Dubai International Airport has been announced as the overall winner of the Middle East Africa heat of the 2015 Routes Marketing Awards, conducted recently during at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay in Manama, Bahrain. Around 350 aviation professionals were gathered to witness the presentation of the awards and to take part in this year’s Routes Middle East Africa – the inaugural route development event for aviation-based companies who wish to conduct business to, from, and within the region, as per a release.
Dubai International Airport was also named as the winner in the over 20 million passengers category. In the 4-20 million passengers category, Madinah Airport was ranked top. The under 4 million passengers award went to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the third consecutive year. Shortlisted for the first time, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority won the destination category.
Khalil Lamrabet, Director of Aviation Business Development, Dubai Airports, said, “We are really grateful for this recognition. This is important for us. We thank all of our airline partners for their trust and for their votes. Our aim is to deliver excellence in all what we do and we aim to continue doing this.”
The annual Routes Marketing Awards are highly regarded as the most prestigious awards in the industry as they are voted for and judged by the airline network planning community. They provide the airline community with the chance to have their say, regarding the airport or tourism authority they think has provided the best overall services to them relating to route development and marketing over the past year, to establish new or maintain and develop existing routes.
Adrian Newton, Group Director – Aviation Technology Director, UBM EMEA, stated, “The team at Dubai International Airport clearly understands the value of airline engagement and the figures speak for themselves, with 16 airlines increasing their services, three new carriers, 16 new destinations, and an increase in frequency to 48 existing destinations. Their comprehensive marketing plan played a key role in strengthening the airport’s brand and stimulating traffic demand, taking over as the world’s busiest international airport in terms of yearly passenger traffic in 2014.â€�
The shortlisted finalists were nominated by airline network planners. A panel of judges, comprising senior members of the airline network planning community from the region, reviewed the lists and submissions from the nominated airports in order to determine the winners. The panel consisted of Richard Bodin, Chief Commercial Officer, Fastjet; Dharmender T Hunjan, Vice President Airline Partnerships, Qatar Airways; and Matome Ramokgobedi, Network Planning, Commercial, South African Airways.
The awards will culminate at World Routes in Durban this September, with the overall winner of each Regional Award automatically shortlisted for the World Routes Awards. Dubai International Airport joins Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Tourism Australia, and Brussels Airport, recently announced as overall winners of the Americas, Asia, and European heats, respectively.
Shortlisted companies under each award category:
Over 20 Million Passengers
Dubai International Airport – Winner Overall Winner
Abu Dhabi International Airport – Highly Commended
King Abdulaziz International Airport
4 – 20 Million Passengers
Madinah Airport – Winner
Addis Ababa Bole International Airport
Cape Town International Airport – Highly Commended
Lagos – Murtala Muhammed
O.R. Tambo International Airport
Queen Alia International Airport
Under 4 Million Passengers
Kilimanjaro International Airport – Winner
Entebbe International Airport
Julius Nyerere International Airport – Highly Commended
Quatro de Fevereiro Airport
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport
Destination Marketing Award
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority – Winner
Jordan Tourism Board
Tourism Ministry of Egypt and Egyptian Tourist Authority
Tanzania Tourist Board