MANCHESTER, England, February 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Region's largest commercial aviation event to attract tourism ministers and key industry speakers

The 7^th Routes Americas will open in San Salvador on 23^rd February with the ALTA Routes Americas Strategy Summit. The event will be held in association with the Latin America & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and sponsored by The New Quito International Airport.

Routes Americas is the largest commercial aviation event of its kind for the entire Americas region. It is the meeting place for over 400 delegates representing over 70 airlines, 200 airports and almost 50 countries, including 100 senior executives of airlines, airports, associations as well as tourism ministers. The event attracts the highest level of senior decision makers and, following an announcement last December, the event now also incorporates Network USA, creating a single definitive event platform for all those interested in meeting with the industry's key players to discuss air service development to, from and within the entire Americas region.

The Strategy Summit, which will be held during the opening day of Routes Americas, brings together leading industry experts to debate aviation and route development issues across the Americas region. Attendees will hear opening remarks from José Napoleón Duarte Durán, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador followed by a keynote address from Eduardo Iglesias, Executive Director of ALTA, and four sessions covering highly topical subjects affecting aviation in the Americas region.

"El Salvador is ready for the aviation industry, airports and tourism under Routes Americas 2014, an event that sets industry trends and fosters the development of new services to, from and within the Americas," said Minister José Napoleón Duarte Durán, continuing: "Hosting Routes Americas means significant exposure for El Salvador in hosting business events, but above all, to show that tourism offered by our country and its excellent air connectivity showcase."

Eduardo Iglesias commented: "We are delighted to join Routes in the execution of Routes Americas. The topics addressed in this setting are key to the alignment of partners in Latin American and Caribbean aviation, especially with airports, key players in the industry. Only together and understanding the synergies available to us as partners, can we bring about the change necessary to realize the economic potential of aeronautics in the regional landscape."

"Our partnership with ALTA is very important to us and we are thrilled with the calibre of speakers this event has on the programme," said Adrian Newton, Group Director, Transport and Technology, UBM Live continuing: "Looking ahead, the Americas region will be a particular focus for Routes over the coming 14 months following the transfer of Network USA to Routes control and with Routes Americas 2014 in San Salvador, World Routes 2014 in Chicago in September followed by Routes Americas in Denver in February 2015 - the first time that this regional event will take place in the US, the largest aviation market in the world."

The ALTA Routes Americas Strategy Summit will see participation from Estuardo Ortiz, Executive VP and Chief Revenue Officer for Avianca; Peter McGlade, Senior Strategic Advisor for Southwest Airlines; Zhihang CHI, VP & General Manager, North America for Air China; Juan Emilio Posada, Executive Chairman of VivaColombia; Hernan Pasman, CEO of LAN Colombia; Ciro Camargo, Alliances for Gol Transportes Aereos; Peter Cerda, RVP The Americas for IATA; Matt Cornelius of ACI North America; Todd Scott, International Planning Manager for UPS Airlines; Capt Jagmohan Singh, CEO of Caribbean Airlines; Albert Kluyver, CEO of InselAir; Aluizio Margarido, Commercial Director of Viracopos International Airport; Lee Lipton, Director of Air Service Marketing for Vantage Airport Group and Fariba Alamdari, VP Market & Value Analysis for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The programme will also include presentations from Andrew O'Brian, President and CEO of Summit sponsor The New Quito International Airport and a presentation on the Caribbean market by Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Chairperson of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and US Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism.

For more information on Routes Americas visit http://www.Routesonline.com

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 Live division of UBM plc.

• UBM Live 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 Live 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. http://www.ubmlive.com

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 Live Routes Ltd