Chengdu has been selected to host the 22nd World Route Development Forum in September 2016, (also known as "World Routes"), the leading annual event for the civil aviation sector.

Katie Bland, director of Routes at UBM Live, announced in Chengdu in April that Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport was chosen to host World Routes 2016, after three rounds of intense competition with four other airports.

Bland noted that Chengdu has been attracting worldwide attention with its huge market potential and development opportunities, and this contributed to its success in winning the event.

World Routes is a global gathering for aviation organizations from across the world, and brings together airlines, airports, government agencies, tourism authorities, and civil aviation authorities.

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport will be the second Chinese airport to hold the event, after Beijing Capital International Airport in 2009.

"The airport won the competition thanks to its increasing appeal to foreign airlines and experience in hosting the Asian Routes Development Conference in 2012," said Yan Yuhua, airline marketing manager of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Co Ltd.

"The event offers airlines opportunities to meet with airports and stakeholders to negotiate air services and shape future air networks, which will create an excellent opportunity for Chengdu to enhance the existing flight network, and to develop more international routes," he said.

Yan said British Airways and Qatar Airways had chosen Chengdu as new destinations mainly because of their in-depth knowledge of Chengdu and the western China market at the Asian Routes Development Conference.

Apart from the World Routes, Chengdu is also expecting more international exhibitions under its strategic partnership with the UBM Group.

The city signed a memorandum with UBM Group, the world's second-largest exhibition company, during the third Beijing Fair for Trade in Services on May 29.

"Our goal is to work closely with Chengdu to determine the best types of exhibition and resources from both parties to build world class leading exhibition events," said Philip Chapnick, group chief representative of UBM China.