Airport Cities World Conference Comes to Africa for the First Time

Airport Cities World Conference Comes to Africa for the First Time PR Newswire LONDON, December 6, 2012 LONDON, December 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition (ACE) 2013 is to take place on African soil for the first time in its 11-year history. London-based event organiser UBM Live has announced that the milestone event will take place in the City of Ekurhuleni, South Africa, from April 24-26, 2013. The City of Ekurhuleni was chosen to host the event as it is home to OR Tambo International Airport - the busiest gateway in Africa - and already has a strategic road map in place to become 'Africa's first Aerotropolis'. Alex Kirby, executive vice president of Airport Cities, made the announcement on a recent trip to South Africa where he met with various stakeholders including the Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni as well as representatives from Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), who own and operate OR Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International airports among others in the country. The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition champions the concept that today airports are more than just gateways for the transportation of goods and people from one region or country to another. In fact this historic perception has now given way to a much broader concept of the airport as a business destination in its own right and as an economic engine for its region and local communities.