Istanbul hosts Routes World event

ISTANBUL

Istanbul is hosting the 28th edition of Routes World that brings together airlines, airports and aviation stakeholders from across the world.

The event will be attended by vice presidents and heads of network planning from 250 leading airlines, who will engage in over 10,000 meetings with airport and destination representatives to identify new route opportunities, according to the organizers.

Routes World 2023, which began on Oct. 15, will conclude on Oct. 17.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu delivered a speech at the event.

“With the Istanbul Airport that opened in 2018, Türkiye and Istanbul have become one of the largest transit centers in the world,” Uraloğlu said.

“While flights were carried out to 60 destinations in 50 countries in 2002, today we are reaching 349 destinations in 130 countries,” Uraloğlu said in a speech he delivered at the Routes World 2023 event organized in Istanbul.

The number of domestic flights increased from 26 in 2002 to 57, he also noted.

Türkiye now has transport agreements with 173 countries, up from 81 nations, according to the minister.

“We have the geographical advantage of being within a four-hour flight distance to 67 countries. It is located in the middle of three continents, on the flight routes between developed markets and developing markets.”

The European Union is important for Türkiye, but the relations with Asian countries, African countries and the countries of the American continent are equally important, Uraloğlu said.

“Our goal is to improve the current tourism potential and opportunities of our country, and to encourage diversity in tourism activities.”