The Saudi travel and tourism industry is forecast to grow to SR55.8 billion in 2012, representing 2.9 percent of the GDP as compared to SR38.9 billion, or equivalent to 2.7 percent recorded in 2009, the World Board of Travel and Tourism said. With this expected growth, companies in Saudi Arabia and the GCC involved in the industry enhance their services in anticipation of robust growth. Amadeus Saudi Arabia, a technical partner of Saudi Arabian Airlines and many of the agencies within the Saudi travel and tourism industry, continues to offer product development and provides many technology solutions and services in line with the requirements of the industry. In this regard, the "Best Information Technology Company" award was conferred on the computer reservations system company by Air Transport News for the current year. Nashaat Boukhary, Managing Director of Amadeus Saudi Arabia, said "we work hard to achieve the best results for the development of the industry." Ahmed Youssef, Regional Director, Marketing and Operations, who received the award on behalf of Amadeus, said "the company has achieved success throughout the past few years by providing the best solution of its kind to meet the specialized needs in the travel industry. This is reflected through our commitment to research and development, where our group spent 12 percent more of its revenues in 2011 to provide the best bookings technology programs."
