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Saudi Arabia's first "State of Aviation" report was unveiled at the Future Aviation Forum, highlighting the aviation sector's significant contributions to the Kingdom's economic growth. The report revealed that the sector contributed $21 billion to the Kingdom's GDP in 2023 and generated $32.2 billion in tourism receipts. Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser emphasized the importance of aviation and invited private sector partners to help achieve the country's ambition. The report also highlighted the sector's contribution to the economy and the creation of new jobs. The General Authority of Civil Aviation introduced its General Aviation Roadmap, aiming to foster the development of Saudi Arabia's business jet and private industry. The roadmap projects the sector's contribution to GDP to reach around $2 billion and the creation of 35,000 new jobs by 2030. The GACA president emphasized the importance of the forum in enhancing connectivity and discussed the challenges faced by the global aviation industry. He also mentioned the significant growth in Saudi Arabia's aviation sector, with the number of passengers reaching a record 112 million in 2023. The GACA chief also discussed the expansion and development plans for airports, revealing that the current capacity of Saudi airports is poised to exceed 300 million. He also stressed privatization as a key strategy to enhance connectivity, highlighting the successful PPP model in the Middle East region. The minister noted that the expansion plans for King Salman Airport are progressing well and the airport is expected to handle 100 million passengers by 2030.
