Mideast ‘on the cusp of 100% recovery in visitor count’

The Middle East is leading visitor traffic numbers globally at 93% of the pre-2019 levels and very soon Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia will cross the 100% recovery, delegates heard at the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF)in Dubai.

Passenger traffic in Middle East region will have full recovery in 2024 and grow 4.2% annually through 2040.

Making a presentation at the GALF, co-located at the 22nd edition of Airport Show in Dubai, Kashif Khalid, Regional Director, Middle East and Africa, International Air Transport Association (IATA), said aviation industry recovery is on track with a strong start to 2023.

In his keynote address Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director General of UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said: “Our vision is to create a world class aviation eco system that embraces cutting edge technology, fosters innovation, promotes sustainability and delivers an exceptional customer experience.  To achieve this vision, we have made significant investments in modernising our infrastructure, upgrading our regulatory framework and enhancing our operational capabilities.”

“Our industry is not without challenges from security threat, technology disruption, environmental concerns and evolving customer expectations. We must navigate rapidly in a changing landscape. We recognise the significance of aviation in our national development and we remain committed to positioning our airports and airlines in the forefront of global best practices,” he added.

“We have embraced digital transformation advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, data analytics and blockchain to improve efficiency, enhance safety personalise passenger service.

“Sustainability lies at the heart of our approach we are aware of the environmental impact of the aviation industry and the urgent need to mitigate through strategic partnership and collaboration and eco-friendly practices across our airports and airlines. We are committed to reduce our carbon footprint and being responsible custodian of the environment,” he added.

Ibrahim Ahli, Deputy CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), said:  “In recent years, our methods had evolved as challenges had been growing continuously post-pandemic. Dubai had overcome these challenges and become the hub of aviation and travellers in the shortest time ever.”

“In fact, Dubai has always obtained a clear focus on the current challenges and foresighted the forthcoming new ones. We at dans are  taking the lead in turning the challenges  into innovations.”

“We have witnessed major technological developments in recent years, enabling us to increase the accuracy and efficiency of our air traffic control systems. We acknowledge that our success is not only credited to our cutting-edge technology but also to the devotion, forward-thinking and hard work of our skilled team of experts,” he added.

“We are convinced that our foresight and sustained efforts will result in even greater breakthroughs and innovations in global air traffic management. It such an event, we are delighted for being part of such a platform to network with our stakeholders across all industries to enable a wider spectrum of knowledge sharing. Thus, we are not here to highlight our brands only but to bring unity in overcoming potential challenges and collaborating for a brighter future,” he said.

Noaman Alsaleh, Acting Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, dans, spoke about the role of circular economy in air traffic management and the aviation ecosystem: “The aviation industry has a crucial role to play in transitioning towards a more sustainable future. The circular economy is an economic system that prioritizes the use of renewable resources, the reduction of waste, and the reuse of materials. By adopting circular economy principles, the aviation industry can reduce its environmental impact and create new economic opportunities.

“This can be approached by implementing The RESOLVE framework which provides a comprehensive and practical approach to implementing circular economy principles in different industries, including aviation.”

By adopting the RESOLVE framework, the aviation industry can take a comprehensive and practical approach to implementing circular economy principles. This approach can help to reduce waste, increase resource efficiency, and foster innovation in the aviation industry.

As any industry in the world, the aviation industry is responsible to sustain the best by implementing principles, to significantly reduce the carbon footprint.

To effectively implement a circular economy approach in the aviation industry, leadership is essential. This means engaging with stakeholders across the industry and identifying opportunities to reduce waste and increase resource efficiency. By adopting a circular economy leadership approach, airlines and other aviation stakeholders can create more resilient and sustainable systems that benefit both the environment and the bottom line.

Organised by RX Global, the world’s largest airport industry B2B platform has a sharp focus on sustainability to help the aviation industry in achieving a more sustainable airport industry that is aiming to reduce carbon foot print.

Airport Show, organized by RX Global, is supported by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, Dubai Airports and dnata, and sponsored by ADB Safegate, Smiths Detection and HADID International Services. – TradeArabia News Service