Routes Americas Awards 2013 Winners Announced

CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, Colombia, February 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

San Diego International Airport Takes Top Spot in First Regional Heat of 2013

Last night during a spectacular networking evening at the Plaza de la Proclamacion in Cartagena's beautiful Old Town, San Diego International Airport was announced as the winner of the first heat of this year's Routes Airport Marketing Awards.  Over 400 aviation professionals were gathered to witness the presentation of the awards and to take part in the 6^th Routes Americas - the largest route development event for the entire Americas.

"We are absolutely delighted to pick up the overall winner award in the Americas heat of the prestigious Routes Airport Marketing Awards.  We thank our airline partners for the investments they have made in our community," said Hampton Brown, Director Air Service Development for San Diego International Airport.

The Routes Airport Marketing Awards have become synonymous with recognising and rewarding the highest standards of marketing activities undertaken by airports.  The 2013 awards will see a number of innovations including taking a blended approach to the nomination process, meaning the final nominees will include a number of airports who will be shortlisted using our online voting form together with a number of airports who have been selected by a panel of industry experts drawn from the airline network planning community.  This year the awards were split into three categories based on the size of the airport and also a new tourism award for best destination marketing campaign by a tourism authority.  

As overall winner of this regional heat of the Routes Marketing Awards San Diego will be automatically shortlisted for the World Routes Airport Marketing Awards which will take place at the event in Las Vegas, 5^th - 8^th October 2013.

San Diego were also named as the winner from the 4-20 million passengers category with George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston honoured from the over 20 million passengers category.  From the under 4 million passengers category Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba were ranked top and the Tourism Award went to Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Nigel Mayes VP & Commercial, Routes commented:  "We would like to congratulate all of the winners and highly commended airports and tourism authorities in this first regional heat of the 2013 awards.  San Diego provided an excellent submission which detailed a straightforward approach to air service development and illustrated their partnership with its airlines.  Partnering with four airlines, Spirit, US, Alaska and Japan Airlines, for new air services in 2012 is a fantastic achievement.  We would also like to thank our judges, who are all senior members of the airline network planning community."

The full list of companies shortlisted under each award category were as follows:

Over 20 Million Passengers

• George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston - Winner
• Dallas Fort/Worth International Airport - Highly Commended
• El Dorado International Airport, Bogota
• San Francisco International Airport
• Toronto Pearson International Airport

4 - 20 Million Passengers

• San Diego International Airport - Winner & Overall Winner
• South West Florida International Airport - Highly Commended
• Tampa International Airport - Highly Commended
• Arturo Merino Benitez International, Santiago
• Tocumen International Airport, Panama  

Under 4 Million Passengers

• Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba - Winner
• Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau - Highly Commended
• Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Cuzco
• Hewanorra International Airport, St Lucia
• Owen Roberts International Airport, Grand Cayman

Shortlisted Destinations

• Fort Lauderdale - Winner
• Mexico - Highly Commended
• Aruba
• Guatemala
• Peru
• Trinidad & Tobago

Notes to Editors

About Routes

• Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

• Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports. http://www.asm-global.com

• Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August 2010.  From 1^st August 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference and Exhibition become part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

• UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets.  Through premiere brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

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