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Saudi Arabia Enjoys Fastest Growing Airport Technology Sector in Middle East

SITA’s pavilion at the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International in Riyadh. (Turky Al-Agili)
SITA’s pavilion at the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International in Riyadh. (Turky Al-Agili)
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Saudi Arabia Enjoys Fastest Growing Airport Technology Sector in Middle East

SITA’s pavilion at the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International in Riyadh. (Turky Al-Agili)
SITA’s pavilion at the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International in Riyadh. (Turky Al-Agili)

A recent study, “Investment trends in travel technology” by Amadeus, showed that airports are witnessing a rapid digital transformation, as the pace of travel industry transformation is set to accelerate with an average 14% increase in technology investment planned for 2024.

In recent years, passengers have seen tremendous changes in travel services, beginning with quick online purchase of tickets to electronic boarding passes and other areas.

Digital transformation in Saudi Arabia is one of the most important pillars of Vision 2030, as the Kingdom is considered the fastest growing in the field of airport technology in the Middle East region, according to Jihad Boueri, the Regional Vice President for Airport Affairs for the Middle East, India and Africa region at SITA.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the first annual meeting in the Middle East of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International (ACI) in Riyadh, Boueiri pointed to a global technical revolution in the airport sector, but added that its implementation in the Kingdom was faster and stronger as a result of a solid budget and the development of new airports.

Asked about the challenges facing the sector, he said the need to train human resources and discover and develop young talents could delay the process of adopting modern technologies.

Sustainability also represents another challenge as the aviation sector is responsible for 4 percent of carbon emissions, he remarked, while highlighting projects such as reducing engine operation time, saving fuel to reduce thermal emissions, and choosing environmentally friendly devices at airports

Commenting on the future outlook for the travel industry, he stressed that airport technology was leaning towards allowing travelers to pass through free zones based on the biological fingerprint that collects all individuals’ information in a data cloud.

Travelers will also be able to check in luggage from home through airline companies, he said, noting that the Kingdom is taking great steps towards applying these advanced technologies.

In April, Saudia Airlines launched a trial version of the “Virtual Assistant with Artificial Intelligence Technology” platform, in cooperation with Accenture, the global management consulting and professional services company. The platform enables individuals to plan travel and complete all procedures with the aim of redefining digital travel standards.

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Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
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Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

Egypt expects to harvest 10 million tonnes of wheat this year, up from 9 million in 2023, driven by improved crop yields and ambitious land reclamation efforts, Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk told Reuters late on Wednesday.

He said 3.1175 million feddans (about 1.30 million hectares) have been cultivated this season — slightly lower than the 3.5 million feddans announced earlier by the planning ministry and 3.2 million feddans in 2024 (1.34 million hectares), suggesting a possible decline in total wheat area.

Farmers have told Reuters that wheat has become less profitable compared to crops like beet, whose area increased from 500,000 feddans (210,000 hectares) to 700,000 feddans (294,000 hectares) this year.

The government plans to buy 4-5 million tonnes of local wheat and import about 6 million tonnes to provide heavily subsidised bread for over 69 million Egyptians.

Farouk said newer high-yield wheat strains developed by the Agricultural Research Center have raised productivity by 7-8.5%.

"This is vertical expansion, and horizontal expansion is coming," he said.

That horizontal expansion is led by the Mostakbal Misr for Sustainable Development, which plans to reclaim 4 million feddans across the country.

Farouk said some of that land is ready for production and the rest will follow in the next two years, offering major opportunities for agricultural investment.

Mostakbal Misr, recently tasked with wheat imports, is also developing infrastructure and growing crops tailored to local consumption, exports and agri-processing, Farouk said..

Farouk added the government is studying a potential rise in local fertilizer prices. Urea and nitrate fertilizers cost around 9,500 Egyptian pounds ($185) per tonne to produce but are sold at a subsidized 4,500 ($87.63). Export prices reach up to 20,000 pounds ($389.48), Farouk said.