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Event organiser Routes has appointed United Airports of Georgia (UAG), under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, as the host of Routes Silk Road, which is set to be held from July 6 to 8, 2014 in Tbilisi. Routes Silk Road is the development forum that connects CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Routes Silk Road, which will be held for the first time instead of Routes CIS, is expected to attract around 250 delegates. The event, which will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, will offer airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other stakeholders the perfect platform to do business and improve air transport networks.

“The passion and commitment of the UAG and its stakeholders impressed our selection team and we are thrilled that Routes Silk Road will take place in Georgia,” said Adrian Newton, Group Director, Transport and Technology, UBM Live. Routes is part of UBM Live division of UBM Plc. “Georgia is a gateway connecting several important economic regions including Europe, the Newly Independent States (NIS), Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia and as such it is the ideal location for Routes Silk Road and one which we are looking forward to sharing with the broader airline and airport community,” Newton added.

Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy, Georgia, stated, “We are privileged to host Routes Silk Road 2014 in Tbilisi. It is a unique opportunity for Georgian airports, airlines, tourism authority and their stakeholders to further develop its business and expand the network. I believe Tbilisi is a perfect location for this event and it will be a great experience for all attendees. The fact that Georgia is hosting such an event underlines the great dedication of our country to the industry as well as reflecting our aspiration to turn Georgia into a regional hub, in the nearest future, as one of the important points of the historic Silk Road.”

“In recent years Georgia has seen unprecedented growth of air transport, passengers and number of tourists,” said Kate Aleksidze, CEO, UAG. “UAG has developed some major infrastructural projects during the last few years and has a lot to show to the international community of the aviation industry,” Aleksidze added.

The event aims to raise awareness about Georgia to the global aviation community and promote the country as an important geographical location. All airports in Georgia have witnessed significant growth in passenger numbers (over 30 per cent) since 2012.

The event will also allow the UAG to showcase Kutaisi David the Builder International Airport which opened in 2012. It is the first low-cost airport in the region. As a 100 per cent state owned enterprise UAG owns all four airports, which includes three international, in the country and over the last eight years, all airport terminals have been fully rebuilt and modernised.

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