2010 Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition Opens in Beijing

ACL gathers representatives from the global airport city industry in Beijing to discuss growth of the airport-based economy

BEIJING, April 22 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Airport City Development, Ltd. (ACL) announced today that the 10th Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition (ACE 2010) was officially launched at the China World Hotel, Beijing. The three-day event from 21-23 April gathers over 500 professionals from the airport city industry, including those from airports, aviation companies and related sectors. Hailing from around 50 different countries, the visitors will meet to extensively discuss and share their experiences in the airport-based industry, especially future development trends of airport cities. The conference is the first time this most prestigious event of the airport city industry has been held in mainland China.

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Prof. John D Kasarda, airport city pioneer and Director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Mr. Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad, Airports Council International Asia-Pacific President, Mr. Lin Xiangyang, Deputy District Chief of Shunyi District Government, Mr. Gao Shiqing, Vice General Manager of Beijing Capital Airport Group, Prof. Cao Yunchun, Director of the Airport Economy Institute at Civil Aviation University of China, Desmond Shum, Vice Chairman and CEO of Airport City Development Co., Ltd. and other professionals from all over the world were in attendance at the conference to give presentations and exchange opinions on featured topics.

Desmond Shum, Vice Chairman and CEO of ACL, delivered a keynote speech titled "Airport City: One of the core engines for making Beijing a World City". "We are very honored and excited to host ACE 2010, an excellent communication and learning platform for Airport City Development and the future development of Beijing Airport City. As the third largest economy in the world, China is an important contributor to world economic rejuvenation. This conference displays the huge development potential of the airport-based economy in Beijing and northern China to our overseas peers. We hope this conference will strengthen communication between decision makers at domestic airports and their international contemporaries to jointly promote further development of the global airport city industry."

In the 21st century, nation capitals have become battlefronts for competition between countries. Therefore, economic development based on airports and the airport industry will become the new driver for urban development. As an engine of regional economic development, the airport city has also become the new driver for future urban development. Industrial sectors within the airport city cover bonded logistics, high value-added sectors, exhibitions, hotels, businesses, trade, modern commercial residences, and international education. This will effectively boost the structural upgrade of industries near the airport, enhancing comprehensive utilization efficiency and supporting infrastructure to maximize land value around the airport.

"The rapid development of airport-based economies has been increasingly highlighted as the 'catalysts' and 'engines' of regional economic development. The foremost global experience has shown us that, as a new city mode, the airport city plays a positive role in promoting the increase of passenger and cargo traffic, boosting local economic growth, accelerating the upgrade of industrial structure, increasing governmental tax income, attracting talents and facilitating employment growth," said Cao Yunchun, Director of Airport Economy Institute at Civil Aviation University of China, at the conference.

2010 will be a critical year for economies worldwide as they begin a full recovery from the global financial crisis and will also be essential for the development of the aviation sector. In order to showcase China's rapidly growing economy and aviation sector, ACL, the conference host, has invited participants to visit the Beijing Airport Economic Zone, comprised of the Tianzhu Free Trade Zone, High-Tech Industrial Park, International Business Park, Modern Manufacturing Park, Modern Logistics Zone, International Exhibition Zone, and Cultural and Recreational Industrial Park, to allow experts and scholars from all over the world to better understand Beijing Airport City and to get a sense of the huge potential of Beijing Airport City.

"We have come from every corner of the world to Beijing, a dynamic city with a long-standing history, to experience its charming culture and witness its astounding growth. China has made indispensable contributions to world economic rejuvenation. We look forward to witness the huge potential of China unfold," said John D Kasarda, Director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at the conference.

ACL has implemented a series of projects to build Beijing Airport City. These projects include ACLP, the first airport-based bonded logistics park, located in the Beijing Tianzhu Free Trade Zone. By using a one-stop customs clearance and bonded logistics business model, it helps enterprises improve logistics efficiency and save on operating costs. ACL hopes to leverage the long-term operation management and success of ACLP in helping Beijing transform into an international aviation logistic hub in Northeast Asia, as well as share its experience with other aviation hubs in China to jointly drive the rapid growth of an airport-based economy in China.

During the three-day event, ACL and the organizing committee have arranged a series of keynote speeches, as well as non-official social programs for information exchange and sharing so that speakers and representatives can communicate in a pleasant atmosphere. These programs include a reception held at the China World Hotel, the Welcome Dinner at Dongyuan Theatre and the unique Closing Ceremony where Memphis International Airport will be announced as the next host of ACE 2011 by the organizing committee.

About Airport City Development Co., Ltd. (ACL)

The Airport City Development Co., Ltd. (ACL) was established by the Capital Airport Holding Company and other organizations including the government of the Beijing Shunyi District in December 2004 with the approval of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Ministry of Commerce. ACL functions as the main operating entity, fully in charge of the planning, construction and operation management of the Airport City Logistics Park Project (ACLP), which aims to facilitate the expansion of the flight area and Terminal 3 to make Beijing Capital Airport the international air logistics hub for Northeast Asia.

ACL is also actively planning the construction of an airport city, which is a multifunctional complex focusing on the airport and combining functions such as air transportation, logistics, shopping centers, travel & recreation and industrial development as a whole. ACL aims to become China's number one company specializing in the investment, development and operation of airport cities.

For more news and information about ACL, please visit ACL's website: http://www.airportcity.cn .

About the Airport Cities World Conference & Exhibition (ACE)

The Airport Cities World Conference & Exhibition (ACE) is a top global event for airport CEOs, airlines, economic development organizations, real estate developers, architects, planners, as well as all the business partners benefiting from the potential at airports. ACE attracts about 500 high-level delegates and 50 exhibitors each year. It provides the best opportunity for airport CEOs to showcase their airport development plans to these key decision makers around the world. Any airport choosing to attend the event will demonstrate its strong commitment to sustainable development and will represent a milestone in its development process. At the same time, it will also demonstrate the vital role of airport cities/airport metropolises in future prosperity and success to airport workers, shareholders and the regions where they are located.

History of this conference -- when and where it was held in previous years:

1) Orlando, Fla., USA, 2002

2) Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, 2003

3) Dubai, UAE., Spring 2004

4) Detroit, Mi., USA, Autumn 2004

5) Rome, Italy, 2005

6) Hong Kong, PRC, 2006

7) Frankfurt, Germany, 2007

8) Dallas Fort Worth, USA, 2008

9) Athens, Greece, 2009