ARAB airlines have increasing impact and visibility on the global stage, with many countries in the Arab world recognising the economic importance of aviation and investing in infrastructure, says Shaikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline and Group.
“Forty-seven years ago in 1967, the world’s airlines transported less than 300 million passengers annually,” Shaikh Ahmed said. “Today, airlines serve an estimated 3.3 billion passengers. What’s more, the 31 airline members of Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) are playing a bigger role in world air traffic than ever before. According to figures from Airbus, in less than 10 years between 2003 and 2013, the number of passengers carried by airlines in Middle East and North Africa has increased by more than 300 per cent.“In the past, European airports were the default hubs for travellers flying East to West or North to South. Today, more and more travellers are choosing to fly via hubs in our region because we can offer better connection times, and a better travel experience. This huge shift in global aviation is a success story for all of us. As individual airlines, and together with our home countries, we have made the world sit up and take notice.”According to a new report by Travel & Tourism Intelligence Centre (TTIC), GCC nationals made over 37 million outbound trips in 2013. Saudi Arabia made the most trips with an increase from 18 million in 2012 to 21 million in 2013, and is forecast to reach over 33 million by 2018. As the entire GCC will become an increasingly important economic and trading hub, these countries will also boost their outbound expenditure, which is set to double by 2018 reaching over $100 billion. Gillian Kennedy, analyst at TTIC, comments: “Although political unrest brought about by the Arab Spring and the emergence of Islamic State has caused regional uncertainty, GCC tourists continue travelling within the Gulf states mainly for luxury or religious purposes, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE being the most popular destinations.”Within the GCC Council of Tourism Cooperation, there is growing potential for the creation of an integrated regional strategy to strengthen cooperation among the GCC states. A preparatory meeting for GCC tour operators, followed by the meeting of tourism ministers, will aim to pave the way for further efforts to develop GCC tourism sectors at all levels.While travel among the GCC states is already visa-free, the GCC is planning to introduce a Schengen-style unified visa for tourists and businessmen from 35 foreign and Arab countries. As a result, nationals from these countries will be able to visit the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman under a single visa once the system is finalised and implemented this year.In other regional tourism news, Abu Dhabi’s 87-square kilometre island Sir Bani Yas Island was recently recognised as the ‘World’s leading sustainable destination’ at the World Travel Awards 2014, held at Anguilla in The Caribbean. The island was developed as a wildlife reserve to ensure the survival of Arabia’s endangered species and is now home to more than 13,000 animals roaming the Arabian Wildlife Park on the island.