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Translation:

(pdf) الاتحاد الدولي للنقل الجوي يكشف عن الأثر الاقتصادي لقطاع الطيران في المملكة العربية السعودية

Jeddah - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the Value of Air Transport study for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at IATA Aviation Day MENA. The report quantifies the substantial benefits that aviation (including aviation-related tourism) generates in terms of jobs and economic activity in the Kingdom. Highlights from 2023 data show that aviation supports and facilitates:  

  • USD 90.6 billion of economic activity (total impact including wider supply chain, employee spending, and tourism activities), equal to 8.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
  • 4 million jobs (total impact including wider supply chain, employee spending, and tourism activities), 62,000 of which are directly employed by airlines
  • 713,600 tonnes of air cargo

> Access the full study (pdf)

“Aviation is a catalyst for economic and social development. Saudi Arabia has understood this and is using connectivity as a key element of its national economic strategy under Vision 2030. Already, aviation supports 1.4 million jobs and 8.5% of the Kingdom’s GDP. This contributes substantially to the Kingdom’s prosperity today, and that will grow with investments, including those for infrastructure and talent development.  Continued prioritization of aviation as a strategic sector supported by global standards, competitive costs and smart regulation will enhance Saudi Arabia’s global competitiveness, economic performance, and social development,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and Middle East.

Key priorities for Saudi Arabia

 

To continue generating benefits from aviation, IATA outlines three key priorities for Saudi Arabia:

  • Collaboration and Global Standards: Given Saudi Arabia’s important role in shaping regional aviation policies, continued collaboration and consultation with users and stakeholders, along with alignment to global standards and best practices, are vital.
  • Infrastructure: As Saudi Arabia makes significant investments in airport infrastructure and digitalization, it is critical to work with the industry to ensure cost competitiveness.
  • Capacity-Building: Ensuring a skilled workforce across all areas of aviation will enable the Kingdom to fulfill its potential as a regional and global aviation hub. IATA has recently signed agreements with Saudi partners to provide skills training for over 1,000 aviation graduates and employees.

 

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Tel: +41 22 770 2967

Email: corpcomms@iata.org

Notes for Editors:

  • IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 340 airlines comprising over 80% of global air traffic.
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  • IATA has published more than 80 national Value of Air Transport studies. Developed in partnership with independent economists at Oxford Economics, each report contains a comprehensive analysis of the contributions of aviation to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, tourism, cargo and connectivity. Given how the demand for air transport has continued to grow, it is reasonable to assume the economic contribution and employment supported by aviation has increased since the data were compiled in 2023.