Iraq-based Azmar Airlines and Erbil International Airport are set to take part as platinum and gold sponsor respectively at the Iraq Airports Show.

 

The show, which will take place on September 24 and 25 at the Titanic Hotel and Spa, Sulaimaniyah, is being organized by Babylon International in association with Sulaimaniyah Airport as the host.

 

Iraq plans to construct a new central airport and is continuing a fleet expansion as the country seeks to revive its travel industry and lure tourists, said a statement.

 

The government will unveil a list of contractors at the earliest to bid for construction of the airport in Karbala south of Baghdad. At a cost of $2.5 billion, the new hub would be the country’s biggest, with capacity of 20 million passengers a year. 

 

New airports are also being planned in Duhouk, Mosul, while existing terminals are undergoing refurbishment in Baghdad ,Basra and Najaf and terminal expansion will soon start in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah.

 

Baker Saeed Taufiq, general director of Azmar Air, said: “We are glad to support this prestigious event in Sulaimaniyah. Kurdistan is the destination for anyone who wants to work in, or come to Iraq for business or tourism.”

 

Talar Faiq, director general of Erbil International Airport, said: “The airport has continued to grow in 2014 as new milestones for passenger, cargo and aircraft movements were set. We will be having a terminal expansion shortly.”

 

“We are duty bound to participate in an airport show happening in the Kurdistan region and will use the opportunity to scout for new suppliers. The Iraq airport show has grown exponentially and it’s good to meet with peers and make fresh contacts,” she added.

 

Ram Muthaiah, general manager of Babylon International, said: “The presence of airports and government representatives from within Iraq and the region along with suppliers of repute makes the event a must attend, as Iraqi aviation sector is experiencing a boom. Through the Iraq Airports Show we will be connecting major players in the industry to an emerging and lucrative aviation market.” - TradeArabia News Service