RIYADH: French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux's affiliate has won a contract for exclusive advertising rights in all of Saudi Arabia's 26 airports, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) said on Saturday. The 10-year deal between GACA and JCDecaux-ATA follows recent efforts by authorities to upgrade its airports which are under pressure mainly from a growing number of about 3 million Muslim pilgrims and 8 million foreign expatriate workers. JCDecaux holds 60 percent in the JCDecaux-ATA and private Saudi group ATA holds the remaining 40 percent. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. GACA said 45 million passengers used Saudi airports in 2009, with nearly 88 percent of them passing through the Kingdom's four international airports Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madina. Passenger traffic in the Middle East grew 7.1 percent in 2009, the fastest regional growth in the world, it said. The contract was granted by GACA includes the international airports in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Medina and 22 domestic terminals, the company said.
