Will Gather Stakeholders To Discuss The Future Of Airports And Their Surroundings

The inaugural Aerotropolis Europe, Middle East and Africa Conference and Exhibition (AEMEA) will take place in Manchester, U.K. July 8-10, 2014. Manchester will be hosting Aerotropolis EMEA 2014 in partnership with Airport City Manchester, as part of the International Festival for Business 2014. The announcement was made during the first ever Aerotropolis Americas Conference and Exhibition (AACE), hosted by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW).

Andrew Stokes, chief executive, Marketing Manchester, said: "Manchester and Airport City Manchester are delighted to be hosting Aerotropolis 2014, as part of the International Festival for Business. This three day Aerotropolis event provides the perfect platform to showcase the opportunity that Airport City will provide for the UK."

Airports are undergoing a metamorphosis as they increasingly take on the functions of the metropolitan Central Business District (CBD) and are now being recognized as corporate entities in their own right. As an airport city develops outwards from the fence line and the boundaries between airport and its surrounding urban center or city become blurred, it becomes an integral business and residential district in its own right, termed the "Aerotropolis".

AEMEA is the annual regional event which provides a learning platform for real estate developers and professionals, planners who are active in airport development, economic development agencies, suppliers and solution providers, cargo and logistics operators and freight-forwarders, airport executives and managers, and others interested in development in and around airports.

The Aerotropolis events are borne out of the well regarded Airport Cities Conference & Exhibition which was established over 14 years ago and has been the world leader in driving the airport city concept of airports, establishing a commercial footprint in addition to their aeronautical revenues from airlines. The event recognizes that all parties are key to the establishment and growth of a true Aerotropolis. The event provides an opportunity for these partners to meet, negotiate, learn the latest techniques and case studies and hear from the leaders in their field.

Event organizers say it is fitting that Manchester should host the first ever AEMEA event as the UK's first Airport City will be located at Manchester Airport, which is the UK's third busiest airport. Outline planning permission for Airport City was secured at the start of 2013 and once the £800 million ($1.2 billion) Airport City project is complete it will provide 5m sq ft of development, a mix of offices, hotels, advanced manufacturing, logistics and warehousing as well as potentially creating an additional 16,000 jobs in the North West of England as international businesses are attracted to the area.

The Aerotropolis event will bring together all the key players who can help airports and cities to drive economic growth and commercial development to their regions.

FMI: www.aerotropolis.com