FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2015
LAS VEGAS WELCOMES TOP AIRLINE EXECUTIVES DURING 2015 BOYD GROUP INTERNATIONAL AVIATION FORECAST SUMMIT
20th annual event features first-ever China-U.S. Aviation Opportunities Symposium
LAS VEGAS –– More than500 airline and airport executives from around the world will return to Las Vegas for the 20th Annual International Aviation Forecast Summit Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, 2015, at Bellagio Las Vegas.
Boyd Group International, a leading aviation research, forecast and consulting firm, is bringing the conference back to Las Vegasafter a record-setting 2014 summit. This year, more than 35 top aviation executives are slated to present their insights on the industry.
“We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of bringing aviation leaders together. As the No. 1 event focusing on planning for the global future, no venue is more appropriate than Las Vegas, which is an example for the rest of the world,” said Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group International.
A few leading airline industry executives slated to present at the 2015 summit include; JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes; Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza; Virgin America CEO David Cush;Delta Air Lines Executive Vice President Corporate Affairsand Special Counsel Bill Hirst; United Airlines Vice Chairman and CRO Jim Compton; Air Canada President Ben Smith and American Airlines Chief Integration Officer Bev Goulet.
This year’s Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit will highlight current issues facing the aviation industry, including traffic forecasts that will impact the future of aviation, global airline fleet demand and aviation industry trends. The Summit’s unique discussion format allows attendees to interact with industry CEOs and high level executives. The event is co-hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and McCarran International Airport.
“Las Vegas has evolved to become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, hosting a record 41 million visitors last year,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of the LVCVA. “Continued growth in visitation is dependent on increasing opportunities for travelers to get here. Increasing air service to Las Vegas is key to that growth, and hosting marquee aviation events like this provide us the opportunity to showcase the destination to airline executives.”
New this year is the China-US Aviation Opportunities Symposium, a pre-summit event that will focus on industry opportunities as trade and traffic continues to expand between the two nations.Recently the U.S. and China agreed to extend the validity of short-term tourist and business visas to 10 years, which provides greater opportunity for Chinese visitors to travel to the U.S. and Las Vegas.
“The symposium will outline concrete approaches for airports and communities – regardless of size – to reach out and attract Chinese business. Boyd Group International is setting the pace in strategic planning to take advantage of the enormous business and leisure travel opportunities represented by China,” Boyd said. “And Las Vegas is America’s pace-setting city.”
Additional topics covered this year include the impact of new pilot training requirements, the latest technologies in passenger processing and how the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will impact the aviation industry’s future.
“McCarran International Airport is one of the most important economic assets in the Southern Nevada economy, and, as such, it is important that we stay on top of the latest developments in the aviation industry and strategies for expanding our reach around the world,” said Clark County Aviation Director Rosemary A. Vassiliadis. “For years, the Boyd Group has brought together some of the world’s most influential and respected airline and airport professionals, and with this year’s additional focus on opportunities with China, I am confident this will be an exciting and productive summit for Las Vegas and all involved.”
Additional CEOs and senior executives participating in the summit include representatives from Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Viva Airline Group, South African Airways, Air China, Hainan, Alaska Airlines, Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, Korean Air, Japan Airlines, All Nippon, Lufthansa, Condor, Great Lakes Airlines, Endeavor Air, Republic Airways and more.
For more information or to register for the 20th Annual International Aviation Forecast Summit, please visit
About Boyd Group International
Founded in 1984, Boyd Group International has emerged as a leader in aviation forecasting and research, and provides top-level consulting assistance to airports, airlines, financial institutions and aircraft manufacturers. The International Aviation Forecast Summit annually brings together top CEOs and executives from all areas of the global industry to explore and discuss the emerging trends that will shape the future. In addition to incisive discussion sessions with aviation decision-makers, the Summit delivers cutting-edge forecasts, including passenger projections, aircraft demand by region, and financial shifts. For insight on Boyd Group International, log on to
About LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas and nearly 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to or
About McCarran International Airport
McCarran International Airport is the world’s gateway to Las Vegas, serving nearly half of Southern Nevada’s approximately 40 million annual visitors. McCarran annually ranks among the world’s busiest airports, handling more than 41.8 million arriving and departing passengers in calendar 2013. McCarran recently opened its $2.4 billion Terminal 3 expansion, which greatly expanded its ability to welcome direct international air service with additional gates, hold rooms and ticketing areas, as well as a larger U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry. For more information, please visit
Contacts:
Marian Boyd
Boyd Group International
Chris Jones
Clark County Department of Aviation
Jeremy Handel
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority