The 15th World Route Development Forum is scheduled for September 13 to 15 in Beijing this year, the Capital Airports Holding Company (CAH), host of the forum, announced here on Sunday during its launch ceremony.

It is the first time for China to host an air industry event at the international level, according to CAH.

The three-day forum is expected to attract about 3,000 representatives from nearly 400 airlines, 500 airports, tourism authorities, and industry suppliers worldwide to come and discuss future development of the world air routes, as well as the global aviation industry.

Air routes networks are becoming an important assets for airports, as more air routes would bring better development to the airports, cities and even regions involved, said David Stroud, CEO of the British Route Development Group, during the ceremony.

Zhang Zhizhong, general manager of CAH, said the company would take the forum as a chance to attract more tourists to China and build close cooperative partnerships with more international airlines.

The annual World Route Development Forum started from 1995 and is organized by the Route Development Group. It is a networking event for members of the global air industry.

The forum will also provide opportunities for air carriers to know more about the host airport, which would benefit the host's further development.

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2009)