Business Airport World Expo 2012: A Tremendous Success!

This year’s Business Airport World Expo was hailed as a great success by visitors and exhibitors alike. There were more than 2,250 attendees from 50 countries.

Held in Cannes, France, on February 22-23, Business Airport World Expo 2012 (BAWE) brought together more than 2,250 business aviation executives, brokers, and owners and operators of executive jets to discuss future opportunities and strengthen existing relationships. The event was co-hosted with Business Jet Interiors Expo, and complemented by the Business Aviation Conference, which received spectacular feedback from all who attended – it was quite possibly the best conference of the year!

Graham Johnson, managing director at UKIP Media & Events, the international exhibitions and publishing company that organizes Business Airport World Expo and publishes Business Airport International, said, “We were delighted with the quality and quantity of attendees this year. You could see business being done throughout the exhibition hall. Indeed, Business Airport World Expo 2013 in London Farnborough from March 19-21 is already almost 70% sold out, so we are going to have to make more exhibition space available next year. Visitors can expect around 170-plus exhibitors and I’d be very surprised if we don’t see at least 3,500-4,000 attendees next year."

Iyan Ayasso, publicity executive at Hadid International Services, sponsor of Business Airport World Expo 2012, said, “We feel the future of the exhibition and conference is extremely positive. We attended last year’s show, which we found really useful for creating business contacts, and that is why we decided to support the 2012 event. It is getting bigger and better, and is the best way for us to communicate with new and existing clients.”

What visitors had to say…

Samir Bazbaz, president, B.J. Aviation, Jordan
“The show is excellent. There is a good combination of local providers, FBOs, and interior companies, which means we can connect with all the relevant people in the business aviation sector under one roof. Business Airport World Expo allows us to communicate with a wide range of people and build up our business portfolio. There are plenty of buying opportunities for us here.”

Hakan Celt, president, Bilen Air Service, Turkey
“It’s great to see all our customers and clients in the same place, and we have been able to speak with some of the leading service providers. We hope to build new relationships with suppliers and discuss business opportunities with existing customers.”

Christine Hadley, sales and marketing manager, Greenpoint Technologies, USA
“The event provides excellent networking opportunities and the free conference has been extremely informative.”

Federico Scanferlini, general aviation supervisor, SAVE S.p.A, Italy
“The highlight of the show has been the opportunity to connect with our clients face to face; that is really valuable to us. We have been able to sign-off on commercial opportunities, which proves that Business Airport World Expo is a great business opportunity.”

Oliver Stone, managing director, Colibri Aircraft, speaking at the free-to-attend conference, which proved to be an extremely successful addition to this year’s show. More than 25 speakers covered everything from business jet interiors and finance, to safety management systems and emerging regulations. The conference attracted a constant audience of well over 150 people

Eugen Hartl, founder, Eugen Hartl Aviation Advisors, Switzerland “Business Airport World Expo provides great networking opportunities for us and there are a number of big names here. We have found the conference highly interestingmand will definitely be returning to continue to build-up our client base.”

The exhibition provided companies with the opportunity to show-off new products and services. London Oxford Airport showcased its new 35,000m2 jet parking area that will be capable of handling an influx of visitors to the 2012 Olympic Games

What exhibitors had to say…

Luana Marie, commercial department, Argos VIP, Italy “This is one of the most important exhibitions for us as it provides us with a great way to see our clients face-to-face, and to discuss the business opportunities we have been working on.”

Chris Omomia, executive director, BASE Aviation Systems, Nigeria “Business Airport World Expo enables us to showcase our services, interact with customers, and find out about other businesses that we can partner with. We sincerely believe that the event provides us with the opportunity to meet new clients and establish relationships with them. We have already booked our stand for next year!”

Business Airport World Expo hosted a mid-show networking event on the evening of February 22 at the Grand Hotel on La Croisette. The event provided a great opportunity for visitors to make new contacts in the industry. Over 600 people attended!

Edwin P Niemoller, FBO director, KLM Jet Center, The Netherlands “Business Airport World Expo is a superb promotional tool for us and the quality of visitors is great. People come here with a purpose and this allows us to really build our business.”

Don't miss next year's event! - March 19-21, 2013, London, Farnborough