General News
1 August, 2025
Influential aviation summit
HUNDREDS of the world’s most influential aviation and tourism leaders have arrived in Cairns ahead of a major international summit aimed at shaping the future of travel.
More than 350 delegates will attend this week’s CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific event, participating in a series of strategic sessions before experiencing some of the region’s top attractions.
Presented in partnership with Cairns Airport and hosted at Cairns Convention Centre yesterday and today, it is the first time ever the CAPA event has been held outside a capital city.
Cairns Airport chief executive officer Richard Barker said CAPA was recognised globally as a pivotal and influential force in the aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors.
“Our region is poised to become the primary gateway to Northern Australia. Hosting CAPA in Cairns will present invaluable industry and business opportunities as we continue this exciting growth trajectory,” he said.
“We will have rare access to a range of airline executives, right here at home. We will be front and centre as our industry’s top executives discuss and workshop global travel trends. We can show them firsthand the enormous appeal of Tropical North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.”
Speakers at CAPA include high-ranking executives from Australian and international airlines, airport decision makers, senior government leaders, business strategists and subject matter experts from various travel sectors.
The summit will combine industry presentations, keynotes, high-level interviews and panel discussions to examine a range of topics, including regional airline capacity, consumer and passenger spending, changes in thinking around tourism and the influence of government regulations on travel.
CAPA centre for aviation events director Claudia Kunz said this “strategic location perfectly embodies the evolving landscape of aviation in the Asia Pacific region”.
“Cairns represents the exciting growth potential we’re seeing in regional gateways across the globe,” she said.
“The calibre of executives and decision makers attending this summit underscores the importance of these discussions as we collectively shape the future of air travel. We look forward to productive dialogues against the backdrop of this stunning destination that showcases why regional connectivity matters.”
