Kuala Lumpur – Historically, airports were perceived as simple transportation hubs where planes and people depart and arrive. Today, modern 21st century airports have become much more, evolving into key nodes in global production and enterprise systems offering them speed, agility and connectivity. All commercial functions of a modern metropolitan centre are locating on and immediately around major airport sites, transforming them from ‘city airports’ to ‘airport cities’.
Airport Cities Conference and Exhibition (ACE) is about airports developing both as cities in their own right and as unique business and tourist destinations. The 12th edition of ACE will be held on 31 March – 2 April 2014 hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia.
The event, which is the perfect platform for attendees to share experience, expertise and insights on airport city developments, is expected to attract over 110 airport operators from 45 countries.
“Airport Cities Conference and Exhibition regularly attract high level aviation decision makers and other industry leaders and we are looking forward to welcoming this community to Kuala Lumpur next spring,” says Alex Kirby, EVP Airport Cities, UBM Live continuing: “The event will provide Malaysia Airports with the opportunity to discuss their own ‘Aeropolis’ development and will generate business and commercial development opportunities linked to the expansion of the airport city.”
Located at the heart of Asia, Malaysia as a country is strategically and financially positioned at the centre of regional networks. The country, and in particular Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), is a perfect host for this event as it is already well underway implementing its own ‘Aeropolis’ project. With more than 22,000 acres of land at its disposal to create a successful and viable world-class airport city, just over one quarter (6,000 acres) has already been developed for runways, the Main Terminal Building (MTB), satellite and low-cost carrier terminals, cargo and other support facilities.