Cairns will host one of Australasia’s most lauded tourism and aviation summits this year, the first time the event has ever been held outside a capital city.
Presented in partnership with Cairns Airport, the 2025 CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific will take place at Cairns Convention Centre on 31 July and August 1, bringing leaders from the aviation, tourism and hospitality industries to the region for a series of strategic sessions aimed at shaping the future of air travel.
Speakers will include high-ranking executives from Australian and international airlines, as well as senior government leaders.
Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker said hosting CAPA in Cairns would present invaluable opportunities for industry, local business and the wider region.
“Hosting CAPA will enable us to welcome the cream of the aviation and tourism sectors to Cairns, the northern gateway to Australia.
“We can also showcase why Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef remain iconic drawcards for international visitors and why Cairns Airport is working closely with our partners to increase access options to Tropical North Queensland. “Hosting CAPA will give us access to a wide range of airlines, right here at home, which is a rare and unique opportunity.”
CAPA Centre for Aviation Events director Claudia Kunz said: “We are delighted to be bringing CAPA’s home summit to Cairns in 2025.”
“This is a pivotal event in our calendar and will serve as a key platform for exploring the developments and strategic challenges facing the aviation and tourism sectors in this region. Providing a platform for industry leaders of this calibre to come together and share their insights leads to real, actionable intelligence that shapes the future of air travel.”
Tourism and Events Queensland’s Ollie Philpot said: “Cairns stands as a vital gateway to Queensland, with 448,000 inbound seats scheduled for Cairns Airport during 2025. The increasing number of new flight routes to the region is a clear testament to its growing importance on the global stage.
“In April, Jetstar will launch services from Christchurch, and Fiji Airways will begin flights from Nadi. Additionally, major hub carriers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific operate direct flights to Cairns, enhancing Queensland’s accessibility for visitors from Asia, Europe, and the UK.
“Now is the perfect time for Cairns and the Tropical North to be hosting this important annual conference, to continue momentum and explore route development and aviation industry issues with partners from across our region.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said
TTNQ was sponsoring this conference as a strategic event for the destination’s future that would also deliver an immediate $1.2m economic boost while the 400 delegates are in region.
Photo: Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ)’s Ollie Philpot, Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker, CAPA Centre for Aviation Events director Claudia Kunz, Cairns Convention Centre marketing manager Melissa Belevski TTNQ CEO Mark Olsen at the Cairns Esplanade on 27 February.
