Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are Anticipated to Dominate the Market
Currently, the major airports in the UAE and Saudi Arabia account for nearly 80% of the regional passenger traffic. Also, the airport infrastructure in both countries constitutes an estimated 81% of the existent aviation infrastructure amongst the GCC countries. Among the six GCC countries, the UAE is the leading investor, with nearly USD 136.1 billion of investment planned for the aviation industry during 2011-2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily halted investments, and the airports are focused on bolstering the critical global supply chains and facilitating the shipment of humanitarian aid to 24 different countries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides the expansion of the international airports in both countries, some new airport projects are also underway. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, a new airport is also being built in Abha to accommodate five million passengers per year while another new airport has been planned for Jizan. Such developments are anticipated to drive the share of Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the forecast period.