The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has renewed its commitment to the importance of sustainability in the aviation sector as part of the approved civil aviation sector strategy that aims for the aviation sector to be the first sector in the Middle East. GACA identified plans to stimulate investment in world-leading aircraft with high efficiency during the aviation sustainability session at the Dubai Air Show. GACA revealed during its participation at the Airshow that the civil aviation sector strategy will witness huge investment opportunities worth billions of dollars for the private sector by the year 2030. In a working paper delivered at the conference by GACA Director of Strategy, Eng. Mohammed Alkhuraisi, affirmed GACA's intention to adopt a set of initiatives and programs that ensure environmentally friendly operations. This includes improving flight routes, operating procedures and ground movement, plus the implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). This is in addition to reshaping the Saudi skies in a way that ensures the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness, and that all efforts are aimed at developing the traveler's experience, as GACA puts the traveler on top of its priorities. Saudi Arabia is taking its world-renowned hospitality to the skies as it ramps up its efforts to be the No. 1 in aviation in the Middle East region by 2030. During GACA's participation in the Dubai Airshow, the authority confirmed that air travel is the first and last experience for the traveler, stressing that GACA will create an unparalleled experience for travelers as part of its strategy for the aviation sector. A sector that will witness a huge investments across all points of contact for passengers, which includes airports, airlines, aircraft and amenities. The Assistant to the President for Economic Policies and Air Transport at GACA Ali Rajab emphasized at one of the conference sessions that Saudi hospitality on land and in the air is increasingly recognized as being among the best in the world. He went on to explain that this will be achieved through the establishment of a regional aviation hub in Saudi Arabia, where airports across the Kingdom benefit from record investments to develop facilities and improve accessibility. He proceeded to say, "Through Vision 2030, and our strategy, we will witness an increase in traffic to accommodate 330 million passengers annually (three times the current levels) amid services at the highest level. — SG
