United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy is set to be one of the keynote speakers at the inaugural Future Aviation Forum to be held in Riyadh.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman will address attendees at the event, which will run from May 9 to 11, as it focuses on innovation, sustainability, and growth in the air sector.
The forum hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, will feature more than 120 speakers, with over 2,000 attendees and representatives from various countries.
Another member of the government to address the forum will be Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, minister of transport.
He has already described the event as “a pivotal moment for the global aviation sector” in remarks made when the forum was announced.
Read more: Saudi Arabia to host Future Aviation Forum on May 9
Speakers from the commercial sector include Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al-Alawi, deputy CEO of Gulf Air; Ryyan Tarabzoni, CEO of Jeddah Airports Co; and Captain Fahd H. Cynndy, CEO of Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries.
Salvatore Sciacchitano, president of the International Civil Aviation Organization council, will also address attendees, as will Luis Felipe, director general of Airport Council International World.
Representatives from two of Saudi Arabia’s megaprojects are also slated to speak: the CEO of NEOM Airport and Airline John Selden; and the Project Executive Director of Red Sea international Airport, Joseph Stratford.
The Future Aviation Forum is being held at a time when the Kingdom is planning to launch a new national airline to complement its existing national carriers, Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal.
It also comes in the wake of a YouGov survey that showed 46 percent of Gulf residents, 32 percent of Americans, 40 percent of Italians, and 40 percent of Brits, believe that confusing health regulations will prevent them from flying in 2022,
Despite the worrying numbers, the World Travel and Tourism Council is forecasting profits for the Middle East’s travel and tourism profits could reach $246 billion this year.
Read more: Commercial airline passengers still apprehensive about flying in 2022, global survey warns
Last month, Saudi Tourism Board CEO Fahd Hamidaddin revealed that the Kingdom expected a 150 percent growth in inbound tourism in the second quarter 2022.
