MANAMA, Bahrain, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Category wins go to Madinah, Kilimanjaro Airports and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority  

Last night during the Networking Evening at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay in Manama, Bahrain, Dubai International Airport was announced as the overall winner of the Middle East & Africa heat of the 2015 Routes Marketing Awards. 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 all aviation based companies who wish to conduct business to, from and within the region.  

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150602/747979 )

"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 that we do and we aim to continue doing this," said Khalil Lamrabet, Director of Aviation Business Development, Dubai Airports.

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.

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.

"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," said Adrian Newton, Group Director - Aviation & Technology Director, UBM EMEA.

"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. The judging panel was impressed by the team's integrated, comprehensive marketing strategy that included direct airline engagement, an enhanced digital presence and imaginative content marketing, cementing the airport's commitment to quality, world-class service and standards," he added.  

The shortlisted finalists were nominated by airline network planners; a respected 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 the following judges:

Richard Bodin, Chief Commercial Officer, Fastjet

Dharmender T. Hunjan, Vice President Airline Partnerships, Qatar Airways

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.

The full list of companies shortlisted under each award category were as follows:

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

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. http://www.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. http://www.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.

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 http://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.
  

SOURCE UBM EMEA Routes Ltd