ACI Asia-Pacific Announces Programme for Airport Economics & Finance Conference & Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific has announced the programme for the twelfth Annual Airport Economics & Finance Conference & Exhibition.

Jointly organized with ACI World and ACI EUROPE, this year the event will be hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 24 to 26 March. The event is returning to the Asia-Pacific region for the first time since 2013.

To be held under the theme “Airports at the crossroads”, the programme is designed to allow industry leaders to explore new financing strategies through discussions and collaboration as the industry grapples with the crucial issue of new investment and growth.

In collaboration with the World Bank, the conference will once again kick off with the annual ACI-World Bank Aviation Symposium. The interactive forum will take stock of demographic social and economic trends in air transport, as well as analyse key factors that underpin airport infrastructure financing through the business cycle.

“Surging air transport demand threatens to outstrip current and planned airport infrastructure in many regions around the world so developing new strategies for making investment decisions is crucial for the industry,” ACI World Director General Angela Gittens said. “The conference will provide a forum for industry leader and decision makers to discuss how to foster a transparent, stable, and predictable investment climate.

“As airports plan to meet the demands of growth, they will need to explore diverse funding sources and current industry challenges such as efficient management of existing infrastructure, green financing opportunities for airports; Islamic finance; and new business strategies as regulation evolves and digital disruption.”

Key subjects that will be explored during the conference and exhibition include:

• Privatization as a path to upgrade infrastructure and deliver a better passenger experience
• Protect or innovate? Opportunities and threats to commercial revenues
• Building airports for resilience and sustainability – climate bonds and green financing
• Alternatives to the convention – Islamic finance and infrastructure development
• The capacity crunch and economic oversight
• Using market mechanisms when demand exceeds supply

 
The ACI 12th Annual Airport Economics & Finance Conference & Exhibition will also include a gala dinner hosted by MAHB on 25 March.