Routes Asia Officially Handed Over to Kuching for 2014

Mumbai, India (ots/PRNewswire) -

After a successful Routes Asia in Mumbai which saw over 700
hundred delegates in attendance, more than ever before, GVK's
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) have officially
handed the event over to Kuching, Sarawak the host destination for
Routes Asia 2014.

Building on the success of this year's event the largest route
development forum for the entire Asia region will take place on 9-11
March 2014 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia hosted by the Ministry of
Tourism Sarawak and co-hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony which took place
earlier today in Mumbai Honourable Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Rahman
Zohari Bin Tun Abang Haji Openg, Minister for Tourism for Sarawak
said: "We are indeed grateful to Routes for giving us the opportunity
to be associated with such a prestigious event. This is a great
honour for Sarawak to be highlighted among prominent airlines and
airports fraternity at this important event. Needless to say, we are
the host for your Routes Asia 2014 and I have come personally to
Mumbai to welcome all of you to Kuching when the event unveils itself
next year in March."

Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah, General Manager Marketing for Malaysia
Airports Holdings Berhad said: "After pioneering the Routes Asia
forum in 2003, Malaysia Airports is proud to see this event grow in
number by leaps and bounds. And now, partnering with the Sarawak's
Tourism Ministry in co-hosting this event next year in Kuching is
very special for Malaysia Airports as it highlights the synergies and
symbiotic relationship between an airport and the tourism authority
in destination marketing to enhance air connectivity. This initiative
also underlines our commitment to develop key regional international
airports in Malaysia. We await the arrival of the delegates of Routes
Asia 2014 to be mesmerised by what the city of Kuching and Sarawak
can offer."

Air transport to Sarawak is served by four major airports; Kuching
International Airport, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri Airports and as the
region has frequent air links from major aviation hubs Kuching is one
of the most accessible cities in Malaysia. Flights to Kuching are
available from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which is served by
more than 50 carriers.

Sarawak, known as the Land of the Hornbills, is the largest of the
Malaysian states and is situated on the island of Borneo. Home to the
world's oldest tropical rainforests it is abundant in wildlife
including rare and endangered species such as the orang-utan and the
hornbill. The historic capital city of Kuching has a population of
around 600,000 and dates back hundreds of years when traders from
China and the West would travel there to trade the exotic treasures
of the rainforest. Today Kuching remains the central hub and gateway
to Sarawak.

"We are delighted that Routes Asia will be returning to Malaysia
in 2014," says David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Routes
explaining: "Malaysia has a special place in the history and
development of this event as the first three Routes Asia events were
hosted there and, as such, our co-hosts next year, Malaysia Airport,
played a key role in helping the event get established. Sarawak is a
location of outstanding natural beauty, a place where you can visit
rainforests, encounter orang-utan and hornbills.

This place is full of natural wonders whilst at the same time
equipped with the state-of-the art infrastructure of a leading
economy and we are looking forward to welcoming even more members of
the aviation community in Kuching next year."

This will be the fifth time that a Routes event has taken place in
Malaysia. In 2003 the first Routes Asia event, also the first ever
Routes regional event, was held in Sepang hosted by Malaysia Airports
Holdings Berhad who went on to host Routes Asia for the following two
years and World Routes 2008 in Kuala Lumpur.

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 [http://www.asm%E2%80%90global.com ]
- Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August 2010.
From 1st August 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference and Exhibition
become 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

For more information about Kuching, the next destination for
Routes Asia, please visit http://www.sarawaktourism.com

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes,
@VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU, @airlineroute

ots Originaltext: UBM Live Routes Ltd
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further press information please contact: Victoria Jones, PR
Executive, UBM Aviation Routes Limited, T: +44(0)161-234-2730, E:
pr@routesonline.com