Atlanta wins bid to help TIACA celebrate 50 years Atlanta has won the bid to host The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) International Air Cargo Forum & Exhibition in 2012 and to help thousands of top executives from all sectors of the air cargo supply chain around the world to celebrate 50 years of the prestigious event.

For TIACA, the decision means a return to the city that hosted the Association's first ever industry event in 1962. It will also be the first time in 12 years that the forum and exhibition has taken place in the United States following Washington in 2000.

Jack Boisen, Chairman of TIACA, said: 'In a way it is appropriate that we are returning to the city that hosted us first in 1962. However, Atlanta's successful bid is in fact based more on its accomplishments in becoming such a large and growing cargo hub, and its clear ambition and investment for future growth. Supported by Shirley Franklin, Mayor of Atlanta, the bid comprised the impressive backing and commitment of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, UPS, Delta Air Lines and World Airways. All of these factors convinced us that Atlanta was a great place for our members and visitors to meet and do business in 2012.'

In Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta is not only home to the world's busiest passenger airport. It also boasts a thriving cargo operation ' the 28th largest in the world ' that handled a record 391,909 tons of airfreight in 2006. The city is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the US population and is also served by direct flights from 85 cities worldwide.

H. Warren Jones, Aviation Development Manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, commented: 'We are extremely honored, grateful and excited that TIACA has picked Atlanta to mark 50 years of the Air Cargo Forum. This is a chance to show off Hartsfield-Jackson, the world's busiest airport, and its expanding cargo facilities. It's a perfect opportunity to show that Atlanta has a great infrastructure and a strong freight forwarding community to support high quality air cargo operations.'

The airport and city are also home to more than 100 licensed customs brokers and 200 domestic and international freight forwarders. In addition to bellyhold cargo, there are also more than 60 all-cargo flights a week from Atlanta to Europe and Asia. To keep pace with its cargo throughout growth, Hartsfield-Jackson is planning to build a further 100,000 square feet of cargo facilities, adding to its existing 1.5 million square feet of handling capacity.

Before Atlanta, TIACA will stage its 2008 and 2010 biennial events in Kuala Lumpur and Amsterdam, reflecting the global appeal of the forum and exhibition that regularly attracts thousands of senior industry executives and hundreds of exhibitors from across the globe. Over three days, they are able to debate the latest issues affecting the industry, visit the 400+ exhibition stands to see suppliers' product and service offerings and to take advantage of the unlimited networking opportunities.

Exhibitors, forum delegates and exhibition visitors represent all sectors of the industry, including airlines, freight and logistics organizations, shippers, airports, GSAs and ground handling agents, trucking companies, technology and equipment providers and the media.