The Airports Council International (ACI) inaugurated the first edition of the "Airport Innovate" Conference and Exhibition in Muscat on Tuesday in the presence of Engineer Hamoud bin Said al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT).
Speaking on the occasion, he said "The Sultanate of Oman has built modern airports of the highest standards to serve passengers. Minister of Transport: We are moving ahead in developing Suhar Airport and establishing an airport in Musandam soon."
Meanwhile, Sheikh Aimen al Hosni,CEO, Oman Airports, said, "Passenger traffic witnessed global recovery by 92 percent, totalling 3.7 billion by the end of August 2023.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General of the ACI, said that the reopening of the Chinese market, easing supply chain disruptions, and slowing inflation will increase air traffic globally to 9.4 billion passengers in 2024.
The conference is attended by more than 400 local and international figures, over 30 sponsors and exhibitors, and 60 speakers from global airport leaders, aviation technology developers, airlines, civil aviation authorities, industry suppliers, and air transport experts.
Maawali added "We are witnessing a substantial increase in travel movements to, from, and through the Sultanate of Oman. The figures indicate a steady growth in travel following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the expectation to soon surpass pre-pandemic levels."
The Sultanate has recently launched the Oman Airports Innovation Lab and the AeroHack, furthering innovation and supporting startups that contribute to the aviation and travel industry.
Al Hosni said. "Despite recent challenges in the aviation industry, the global recovery of passenger traffic across various regions signifies hope and resurgence. We have taken considerable strides from the trying times of Covid regarding our industry’s passenger recovery. As of August 2023, we’ve reached a global recovery of 92%, or a yearly total of 4.7 billion passengers to date, with optimistic projections estimating a full recovery as early as sometime mid-2024.
|Concerning regional recovery, Latin America/Caribbean and the Middle East have already surpassed 2019 figures, with Africa and North America not far behind in reaching full recoveries." The CEO of Oman Airports said that the future of the global aviation industry presents a landscape characterized by innovation, resilience, and transformative changes.
Technological advancements, including electric and hybrid aircraft, artificial intelligence, and sustainable fuel solutions, are being developed to revolutionize air travel.
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