The Tribune

IN JUST four days, the 5th Routes Americas forum will take place on Nassau and Paradise Island. The industry networking event will be hosted by the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), the Atlantis Resort and the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Bureau. "This year's Routes Americas event will be attended by more airlines and airports than any previous event, confirming Routes Americas' position as the largest commercial aviation event for the entire Americas region," said the organisers in a statement. Sixty airlines have registered to attend, including many US carriers such as American Airlines, US Airways, and United Airlines, as well as top low-cost carriers such as JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit. The three largest airlines in Latin America, GOL, LAN, and TAM, have also confirmed they will be in Nassau for the event, along with a strong Canadian presence which includes Westjet, Air Transat, and Sunwing. Airlines from other parts of the world will also be represented, including British Airways, TUI and Monarch Airlines. Routes representative Nigel Mayes said: "The growth of this event mirrors the growth in the economic climate within the Americas and the demand from the air service development community to meet at one event for the entire region. "Routes Americas is the most significant platform where air links both within and across continents can be discussed and new air services are born." NAD president and CEO Stewart Steeves said: "Nassau Airport Development Company is delighted to be the host airport for Routes Americas 2012. "As an airport that is building for the future, we are especially pleased to be able to have approximately 60 airlines from around the world see first-hand how we are building to meet the demands of the destination and to serve their needs." David Johnson, Bahamas director general of Tourism and Aviation said: "The importance of Nassau as the gateway or hub for the islands of the Bahamas cannot be over- stated. "The fact that this is an Americas forum is important to note, because we can now claim to be firmly connected to the Americas with the addition of the COPA service from Panama City, directly connecting the islands of the Bahamas to South America, Central America and closing the circle around the United States of America, Canada and the Caribbean."