Over the next 20 years, the Asia-Pacific region will account for more than half of all new passengers, according to a new forecast. This passenger growth will likely transform airports — particularly in China and India — to accommodate tens or even hundreds of thousands of new passengers.
Of the 20 fastest growing airports in the world (in terms of passengers), 11 were located in China, according to Routesonline. Across China, people are more eager to travel: The China National Tourism Administration reported a 3.7-percent growth in inbound and outbound visits in 2017, for a total of 270 million.
Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, serving the city of Zhuhai in China’s Guangdong province, is slated to see the most future growth after handling 37 percent more passengers in 2017 than it did the previous year.
Analysts from aviation consultancy ASM said that China’s rapid growth could be attributed to the fact that air travel is becoming “easier and cheaper” across the country as new airlines enter the market and established airlines expand their reach.
Two airports from India — Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Calcutta and Pune International Airport — also appeared within the top 20.
Outside of Asia, the “easier and cheaper” trend holds true. Budget airlines have helped small airports transform into attractive destinations. Iceland’s Keflavik Airport, Naples in Italy, and Sofia Airport in Bulgaria all ranked in the top 15 fastest growing airports.