Saudi Enjoys Fastest Growing Airport Technology Sector in Middle East

According to a recent study by Amadeus titled "Investment trends in travel technology," stated that airports are undergoing a rapid digital transformation.

The travel industry is expected to see a 14% increase in technology investment in 2024, indicating an acceleration in transformation.

Passengers have experienced significant changes in travel services in recent years, from online ticket purchases to electronic boarding passes.

In Saudi Arabia, digital transformation is a key aspect of Vision 2030, with the Kingdom being the fastest growing in airport technology in the Middle East region.

The Regional Vice President for Airport Affairs for the Middle East, India, and Africa region at SITA, Jihad Boueri, emphasized this during the first annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Airports Council International (ACI) in Riyadh.

Boueiri highlighted the global technological revolution in the airport sector, noting that its implementation in the Kingdom has been faster and stronger due to a solid budget and the development of new airports.

He also mentioned challenges such as the need for human resources training and the discovery and development of young talents, which could potentially delay the adoption of modern technologies.

Sustainability is another challenge, with the aviation sector accounting for 4% of carbon emissions.

Boueiri pointed out initiatives to address this, including reducing engine operation time, saving fuel to minimize thermal emissions, and choosing environmentally friendly devices at airports.

Looking ahead, Boueiri emphasized that airport technology is moving towards enabling travelers to pass through free zones based on their biological fingerprint information stored in a data cloud.

He mentioned that travelers will soon be able to check in their luggage from home through airline companies.