Arab Aviation Media Summit opens in Bahrain

By Farishta Saeed Manama, Dec. 7 (BNA): Arab Aviation Media Summit, held under the patronage of Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, kicked off today in the presence of participants from several countries. The 2015 edition discussed the status of Arab aviation and tourism under the current political and economic climate. "Welcome to the Arab Aviation Media Summit, hosted for the first time in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” the minister said in his opening speech. “We are honoured to have you here at this very exciting time in our aviation industry evolution. I am sure you are aware of this, but you are visiting a country that has always been a regional pioneer in aviation: The first international airport in the Gulf was built in Bahrain in 1932, and the first supersonic flight by Concorde was made to Bahrain in 1976." The minister said Bahrain has always recognised the importance of aviation as a fundamental pillar for successful trade and economic development. “As an island, connectivity is crucial to our sustainability, and our links by road, sea and air are our lifeline to growth. We are proud of our heritage, but the realities of our future are what are driving us forward." The minister said that the aviation industry in the Middle East is on a definite path of growth. "According to the new IATA 20-year air passenger forecast, the Middle East passenger traffic is expected to increase by just over 5 per cent per year. Global passenger numbers are forecast to increase to 6.6 billion in 2030 with the Middle East and Asia are most likely to benefit from this growth. In the Gulf, we are witnessing massive development in the aviation industry, driven by demand. This surge in activity is a clear indication that the regional aviation industry is on the rise,” he said. "Our passenger growth figures in Bahrain are evidence of this, "Last year, 8.1 million passengers travelled through Bahrain International Airport, approximately 9.9 per cent more than in 2013. These numbers are being accommodated in an airport that was originally designed to handle only one million passengers annually. The numbers are set to rise substantially once our new Airport Modernisation Programme, is fully implemented." The minister said that in order to meet the projected growth figures, airports across the region are being expanded with large-scale infrastructure development projects underway in all the neighboring countries. "Bahrain is no exception, and we are in full speed with our largest airport expansion ever. The Airport Modernisation Programme is now well underway, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled to be held early next year. This programme will see an expansion of the passenger terminal building at the Bahrain International Airport, aimed to increase capacity to 14 million passengers annually. This is expected to meet our requirements for the next 15-20 years,” he said. "On-the-ground activity has already kicked off, with enabling works currently taking place to relocate all existing utilities and facilities away from the footprint of the existing passenger terminal to make way for construction to start in 2016. We are aiming for LEED certification with our new passenger terminal building, in line with the vision we have for sustainable economic development in Bahrain. "We are also keen on building our capacity in the industry, and are investing heavily in training, with the cooperation of ICAO and in line with international standards." The minister said that the Bahrain International Airshow would be hosted after six weeks. "The Airshow will be held on January 21-23 and is a B2B event which is an important part of our aviation sector development," he said. "The success it has enjoyed since the first show in 2010 speaks for itself. Since we started, we have grown by 60% in terms of participating companies and civil delegations have grown exponentially by over 200% since 2012. Our exhibition hall, which we launched in the last show, will be double in size in 2016 and is now sold out." The minister said Gulf Air has been undergoing a programme of change in recent years which has already resulted in vast financial improvements. "Our plan is to position Gulf Air as a leading carrier with fast and convenient connectivity to the main destinations in the region and business hubs in Europe, offering business and leisure travellers with regular flights to their key destinations. We have more work to do but I am confident that we are now on the right track." Others speakers during the opening ceremony included Air Arabia Group Chief Executive Officer Adel Ali and IATA Regional Vice President Hussain Dabbas. Several interactive panels were held highlighting the themes of Arab Markets Untapped Potential and Current Geo-political Pressure, Regional Case Study, Morocco Case Study: The Economics of Free Trade and Its Impact on Foreign Investments, Investing in Arab Aviation and Tourism and the role of the Private Sector, the Age of Airlines – Global Innovation and Modern Technologies, Understanding Tomorrow's Travelers and Enabling Transformational Innovation.