CANCUN INT'L AIRPORT AIMS TO GROW EIGHT PCT NEXT YEAR

By Umi Hani Sharani

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Cancun International Airport is looking to
register an eight percent growth next year despite the trying times in the
aviation industry.

It is banking on wooing more airlines from the Asian region.

The airport is operated by ASUR, the firm that administers and operates
nine
other airports in southeast Mexico.

Alejandro Vales Lehne, ASUR's customer and route development director, said

the airport was thinking of a conservative target, especially with the high
crude oil prices, but was confident that its existing market would sustain its
business.

"We have to be conservative. We are looking at growth even though the
situation doesn't look like you should expect that," he told Bernama on the
sidelines of the Routes Forum 2008 which began here today.

"But then again this year we are having a very good growth and we are going
to keep on having that. And one of the reasons behind it is that our main market
so far is still North America, US and Canada," he said.

With the financial crisis, Lehne said the Americans and Canadians like to
fly to places which are safe, closer to home and cheaper.

"Our currency has also had to endure devaluation of almost 30 percent
against the dollar in the last two weeks, so this makes us very attractive too,"
he said.

He said the country, as a Caribbean destination in Mexico, has a very
good reputation with high quality hotels and top-level resorts like the Ritz
Carlton and Mandarin Oriental.

Lehne said the airport was trying to attract the Chinese market
even though the destination was quite far.

"It is not going to happen overnight, but it is going to happen maybe in
the
next 2-3 years," he said.

He said the airport was also trying to attract the Russian market for
direct flights.

"Actually, we have already gotten some flights from Hungary and direct
flights from Czech Republic by year-end. We are also trying to get eastern
Europe airlines to Cancun because all the Western Europe airlines are already
flying there," he said.

About 118 airlines flies to Cancun, with the majority from North and South
America and Europe.

Cancun International Airport, located in Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean
coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, is Mexico's second busiest airport after
the Mexico City International Airport.

Lehne was also optimistic that the aviation industry would be better in a
couple of years.

"Our industry is very cyclical but then again it has coincided with the oil
prices and plus the financial bubble that has burst.

"It is very difficult to see in advance what is going to happen. We have to
be cautious but we don't have to be gloomy," he added.
-- BERNAMA