About 40 aviation and tourism operators attended the 12th edition of the Routes Africa Conference and Exhibition which was held from 16-18 July, 2018 at the Movenpik Ambassador Hotel in Accra.
The Routes Africa Conference, according to the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), local organizers of the conference, is the longest and most established aviation forum where critical issues affecting the industry are discussed.
Petitions are forwarded to government while resolutions are passed during the Routes Africa Conference.
Addressing the opening session of the three days conference on Monday, John Dekyem Attafuah, Managing Director, GACL, indicated that his outfit has been associated with Routes Africa for 15 years.
According to him, the Accra conference comes at an auspicious time, as the country prepares to commission its state-of-the-art Terminal Three (3) project at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
He explained that the operationalization of the flagship project forms part of GACL’s strategy to position Ghana as a leader in airport business and the aviation hub in West Africa.
“Expanding the route network into and out of Ghana is key for the next five years and we intend to make KIA the driver for air connectivity on the continent,” he remarked.
Aviation is an important catalyst in driving the expansion and development of economies across the world and Ghana is no exception, he added.
According to him, Ghana’s aviation industry recorded impressive growth of 9.7% in 2017 compared to the global average of 7.5%.
“Globally, growth in aviation delivers far reaching positive multiplier effects through all spheres of the economy; there is no question therefore that our strategy for the next five years should yield the necessary dividends we have projected, he added.
Raphael Kuuchi, Vice President Africa of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), reiterated the need for African leaders to expedite the Single Skies flagship initiative of the African Union (AU).
According to him, the initiative, which has been described as AU’s Agenda 2063, will among other benefits, enhance airline connectivity, facilitate trade and tourism and create employment.
He bemoaned the fact that only 23 out of the 55 African countries have subscribed to the project.
By Solomon Ofori