Newquay 2012 Business Briefing - 25/5/12

 NEWQUAY 2012 BUSINESS BRIEFING – 25 MAY 2012

Newquay Cornwall Airport today (25 May 2012) hosted its inaugural annual Business Briefing Event bringing together over 30 prominent business leader and press from across the county to hear from those key individuals involved in leading the Airport’s development and how the economy of Cornwall in its totality benefits from the Airport’s existence.

Business leaders heard from the Managing Director of the Airport Al Titterington speaking about the economic importance to the region and how the Airport is responding to the challenges of declining passenger numbers and the reasons why this trend has occurred but importantly looking to the future he highlighted the opportunities for new route development and growth in the aerospace sector at the Airport.

Al commented:  “370 jobs are generated by the airport’s activities, and the airport itself contributes over £20 million of Gross Value Added to the Cornish economy*. Looking forward our role is to create sustainable partnerships with existing and new airlines, extending links across domestic and international markets. In a difficult economic environment the Airport is working hard to secure not only new air services but also inward investment at the airport through the aerospace sector.   The airport is integral to ensure our business and leisure market expand”.

Al discussed how air services in and out of the airport, create vital connectivity between businesses, trade and the leisure markets.  For example Pendennis Shipyward relies heavily on the airport for its 3 times daily flights to and fromLondon.   Managing Director Mike Carr, comments: "NewquayCornwallAirportis vital for an international business such as ours.  Many if not all of our clients use it, not to mention our own reliance on it for business travel”.

Hosted by BBC Radio Cornwall’s Daphne Skinnard, the event also welcomed keynote speakers, Chris Pomfret, Chair of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership and Malcolm Bell, Head of VisitCornwall.

Chris Pomfret, referenced the importance of the Enterprise Zone and the Aerohub at Newquay Cornwall Airport; the opportunities available to businesses, encouraging investment and the associated employment opportunities for the Cornish economy with highly skilled and high value jobs.

“The central priority forCornwallis economic growth.  In order to achieve this we have to recognise we live in a global economy and this gives us huge impetuous to build new markets, serviced fromCornwall.  To do this requires connectivity and in a global context the existence of an airport with direct links to international airports – Gatwick andManchester– is essential.”

Building on the success of today’s Business Briefing, this annual event is aimed at working more closely with the business community to build sustained relationships for the future. 

ENDS

For further press information please contact Sarah Burke: 01637 861 364/ sburke@newquaycornwallairport.com

 *Statistics are from Economic Impact Study – an independent audit conducted by CAPITA.