After a successful Routes Europe event in Budapest, which, with 1,100 delegates, was the largest regional route development event ever, Budapest Airport officially handed over to Marseille-Provence Airport, the host of the 2014 event.

Speaking at the eighth Routes in Budapest, Pierre Régis, managing director, Marseille Provence Airport commented:  “Marseille-Provence Airport is proud and honoured to host the Routes Europe event in 2014, and to share all of the new opportunities that are being unveiled at this very moment, as the new Marseille is also this year’s European Capital of Culture!”

Marseille-Provence was founded over 2,600 years ago and Marseille is the second largest city in France after Paris and the regional capital of Southern France. 

Combining Mediterranean mildness with Provence’s quality of life the area attracts some ten million tourists every year. 

World class sites such as Provence, St Tropez, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Arles, as well as ski resorts in the Southern Alps, are all within easy reach.

“After this year’s successful event in Budapest we are eagerly awaiting next year’s Routes Europe in Marseille,” said David Stroud, executive vice president, Routes. 

“France is one of the biggest aviation markets in Europe and is the most popular leisure destination in the world. 

“Moreover, the airport has been doing excellent work to accommodate both full service and low cost carriers. 

“These factors lead us to believe we can increase airline and airport attendance even beyond this year’s figures.”

After several years of some of the biggest urban investments and building projects in Europe, the new Marseille, is ready and waiting at the heart of the ever gorgeous Provence. 

Marseille-Provence Airport in South East France on the Mediterranean is ideally located at the intersection of air, rail and road networks. 

It is the gateway to the South of France – to Marseille, to Provence, and to the French Riviera.

In 2012, the airport registered the strongest growth among major French airports, and came in 4th out of the 80 biggest airports in Europe.

With 8.3 million passengers in 2012 and 13 per cent growth, Marseille-Provence Airport gained one million passengers in one year.

In 2013 MRS will be connected 30 countries, with 28 scheduled carriers flying into 100 different airports. 

Many new services will start in 2013 including Turkish Airlines and services to New York.