The airport city concept places airports at the centre of 21st Century urban growth. By developing an airport’s surrounding land into zones where office blocks, hotels, convention centres, leisure facilities and logistics and manufacturing businesses can be based, the airport city model expands revenue streams and creates a mini-city in its own right.
Speaking at the Airport Cities conference in Qingdao this month, David Stroud pointed out that route development is vital for airport cities to be successful, but their focus tends to be on land planning and acquisition issues.
“There is a circular relationship between airport cities, markets and route networks,” he said. “Air services drive the growth of airport cities and vice versa, but there needs to be more collaboration with route development managers and airlines.”
“Air services drive the growth of airport cities and vice versa, but there needs to be more collaboration with route development managers and airlines.”
ASM
Stroud explained that all routes share similar characteristics. He recommended that airport cities understand what makes a viable route because “they shouldn’t assume that airlines will want to fly from there”.
He also gave an overview of China’s rapidly expanding aviation market which will overtake the USA as the busiest in the world by 2024 (International Air Transport Association). Chinese tourists spend the most at $292 billion a year (World Tourism Organization) and destinations are catching on to value of their business.
“Chinese routes are the most highly demanded by international airports and cities. Understanding the bigger picture and how route development works will help them to compete for these services.”
ASM was established in 1993 as the first route development consultancy in the world. The team offers a range of services that can help airport cities to identify potential new routes and make compelling business cases to airlines.
For more information go to the ASM website or email [email protected].
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