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Saudi Arabia Hosts Int’l Conference to Improve Traveler Experience

Group photo of officials during the Airports Council International Conference (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Group photo of officials during the Airports Council International Conference (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Hosts Int’l Conference to Improve Traveler Experience

Group photo of officials during the Airports Council International Conference (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Group photo of officials during the Airports Council International Conference (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Officials and investors in the airport industry developed innovative strategies to facilitate the traveler’s experience, during the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific & Middle East / ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA 2024), which kicked off in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The three-day event, hosted by Riyadh Airports, features the participation of aviation leaders, airport CEOs, and over 800 specialists from across the globe. This is the first time WAGA is being held in the Middle East, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in airport management and aviation.

The head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, said on the occasion that Saudi Arabia is anticipating the future of aviation through its endeavor to host major events related to the industry, and is implementing a clear vision to lead the Middle East region at the level of logistical services.

He added that the Airports Council International conference represents a tremendous opportunity for the system in Saudi Arabia, by providing a basic foundation for benefiting from industry leaders and keeping pace with the latest developments in the field of aviation locally and globally.

For his part, the CEO of Riyadh Airports, Ayman Abo Abah, announced that his company is working with the relevant authorities to promote the reliance on clean energy sources, pointing in this context to progress achieved at King Khalid International Airport.

Riyadh Airports was established in 2016 as part of the sector privatization program. The company manages and operates King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and seeks to develop the airport’s infrastructure and conduct expansion projects for new services and facilities.

Abo Abah explained that King Khalid International Airport has received the global accreditation certificate for managing carbon emissions for airports (level three) from the Airport Carbon Emissions Management Accreditation Program (ACA), making it the first airport in the Kingdom and the Middle East to obtain this certificate.

This confirms the implementation of the necessary standards and practices to reduce emissions and launch green initiatives that support this trend, he underlined.

Riyadh Airports’ hosting of WAGA 2024 coincides with the third edition of the Future Aviation Forum (FAF 2024), organized by GACA.

Wednesday’s sessions addressed the current state of the industry and the system’s future trends, emphasizing the importance of taking into account environmental sustainability and working to remove carbon in new, innovative ways.

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Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
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Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)

Mohammad Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), announced that Kuwait is actively working to boost investments in emerging sectors such as the management of government facilities, hospitals, and ports, including Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

He added that his country is collaborating with Saudi Arabia on joint projects, notably the development of a railway linking the two nations.

Speaking at the 28th Annual Global Investment Conference in Riyadh, Yaqoub highlighted the 650-kilometer railway project, which is expected to cut travel time between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to under three hours. He clarified that this initiative is separate from the broader GCC railway network under development.

The official further emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to offering streamlined processes and incentives to attract foreign investment in critical sectors such as oil and gas, healthcare, education, and technology.

Since January 2015, the Gulf country has attracted cumulative foreign investments valued at approximately 1.7 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($5.8 billion). During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, KDIPA reported foreign investment inflows amounting to 206.9 million Kuwaiti dinars ($672 million).

Yaqoub stressed that KDIPA is focused on creating an investor-friendly environment by offering flexible incentives to attract international companies. He noted Saudi Arabia’s achievements in this area and highlighted his country’s efforts to provide comparable benefits to foreign investors.

He also expressed optimism about the potential for growth in foreign investments in Kuwait, emphasizing their role in advancing economic development in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yaqoub also underscored the strong synergy between the Kuwaiti and Saudi markets, which he said will help accelerate economic progress across the region.