Kuala lumpur: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will host the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (RACE) 2027 in Kuala Lumpur. This follows the official handover ceremony today by Airports of Thailand president Paweena Jariyathitipong and the director general of Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific and Middle East, Stefano Baronci, to MAHB managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MAHB had previously hosted major ACI events, including in Kuala Lumpur in 2009 and Langkawi in 2018. The airport operator's role as next year's host reflects its longstanding engagement with ACI and its continued contribution to regional aviation dialogue and industry development.

MAHB has been actively involved with ACI since the mid-1990s, with representation across regional boards, technical committees and industry working groups spanning areas such as operational safety, economics, sustainability, aviation security, human capital and airport technology.

Mohd Izani stated that the conference presents an important platform for airports across the region to exchange perspectives and strengthen collaboration on the future of aviation. 'ACI continues to play an important role in bringing the global airport community together to address shared opportunities and challenges across the aviation ecosystem. This is an opportunity not only to showcase Malaysia's connectivity and aviation capabilities, but also to contribute meaningfully to discussions on the future of airports, particularly in areas such as sustainability, operational resilience, technology and passenger experience,' he said.

The three-day ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East Assembly and Conference, held from May 12 to 14 in Bangkok, gathered approximately 500 airport leaders and aviation stakeholders from across the region to discuss industry resilience, sustainability, connectivity and future growth.