Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport will open 30 new air routes in the next three years, including 14 routes to Europe and the United States, Guangzhou Daily reported on Sept 11 at the 24th World Route Development Forum Press Conference.

Chen Zhiying, deputy mayor of Guangzhou; Steven Small, brand director of the World Route Development Forum; Qiu Jiachen, a member of the Party Committee of the Guangdong Airport Authority and chairman of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Company and Sun Xiuqing, director of the Management Committee of the Guangzhou Airport Economic Zone attended the event.

Guangzhou Deputy Mayor Chen Zhiying delivers a speech after the press conference. [Photo/China.com.cn]

According to Chen, the World Routes 2018 is an important platform for the display of Guangzhou's urban image and an important channel to tell the Chinese story and the Guangzhou story.  Guangzhou is the third city in China to hold this event after Beijing (2009) and Chengdu (2016), following the 16th Asian Games and the 2017 Fortune Global Forum.  He noted that the event is not only an acknowledgment, examination and expectation of Guangzhou's urban development, but also a valuable opportunity to accelerate the formation of a new pattern of comprehensive opening, to foster the development of the civil aviation industry and the airport economy, to promote foreign economic trade and cooperation, and to improve the international image of the city.

Attendees discuss matters after the press conference for the 24th World Route Development and Urban Development Forum. [Photo/China.com.cn]

Qiu noted that Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport ranked 13th in 2017 and 11th in the first half of this year among all the airports in the world in terms of passenger throughout. In the past three years, 63 new international routes have been opened, and the number of international destinations has reached 88. Qiu said he hopes that more airlines become more aware of the aviation market and tourism market in Guangzhou through the 24th World Route Development Forum.

Small also delivered a speech after the press conference. He said that Guangzhou is an alpha-global city offering some of Asia's most impressive historical sites, world-class entertainment, beautiful wildlife and the very best Cantonese cuisine. It is the perfect choice for World Routes.

Steven Small speaks after the press conference. [Photo/China.com.cn]