A report revealed that Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation sector contributes $53 billion to the economy, with $20.8 billion from aviation activities and $32.2 billion from tourism. It also provides 241,000 jobs in aviation and 717,000 in tourism.
The first “State of Aviation Sector in the Kingdom” report, set to be released at the Future Aviation Conference 2024 from May 20-22, highlights significant changes in Saudi aviation.
The report states that in 2023, Saudi Arabia outpaced the global average growth, with a 123% increase in international seating capacity compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. The global and regional recovery rates are 90% and 95%, respectively. Passenger numbers grew by 26%, reaching about 112 million last year.
The Future Aviation Conference 2024, sponsored by King Salman, will bring together 5,000 aviation experts and leaders from 100 countries, including CEOs of global airlines, top manufacturers, airport operators, industry leaders, and regulators, to discuss the future of international air transport.
Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser stated that the Saudi aviation sector has made significant strides, supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, creating new opportunities in air transport.
He acknowledged the strong support from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the aviation sector.
General Authority of Civil Aviation President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to enhance the aviation sector by increasing international destinations, upgrading airport infrastructure and operations, boosting capacity, improving service quality, and developing skilled human resources to global standards.
