PRESS RELEASE: Routes Americas Officially Handed Over to Puerto Rico Tourism Company

3^rd February 2015, Denver, Colorado, USA

Following a record Routes Americas in Denver which welcomed over 650 delegates, 45% growth year on year, Denver International Airport has officially handed the event over to the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the host destination for the 9^th Routes Americas event.

Building on the success of this year’s event, Routes Americas 2016 will take place 7-9 February 2016 in San Juan. The event, which is the route development forum for the entire Americas region, will be hosted by Puerto Rico Tourism Company with the support of their partners Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC and MeetPuertoRico.

“The Puerto Rico Tourism Company and our partners Aerostar Airport Holdings and MeetPuertoRico are looking forward to hosting Routes Americas for the first time, and to showcase all that Puerto Rico has to offer. The options are as diverse as our culture. The mix of Taino, Spanish, African and American cultures make us the melting pot of the Caribbean, and the perfect connection between the Americas. Puerto Rico enjoys year-round summer weather, with sunny skies and beautiful beaches just walking distance from the Puerto Rico Convention Center. With over 110 non-stop flights from 40 countries it is easier than ever to join us at Routes Americas 2016. Mark your calendars, set your meetings, pack your bags, and get ready for a 5-star convention experience.” said Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

“Following this year’s record event in Denver where we’ve experienced unprecedented growth we’re very excited to be taking Routes Americas to Puerto Rico next year,” said Katie Bland, Director Routes for UBM EMEA, organisers of the event, continuing: “Its geographical and cultural position as the bridge between the Americas makes it an ideal host for the event and the fact that it is a Commonwealth of the United States offers our US delegates the added convenience of entering Puerto Rico without a passport. The complete remodelling of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in the Caribbean, will be ready for showcasing in 2016 and will provide excellent connectivity for our delegates from both North and South America. We look forward to working with Puerto Rico Tourism Company and all of their partners over the coming months towards another successful Routes Americas event.”

Located just above the Equator, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Puerto Rico is part of the Greater Antilles right at the heart of the Western Hemisphere. This strategic and uniquely centralised location makes it the perfect connection between north and south and continues to benefit from having the ‘best of both worlds’. Combining breathtaking natural beauty with a solid modern infrastructure Puerto Rico is a world-class tourist and business destination attracting many industries which have established operations there. Hosting Routes Americas in 2016 will allow the Host Team to showcase everything that the destination has to offer to the wider aviation community with over 550 senior industry professionals expected to attend the event

The island is home to the largest airport and cruise homeport in the Caribbean and 2016 will mark the inauguration of the newly remodelled Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. A premier convention destination, Puerto Rico offers a unique positioning within the Caribbean, reachable via over 1,600 nonstop weekly flights from 43 destinations around the world. The strategic location of Puerto Rico coupled with outstanding connectivity makes it the best connected destination in the Caribbean.

A commonwealth of the United States of America, a political relationship which dates back over 60 years, Puerto Rico offers US citizens the advantage of being able to travel to the destination without the need of a passport.

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Notes to Editors

About Routes

• Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively. routesonline.com

• Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports. asm‐global.com. Routes and ASM are part of the UBM EMEA division of UBM plc.

• UBM EMEA connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM EMEA exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.

For further press information please contact:

Victoria Jones

Communications Manager

Routes

T: +44 (0) 161 234 2730

E: [email protected]

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU, @airlineroute

About UBM plc

• UBM plc is a global events-led marketing services and communications company. We help businesses do business, bringing the world’s buyers and sellers together at events and online, as well as producing and distributing news and specialist content. Our 5,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into expert teams which serve commercial and professional communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.

• For more information, go to www.ubm.com; follow us on Twitter at @UBM_plc to get the latest UBM corporate news; follow @UBM for news from all UBM's businesses; follow @UBM for a flavour of UBM from selected members of UBM's Twitterati.