphasizing that TGA is making a great effort to promote Turkey abroad, Lokmanhekim said: “Today, Turkey is carrying out intensive promotional activities in 140 countries of the world through TGA. In 2021, the TGA also played host to a total of 3,770 people in Turkey, including foreign journalists, influencers, opinion leaders and travel agencies. Close to 1.1 billion accesses were obtained on social media as a result of the online and offline shares following this hospitality. We promote our country, destinations and tourism products in 10 different languages through our digital platform goturkiye.”
Commenting on the event, Bilal Eksi, CEO of Turkish Airlines said: “As Turkish Airlines, proud of being the national flag carrier of Turkey for nearly 90 years, we will host the Routes World 2023 event, which will take place in the centennial of our Republic. In line with our vision of building bridges between continents, cultures and people, and with our ever-growing route network, we continue to strengthen our leading position in global air transport. The Routes World 2023 event, which will add value to our home base Istanbul’s unique geographical location and significant potential in world tourism, will be an important host for us. It will be an honour to host this event on our Republic’s 100th anniversary.”
Kadri Samsunlu, CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport stated that being chosen as the event’s host is a source of pride for both the airport and Turkish aviation: “We are thrilled to host the Routes World 2023 event, worthy of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of our Republic. As iGA Istanbul Airport, we are strengthening our position as a playmaker in the aviation sector even more with every passing day. These developments we have accomplished in a short period of time, and our pioneering efforts are being recognised by the sector’s most prestigious organisations. In the second half of 2023, we will reach the number of passengers in 2019, and our next target is to reach 100 million passengers a year by 2026 at the latest. Routes World is an event that will increase this appreciation and carry iGA even higher in its journey to become a global brand. With Routes World, which brings together thousands of aviation representatives from all over the world every year and shares the views of aviation authorities, nearly 3,000 global senior aviation industry executives will visit our city in 2023. We look forward to strengthening iGA Istanbul Airport’s position as a worldwide hub and demonstrating our country’s enormous potential with this important meeting, which will highlight Istanbul’s history, culture, hidden gems, and potential to be a focal point for international tourists.”
Air transport plays a critical role
Stating that airline transportation will play a critical role in the recovery of the global economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, Steven Small, Director of Routes said: “Increased airline connections will make serious economic contributions to destinations by promoting trade, tourism, investment, and labour supply and market efficiency.” Small said: “With its current strategy to reach 100 million passengers by 2026, iGA Istanbul Airport shows that it is ready to turn the capacity brought by moving to a new airport into an advantage. By hosting the Routes World 2023 organisation, it will have the opportunity to showcase the remarkable development opportunities it can provide to foreign airline companies and will strengthen the position of Turkish Airlines”.
