A regional event from the GAD (Global Airport Development) stable in Asia-Pacific will be back this November when Informa Markets relaunches GAD Asia. Like GAD Americas—currently taking place in the Cayman Islands—the returning conference and exhibitions will run in combination with another event.

GAD Asia, which focuses on airport finance, management, and infrastructure development, will take place on November 4, 2025, in Hong Kong, and will be co-located with Super Terminal Expo, the showcase for passenger and cargo terminal design, construction, and operations, which runs from November 4-6.

Following the last event, which took place in 2019, GAD Asia hopes to attract the region’s key public and private airport operators, government and industry experts, investors, financiers, and regulators, in addition to global aviation players. It will offer a rare opportunity to identify new investment opportunities in Asia-Pacific and discuss partnerships and business prospects.

“Cross-sector Synergies”

The two co-located events will be held at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld Expo. Stella Fung, General Manager of Maritime and Logistics at Informa Markets, said: “Venturing into maritime and logistics, while retaining our stronghold in the aviation sector, represents a strategic enhancement of our portfolio. We aim to foster cross-sector synergies. It's about creating an arena where thought leaders from maritime, logistics, and aviation can come together and collectively drive the industry forward.”

GAD Asia has been long awaited, and though it is a one-day event, it should benefit from the synergies Fung described. “The co-location of Super Terminal Expo and GAD Asia undoubtedly creates opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and investment in the region’s aviation infrastructure,” said Claudia Kunz, Event Director for CAPA and GAD at Informa Markets.

This year, Super Terminal Expo will also continue collaborations with strategic partners Aviation Week Network (AWN), Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), and International Cooperation and Service Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (ICSCC, CAAC).  

The event is broadening its focus to include ports and logistics hubs alongside airports. Adding these three sectors creates new networking and business opportunities. The strategic expansion reflects the interconnectedness of global supply chains, which drive economic growth and trade efficiency.

Impact of Trump’s Tariffs

How Trump’s new tariff regime, introduced today, may change this scenario will doubtless be a major talking point. The tariff level has been harsh on some key Asian manufacturing countries, especially China and Vietnam, which are intrinsic to many global supply chains.

According to a PwC report covering 2024, the Southeast Asian transport and logistics market demonstrated resilience amid economic challenges. European imports from Southeast Asia increased from EUR82 billion (USD90.5 billion) in 2013 to EUR158 billion (USD174 billion in 2023), a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%.

Up to now, demand for logistics solutions has been rising, driven by a booming e-commerce sector, which has also helped advance cargo operations at airports. According to the World Trade Organization, global trade volume is estimated to have grown by 2.6% in 2024 and is forecast to achieve 3.3% in 2025, following a larger-than-expected decline of 1.2% in 2023.

In January, Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) released a joint report which indicated that by 2052, domestic routes in China/Mongolia, North America, and Southwest Asia, along with long-haul connections between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe will dominate the top 20 global routes. This reflects the growing influence of Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern markets in global air travel.

If you are interested in attending GAD Asia and/or Super Terminal Expo, contact Paige Floyd (at [email protected]), GAD Business Development Manager, for more information.