CAPA Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit 2019: Singapore, 14/15-Nov-2019
As key aviation and travel industry leaders come together in Singapore at CAPA's Summit, the Asia Pacific remains the growth engine of international aviation, home to more than 4 billion people, including the large developing economies of China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
However, the region's appetite for air travel has moderated this year, due to wider global economic and geopolitical currents. Compared to 2018, the rate of passenger growth has more than halved for the year to date.
Despite this, the region's airlines have kept themselves tracking level with last year in terms of financial outcomes, having pursued - or imposed on them - tight capacity discipline. Even though growth has moderated, the sustained expansion in major Asian emerging and developing economies, supported by ever lower airfares and ever wider networks, continues to fuel the appetite for travel.
The CAPA Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit 2019: Singapore, will convene at The Capella on 14/15-Nov-2019, with a sparkling industry awards dinner on the evening of 14-Nov-2019.
- The Asia Pacific region remains a significant growth engine for international aviation, driven by large developing economies like China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
- Passenger growth in the region has slowed down this year due to global economic and geopolitical factors, but airlines have maintained financial stability through capacity discipline.
- Air cargo traffic in the region has declined due to ongoing trade disputes and increasing uncertainty in global trade.
- Despite challenges, there are positive signs emerging, with passenger traffic and finances holding up better than expected in the second quarter.
- The CAPA Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit, to be held in Singapore, will bring together industry leaders to discuss key topics such as airline survival in an economic downturn, emerging aviation powerhouses, challenges in distribution and selling, and the impact of data analytics on the industry.
- The Summit will also feature the CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Awards for Excellence, recognizing strategic leadership in the region's airlines, airports, and individuals.
For more information or to register to attend the Summit and/or the CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Awards for Excellence gala ceremony, visit the website at aas19.capaevents.com
Uncertainty undercuts growth but positive signs emerge
While passenger traffic remains positive, the air cargo segment - historically a key forward indicator - continues to suffer. The global slump in air freight traffic is being felt acutely in a region that accounts for more than a third of global freight capacity. The decline is being fed by ongoing global trade disputes, widening tariffs and increasing nervousness from businesses and consumers about the outlook.
However, there are positive signs emerging in the regional picture. The latest round of financial results has shown airline passenger traffic and finances in the Asia Pacific to have held up better than expected over the second quarter. An end to the latest round of trade wars may not yet be in sight, but there have been thaws in several key regional and global economic relationships. While there are few indicators that air freight will return to growth, it may be that the slump has finally bottomed out. Global economic activity and global trade are both forecast to improve in 2020, signalling better times ahead for air cargo and continued growth in passenger traffic.
Nevertheless, downside risks remain considerable. As the spate of recent airlines bankruptcies has shown, the industry remains in a fragile state, exposed to risks and vulnerable to external shocks.
CAPA's Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit
It is against this delicate background that CAPA and Singapore Changi Airport will host the CAPA Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit on 14/15-Nov-2019 at the Capella Singapore.
This is the region's pre-eminent gathering of aviation and travel industry executives. The Summit will offer a unique blend of high level aviation content and corporate travel management insights across two content streams.
The Summit will consist of three events:
- CAPA Asia Aviation Summit
- CAPA Asia Corporate Travel Summit
- CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner
The CAPA Asia Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit is expected to be attended by over 30 airlines and some 400 delegates from across the globe.
More than 70 suppliers will be represented, including lessors, financiers, distribution partners, loyalty programmes, corporate travel managers, IT suppliers and aerospace manufacturers.
CAPA Asia Aviation Summit key panels will include:
Outlook: The keys to airline survival and success in an economic downturn
CAPA - Centre for Aviation Chairman Emeritus, Peter Harbison, will lead a panel of airline executives in a discussion on how airline management prepares for a downturn; how it steers the airline during challenging times and minimises the impact on profitability, while at the same time remaining competitive.
The panel comprises:
Garuda Indonesia, President and CEO I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra
IndiGo, Chief Commercial Officer Willy Boulter
Jetstar Asia, CEO Barathan Pasupathi
Thai AirAsia, Executive Chairman Tassapon Bijleveld
Emerging Aviation Powerhouses: China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam
These four nations account for a combined population of nearly 3.2 billion and have a combined 3300 aircraft on order. Yet, the aviation potential of these states is only starting to be realised.
National University of Singapore Professor of Aviation Law Alan Tan will moderate a panel of airline executives, regulators and academics considering the impact these emerging powerhouses of aviation will have on the region and the wider global context.
The panel will include:
China Southern Airlines, SVP of International and Corporate Relations Guo Xiang Wu
Hong Kong Airlines, Vice President Ben Wong
Malaysian Aviation Commission, Director - Aviation Development Germal Singh Khera
MIT Network Scale Ningbo, Associate Professor Chikage Miyoshi
Challenges to traditional distribution and selling in Asia's fast changing market (NDC)
Travelport, Global Head of New Distribution, Ian Heywood will lead an expert panel in a discussion on the changing face of aviation distribution and selling. Asia's tech-savvy, mobile first early adopting consumers are challenging traditional models. The panel members listed below will consider the complex commercial and technological distribution landscape.
Apple, APAC Travel Manager Patricia Chua
IATA, Director Industry Distribution Programs Yanik Hoyles
Japan Airlines, Vice President, Head of Global Sales Steve Smith
How Data Analytics is reshaping the Industry
Aviation generates vast amounts of information, which for decades has been carelessly left in the hands of intermediaries and GDS'. Airlines have increasingly sought to wrest this data back, and in doing so reshape their focus from flying towards maximising revenue and distribution opportunities.
This has led to a transformation of the way airlines think and work, from operational analytics to leveraging data to generate better commercial returns. However, it is not just airlines that are playing in this park; the giants of the technology sector such as Facebook, Amazon, Google are also pushing into the space.
Moderated by APEX CEO Joe Leader, this panel will explore key considerations in the data revolution and explore categories of activity where analytics is being used effectively.
Panel members will include:
Cleartrip Deputy General Manager Priyanka Chaurasiya
Google Industry Head of Travel, Consumer Goods, Retail and Government Melissa Lee
Skyscanner, Director Business Development Hugh Aitken
TATA Singapore Airlines (Vistara), Chief Innovation and Information Officer Ravinder Singh
Along the with NDC panel, the Corporate Travel Community will present two other insightful CTC Education Forums as part of the CAPA Asia Corporate Travel Summit.
The accommodation outlook and technology innovations education forum
Brought to you by Booking.com, this education session will ask the custodians of key corporate travel programmes in Asia to bring their "burning" questions related to their accommodation programmes.
CAPA - Centre for Aviation, Head of Content, Marco Navarria will lead a panel of corporate travel leaders to educate the audience on key topics such as:
- Benchmarking Asia against the international average.
- The regional supply/demand balance.
- The real story behind rates, occupancy rates, new properties and seasonality.
- Best practices for negotiating rates.
Panel members include:
Accor Asia Pacific, Vice President Sales Asia Pacific Kerry Healy
STR, Business Development Manager - Southeast Asia Ma. Fenady Uriarte
Technology and payments education forum
Brought to you by Direct ATPI Global Travel, this session will focus on questions from travel buyers related to their technology and payments. The session will feature key industry experts to educate on:
- Virtual payments and the benefits for corporate programmes.
- Maximising reporting capabilities.
- New technologies available to improve payments and expense.
The Summit will also feature the 16th edition of the CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation Awards for Excellence, with a gala dinner ceremony to recognise the strategic leadership of airlines, airports and individuals across the Asia Pacific region.