Nottingham East Midlands airport (Nema) is to change its name for the second time in just three years, it was announced today. Bosses at the Castle Donington site have decided to rebrand the airport to reflect the fact that it serves a number of surrounding cities.

With immediate effect it will be known as East Midlands airport - Nottingham, Leicester, Derby. An airport spokesman said: “We had become increasingly aware of how the last three years had seen a great deal of change - both at the airport and in the region as a whole.

"New routes have opened up the region to new audiences, and raised the profile of all three cities, while the creation of the new Three Cities sub-region has reflected an increasingly close working relationship between Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.

"It has, therefore, been decided that the airport should reflect and reinforce these changes in its name."

Formerly known as East Midlands airport, the decision three years ago to add Nottingham to the title attracted heavy criticism from the surrounding area, not least because Nottingham is furthest away from the site.

Bosses at the time said the name change was necessary to enable foreign travellers to identify where the airport was, with Nottingham being the best known city in the East Midlands. The decision was taken despite protests that the airport is in Leicestershire and that Derby is its nearest city. Since the change, passenger figures have risen year on year, and last year Nema won the accolade of Best UK Airport.

Now the new name, welcomed by Leicester and Derby, has come under fire from officials in Nottingham who condemned the decision as "stupid". Leader of Nottingham city council, Jon Collins, said: "The airport say they have consulted on this. They haven't consulted me or this council. I can't believe they have consulted anyone in Nottingham.

"The airport using the internationally recognised Nottingham city brand has contributed to a 23% increase in overseas visits to the East Midlands. It's a decision only a fool would make."

Chief executive of the council, Michael Frater, added: "This is an absolutely baffling decision - not just bad for Nottingham but bad for Leicester, bad for Derby and bad for the East Midlands."

Penny Coates, managing director of the airport, defended the decision, saying the name change is necessary to reflect the input all three cities have into its running.

"We believe this change is the right commercial decision now, given our clear growth strategy. In making any change, our objective is to provide a strong platform both for long-term development and for the future needs of the travel trade," she said.

"I am personally delighted that the three cities have proven that they are serious about working together more closely for the greater good of the region and the airport will continue to play a central role in acting as the key gateway to the East Midlands."

Richard Dickinson, of East Midlands Tourism, said the move would help to advertise the tourist attractions that all three cities have to offer. He said: "Travel and tourism make an important contribution to the region's economic health. Our goal is to increase the value of the visitor economy and the ability to attract more visitors from overseas is critical in achieving this.

"In competing with destinations globally, we need to highlight the range and quality of our tourist attractions and in particular to emphasise that East Midlands Airport is the gateway to the vibrant cities and typically English landscapes of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire."