Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
French low-cost airline Transavia to launch Madinah flights
Leading French low-cost airline Transavia has entered into an agreement with Al Madinah Development Authority to boost its Saudi operations. Beginning October, it will start flights from Paris-Orly, Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse to Madinah.
The Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP), in partnership with the Al Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA), has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Transavia, a French low-cost airline partly owned by Air France, for the launch of its operations into Saudi Arabia.
As per the deal, Transavia will start flights from Paris-Orly, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse to Madinah beginning this October.
This expansion complements the successful launch last year of routes connecting Paris-Orly and Lyon with Jeddah, enhancing air connectivity and reflecting the increasing growth in travel demand between the two countries.
The Air Connectivity Program is aimed at enhancing tourism growth in Saudi Arabia by developing existing air routes and creating new destinations, thereby contributing to connecting the kingdom with the world.
It also underscores KSA's position as a major destination and supports the tourism goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 by increasing the number of tourists arriving into the country.
CEO of the Air Connectivity Program Majid Khan described the development of air connectivity between France and Saudi Arabia as a fundamental pillar of the National Tourism Strategy.
He highlighted that this expansion will contribute to capitalizing on the significant opportunities in the Umrah market from France, while supporting the Kingdom’s tourism objectives.
Transavia France Chief Commercial Officer Nicolas Henin, while lauding the successful operation of the Lyon-Jeddah and Paris-Orly-Jeddah routes, expressed delight at the airline’s plan to boost its presence in the kingdom.
Henin said Transavia France was excited to start flights to Madinah and strengthen the airline’s ongoing partnership with Saudi airports.
CEO of Tibah Airports Operation Company Sofiene Abdessalem said the selection of Madinah among Transavia France's new destinations confirms the city’s religious and cultural status, while underlining the efforts made to enhance its presence on the international air connectivity map.
This expansion supports direct access from Europe and contributes to providing an integrated travel experience for pilgrims and visitors from around the world.
Abdessalem emphasized the commitment to supporting initiatives related to the Saudi Aviation Strategy by strengthening the network of international destinations and integrating efforts with partners in the public and private sectors, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.
He praised the role of the Air Connectivity Program in supporting these strategic partnerships and enabling international connectivity, which enhances tourism growth and facilitates access to the Kingdom's destinations.-TradeArabia News Service