International Relations

From hosting the first-ever Smart Airports and Regions Conference to participating in the Sustainable Airport Areas International Seminar (SAAIS), Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance has fostered various international partnerships. As we continue to expand, we’ll keep you updated.

Here’s a timeline of our current International Relations:

First ever Smart Airports and Regions conference is hosted in Atlanta by the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance.

Smart Airport and Regions Conference : The SMART Airports & Regions Conference & Exhibition is the premier event covering how SMART airports and their adjacent regions are leveraging “connectivity” to stimulate “innovation and opportunity”.

The annual SMART Airports & Regions Conference and Exhibition will explore the catalytic effect and critical success factors covering the economic development ecosystem of SMART airports and the regions they serve, integrate and connect with.

At the core of SMART regions is strong transportation infrastructure, seamlessly connected and coordinated. The key infrastructure pillars comprise of transportation, power, integrated utilities, urban development, resource management and IT based connectivity.

The SMART Airports & Regions Conference & Exhibition focuses on SMART strategies, opportunities and innovations that development, design, technology and the internet is bringing to environments, communities and cities.

“The SMART Airports conference is an ideal venue for aviation subject matter experts (SMEs) to gather and share trends, analysis and ideas with each other covering wide ranging subjects.”
Balram Bheodari
Balram “B” Bheodari
Airport Deputy General Manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Sustainable Airport Areas International Seminars:

The Sustainable Airport Areas International Seminar (“SAAIS”), initialized by the Hubstart Paris Region Alliance in 2011, aims to bring together each year representatives of more than 20 international airport areas to share views and to exchange on best practices for implementing sustainable airport areas where economic development incorporates social, environmental and governance dimensions.

The Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, together with Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), has been part of the seminar for many years, welcoming the seminar in 2012, 2016 and 2019, and desires to continue participating.

These events included critical peer area visits and best practices sharing; foundations for trade;

• 2011 – Paris-CDG
• 2012 – Atlanta
• 2013 – Paris-CDG
• 2014 – Shanghai
• 2015 – Paris-CDG
• 2016 – Atlanta
• 2017 – Paris-CDG
• 2018 – Beijing
• 2019 – Atlanta
• 2020- Paris-CDG

International Partnerships

Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport (CDG) is the second busiest airport in Europe, home to Air France-KLM and FedEx hubs. The two airports attract high value-added activities whose business models depend on immediate proximity to the airport. These economic activities generate important jobs creation, vital for their Airport Areas.

The City of Atlanta, representing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and the Agence Régionale de Développement Paris Ile-de-France, representing Hubstart Paris Region, together with Aéroports de Paris for the Greater Roissy, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 11, 2011.

New Beijing Aerotropolis

To kick off the Sustainable Airport Areas International  Seminar, the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to formalize and strengthen cooperative relationships with some of our peers from around the world—the Beijing New Aerotropolis and the Hubstart Paris Region Alliance. Like us, these organizations work to plan and develop their respective airport areas—around the brand-new Beijing-Daxing International Airport (BDIA) and the Paris-Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG)—and attract quality investment to their regions.

During the pandemic, Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance received some 2,000 masks donated from the Beijing New Aerotropolis Holding company, which have been distributed to cities around the Atlanta airport area as they prepared to reopen after COVID-19. 

Mask donations went to the cities of Chattahoochee Hills, East Point, Fairburn, Forest Park, Hapeville, Jonesboro, Lake City, College Park, Riverdale, Palmetto, South Fulton and Union City.