Manchester Airport appoints new director
Manchester Airport has appointed a new director to oversee its £650m Airport City Enterprise Zone development project.
John Atkins' appointment comes as the airport prepares to approach the market for development partners for Airport City, a 150-acre scheme to provide hotel, leisure, retail and office facilities in the next 10 to 15 years.
Chief executive of the Manchester Airports Group Charlie Cornish said: “Since we first began working on the project several years ago, John has been at the forefront of formulating our strategy on Airport City.
"As the project starts to accelerate as we enter the first year of site development, it is vital we have the right people in place to take us forward. Airport City is a long-term project that will take shape over the next ten to 15 years and we have huge ambitions for the opportunity and the potential it harnesses for the North.”
The airport is hoping the project will build on its air links and compete with similar locations in Barcelona, Amsterdam and Frankfurt
Atkins said: “Next year will be significant as we look to secure planning permission and bring the project to market."
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
United Airlines to be the sole US airline to fly to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City from October
Iberia adds new US, Latin America routes
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
RX launches WTM Spotlight with an inaugural event in Saudi Arabia
What’s new on Route 66 in Arizona