AIR HIGHWAYS 14th ANNIVERSARY By Jerry W. Bird What most readers and ATA members don't know is that our first step in publishing was a series of travel maps showing various modes of transportation. Several hundred thousand copies were distributed by our clients Best Western Hotels and Avis Rent A Car to their customers in North America. This led to an assignment by the Government of Canada to create a "Supermap" of Air Routes. People wanted to know how to get from here to there - and most still do, judging from the e-mail inquires we receive. From this foundation we met with Transport Canada and regional Airport Managers to arrange distribution and develop a monthly series of articles. In 1995, we launched "Air Highways Magazine" and organized an Air Highway Day event to showcase member airports and communities to the travel trade. This success was followed by an Air and Marine Tourism Expo. Good fortune continued to smile on us and we were contacted by the Africa Travel Association, based in New York. The publication we launched jointly with ATA is Africa Travel Magazine, which is now a well known entity in its field, along with a 2,400 page web site that's leading the pack in many search categories. Air Highways to Africa Africa Transport Issue, March 2006 Africa Travel's Partner Web Site Aviation Pearls from Uganda Africa's Airlines and Airports SAA Flights from Washington, DC WTTC Egypt Air Travel Report The idea of combining the best of both travel business magazines in a single issue was on my mind for several years - and this spring it began to grow roots. At the ATA 30th World Congress in Nairobi Kenya, we spoke to many delegates - and at one table alone we discovered that each person had flown a different route to Nairobi. Some arrived via Ethiopian Airlines from the USA with an overnight stop in Addis Ababa. Others came via Dubai with a stopover for shopping enroute, while many flew South African Airlines. In our own case, we began with a United Airlines flight from Seattle to London, then flew the second leg of the journey with Kenya Airways. Other delegates flew with SN Brussels, British Airways - and the list goes on. IATA: Air Transport Stronger Start AFRAA: African Airline Association. Tanzania: Air Safaris - Mafia to Selous SITA: Airlines Industry 2 Speeds? My point is that many travelers have no clue as to the variety of options available. So, just like we did in North America with the Supermaps back in the early 90s, we proudly introduce "Air Highways to Africa." This prestige issue will debut in March 2006, and I am confident it will be well received. Copies of the original Air Highways Magazine and the APEC- Asia Pacific edition will soon be available on the PDF list below. We invite your comments, backgrounders and news releases for this exciting new edition. Ghana: North American Airlines: Best Airports: Cape Town - Durban . Aviation: Ethiopian's New Boeings IATA : New Air Charter Safety