Efforts on to improve air connectivity between Arab world and China

Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, visits Air Connectivity Program booth at the 10th Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh. Supplied
Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, visits Air Connectivity Program booth at the 10th Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh. Supplied
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Updated 13 June 2023
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Efforts on to improve air connectivity between Arab world and China

Efforts on to improve air connectivity between Arab world and China

RIYADH: Chinese visitors will play a key role in helping the Kingdom achieve its goal of becoming a leading global tourism destination, said Ali Rajab, CEO of Air Connectivity Program.

Riyadh and Beijing are stepping up efforts to improve air connectivity between the region’s emerging markets and the world’s second-largest economy.

Rajab said: “ACP is bridging the stakeholder ecosystem to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global tourism destination. Chinese visitors will, indeed, play a key role in achieving this ambition.”

At the two-day Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh, aviation officials, entrepreneurs, and investors met to discuss ways to establish stronger air links to boost tourism growth and unlock new opportunities.

“By ensuring that our customer service and operational readiness meet the high standards that Chinese visitors expect, Air Connectivity Program is creating a seamless travel experience between China and the Kingdom. For these travelers, like all others to Saudi Arabia, we prioritize cultural understanding and the highest levels of quality assurance,” Rajab said.

Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism leaders, including stakeholders such as ACP, are actively working to turn the Kingdom into a sought-after air connectivity destination.

Last year, twenty-three new routes connected Saudi Arabia with three continents resulting in the expansion of seat capacity by 700,000. Several partnership agreements were also signed with government bodies in the Kingdom, as well as with international entities to boost air connectivity in Saudi Arabia.

According to an official press release, ACP plans to add 17 new routes in 2023 and the seat capacity is likley to be expanded to 730,000 for priority markets.