The Chicago Department of Aviation and Choose Chicago have announced that the 21st World Routes Development Forum will take place in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from September 19-22, 2015, marking the first time in history that this event will be hosted on the African continent. 
“Hosting World Routes 2015 in Durban will be an incredible opportunity and experience for the province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa,” said Provincial Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Michael Mabuyakhulu. 
“Durban is South Africa’s premier port, handling more than 80 million tons of cargo a year. In addition, the region is recognised as the country’s biggest manufacturing hub. We are also witnessing growth in the number of international investors, such as Samsung, who are establishing their factories in the city, thus capitalising on its strategic location for global trade. This positive trend is carried through in the improvement of our air transport logistics, particularly at Dube Trade Port to ensure convenient cargo movement. We believe that hosting World Routes 2015 will further assist the province in securing more direct air links with the rest of the world, which is essential for accelerating the region’s radical economic growth, especially in the tourism sector,” he said.
Many of the region’s key stakeholders have joined in support of World Route Durban 2015 including the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal, Airports Company South Africa, King Shaka International Airport, Dube Trade Port, Durban and KZN Convention Bureau and eThekwini Municipality.
In acknowledging the benefits of the globalising economy, the province has embarked on a developmental strategy to grow the regional economy and to increase the number of international tourists to the province by 2030. The plan is to grow passenger and cargo airlift out of King Shaka International Airport to connect with key regional and global trade and tourism destinations. The hosting of World Routes 2015 will further assist in improving the airport’s profile, which is complemented by the trade gateway operations offered by the two sea ports in Durban and Richards Bay. In addition, bringing the event to the growing aviation market of Africa will be of huge benefit to the entire region.