All decked up for the 4th Global Airports Forum (GAF) in Riyadh from December 16

50+ new exhibitors include flag-carrier Saudia 

Future GSE Display & Startups Hub new features

The UK, Italy, and Germany have National Pavilions

Airport Innovation Trail will have a magnet pull

US$100 billion is being invested in the aviation sector

Four Saudi airlines have 460 aircraft on order

44 speakers to address GAIC’s nine sessions

The WIA General Assembly will have 41 speakers

Airport Excellence and WIA Awards in 19 categories

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 15

The expansive Riyadh International  Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC) is all decked up for the 4^th   Global Airports Forum (GAF) that will take place from December 16 with an expanded exhibition space and heightened international participation as Saudi Arabia works its way to become a preferred global travel hub before it hosts the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, the Asian Winter Games in 2029, World Expo 2030, and  FIFA World Cup in 2034.

Currently, aviation accounts for 8.5 percent of the Kingdom’s GDP.  A report by its civil aviation regulator disclosed that aviation sector contributes US$20.8 billion through aviation-related activities, enabling a further estimated US$32.2 billion in tourism economic activity. Aviation supports 241,000 jobs, and a further estimated 717,000 jobs in the tourism sector. The country has approved its 2026 budget of SAR1.313 trillion  (US$350 billion), targeting economic growth and Vision 2030 goals.

Under the Vision 2030 blueprint of economic transformation, the Arab world’s fourth most populous country is aggressively working to triple its annual passenger traffic to 330 million from its 29 airports, enhance air connectivity to 250+ destinations, and boost air cargo volumes to 4.5 million tons by 2030.  Airports in one of the world’s 19 countries with a US$1 trillion economy, handled 128 million passengers in 2024, prompting the revision of its tourism target to 150 million visitors by 2030.

Through the 21^st  century’s most significant travel and tourism transformation,  the country has plans to spend US$100 billion in its aviation sector, including US$50+ billion for developing airports by 2030.  All four existing airlines have collectively 460 aircraft on order that will enable them to reach new destinations and carry more passengers across the world.

Organized by Niche Ideas, the kingdom’s leading dedicated airport B2B platform will feature 300+ exhibitors from 100+ countries. The two-day business networking-and-knowledge-enhancing platform is sponsored by prominent aviation industry players.  The main sponsor is Matarat Holding, an arm of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and its subsidiaries (Special Integrated Logistics Zone Company (SILZ), Cluster 2, DACO, JEDCO, and Riyadh Airports).  
Daksha Patel, Event Director at Niche Ideas, remarked: “This edition comes as the fourth most populous country in the Arab world aggressively pursues its agenda of enhancing its aviation infrastructure in its avowed agenda to become one of the top seven most-visited countries by 2030. Currently, Saudi Arabia holds the largest share of the MENA airport construction projects pipeline value at 42.5 percent. This event will highlight the ways and pace with which the kingdom is progressing in its airport expansion journey.”

Expected to be attended by 10,000+ participants, it will have a record 1,000+ buyers. There will be 5,000+ pre-scheduled meetings during the two-day run of the B2B platform.  Also, 100+ international speakers have confirmed their participation in the two co-located events – Global Aviation Issues Conference (GAIC) and Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly.

Through nine sessions, the GAIC will see 50+ speakers addressing the challenges confronting the airport industry and the technology leap across the entire aviation ecosystem. Under the spotlight will be topics including Smart Airports, Next-Gen Workforce, Airport Security and Innovation, Enhancement of Passenger Experience, Operational Readiness, Connectivity, Advanced Air Mobility, and Airspace Management.

The Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly will have 40+ top-notch speakers, including the first Arab female A380 pilot. A highlight will be the WIA Awards in seven categories by the world’s largest non-profit aviation and aerospace organization.

One of the highlights will be the 3rd Airport Excellence Awards (AEA) to recognize innovation, operational excellence, and transformative contributions across 9 categories, including Airport Connectivity & Route Development, Airport Design & Infrastructure, Airport Security, Airport Staff Training & Human Capital Development, Baggage Handling, Ground Support Solutions, Innovation & Technology, Passenger Experience, and Sustainability & Environment.
Nearly 200 nominations have been received from 23 countries for these awards. This year’s GAF has four new features: Future GSE Display, Airport Innovation Hub, Airport Innovation Trail, and Startups Hub. Additionally, there will be dedicated pavilions by various countries, including Italy, Germany, and the UK.

The first-ever Airport Innovation Trail and Airport Innovation Hub will be utilized by companies to offer participants a guided discovery experience, highlighting how innovation-led solutions are driving aviation growth, from passenger experience and airport operations to sustainability, safety, security, and revenue generation.

Over 50 new exhibitors this edition include flag-carrier Saudia, which is taking a complete retrofit of its existing Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s by 2027, expanding its destinations network to 250 by 2030, and global travel technology giant Amadeus.  Saudi Arabia is riding an unprecedented wave of aviation infrastructure expansion, even as aviation and aviation-related tourism contribute a staggering US$90.6 billion to its economy, according to IATA. The kingdom has planned to start three new airlines, including a new national LCC with a fleet of 45 aircraft by 2030 and operate to 24 domestic destinations and 57 international airports, as part of the Vision 2030 plans.