GMR - Hyderabad International Airport Limited has won the bid to host Intra-Regional Route Development Forum- 2009 conference, an annual international aviation networking event. The company would organise the conference here for the year 2009.

An agreement to this effect has been signed here on Tuesday by the chief executive officer of The Route Development Group Limited, Mike Howarth, and GHIAL managing director, Kiran Grandhi.

As per the agreement, GHIAL will manage the entire event, to be held for the first in India, on its own.

The UK-based Routes is a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports.

Major airports compete for hosting the annual congregation and GHIAL was selected out of the five short-listed airports that have bid for hosting the event, Eric Layden, Rdg vice president , emerging markets and government relations, told mediapersons on Tuesday.

"The event will position Hyderabad on the global aviation map," GHIAL chief operating officer, T Srinagesh, said adding that the meeting was expected to attract over 500 foreign delegates including representatives from over 100 airlines and 150 airports located across Asia.