Hundreds of the world’s most influential aviation and tourism leaders have arrived in Cairns ahead of a major international summit aimed at shaping the future of travel.
More than 350 delegates will attend this week’s CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific event, participating in a series of strategic sessions before experiencing some of the region’s top attractions.
Presented in partnership with Cairns Airport and hosted at Cairns Convention Centre on Thursday and Friday, it is the first time ever the CAPA event has been held outside a capital city.
Cairns Airport Chief Executive Officer Richard Barker said CAPA was recognised globally as a pivotal and influential force in the aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors.
“Our region is poised to become the primary gateway to Northern Australia. Hosting CAPA in Cairns will present invaluable industry and business opportunities as we continue this exciting growth trajectory,” he said.
“We will have rare access to a range of airline executives, right here at home. We will be front and centre as our industry’s top executives discuss and workshop global travel trends. We can show them firsthand the enormous appeal of Tropical North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.”
Speakers at CAPA include high-ranking executives from Australian and international airlines, airport decision makers, senior government leaders, business strategists and subject matter experts from various travel sectors.
The summit will combine industry presentations, keynotes, high-level interviews and panel discussions to examine a range of topics, including regional airline capacity, consumer and passenger spending, changes in thinking around tourism and the influence of government regulations on travel.
CAPA – Centre for Aviation Events Director Claudia Kunz said: “We’re thrilled to bring the CAPA Airline Leader Summit to Cairns, marking our first venture outside a capital city. This strategic location perfectly embodies the evolving landscape of aviation in the Asia Pacific region.
“Cairns represents the exciting growth potential we’re seeing in regional gateways across the globe. The calibre of executives and decision makers attending this summit underscores the importance of these discussions as we collectively shape the future of air travel. We look forward to productive dialogues against the backdrop of this stunning destination that showcases why regional connectivity matters.”
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said it was an unparalleled opportunity to speak to airline and airport decisions makers from around the world.
“Our visionary 20-year tourism plan Destination 2045: Delivering Queensland’s Tourism Future has a focus on better connections for visitors coming to Queensland,” he said.
“We know we need to get more visitors into the state, and then ensure they have smooth onward connections so they can experience our wonderful regional, rural and remote tourism offerings.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said hosting the summit in Cairns would add first-hand experience to the compelling case for the city to be included in more aviation routes.
“It is a privilege to be the first non-capital city to host this event highlighting the strong demand for Tropical North Queensland’s nature-based experiences backed by a mature and professional tourism industry,” he said.
“Our ideal geographic positioning backed by the growth industries of tourism, high-value agriculture, marine industries and critical minerals, will help delegates to understand why Cairns should be Australia’s northern aviation gateway.”
