The national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, SAUDIA has collaborated with the Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) and Saudi Tourism Authority, to launch four new international destinations.
The new routes will service Beijing (PRC), Birmingham (UK), Kano (Nigeria), and Johannesburg (South Africa).
Planned international programme
This represents a significant expansion program for SAUDIA in 2023, and the route development follows the national carrier’s signing of an agreement with ACP.
The objective of the programme is to enhance the Kingdom’s point-to-point air connectivity and its reach to target international markets.
By collaborating with airlines to expand their operations in Saudi Arabia, ACP seeks to promote growth and development within the tourism and aviation sectors.
I promoting this it also aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading destination for international travel.
“The opening of four new air routes across three different regions is the result of strong collaboration between the Saudi tourism and aviation ecosystems,” said Ali Rajab, CEO of ACP.
“We are proud to have been part of these efforts. These new routes offer a diverse mix of travel opportunities in the Kingdom, unlocking its rich cultural heritage and inviting travelers from around the world to experience the beauty and diversity of this remarkable destination.
“Air connectivity will play an increasingly important role in enabling tourism growth and creating new opportunities for businesses and tourists alike.”
“We look forward to building on this momentum to unlock new destinations, and create a brighter future for the Kingdom,” Ali Rajab added.
Capt. Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, highlighted the airline’s ongoing commitment to investing in operational expansion.
“We are dedicated to continue optimizing our modern fleet to meet current and future expansion requirements,” he said.
“In addition to the recent launch of the new service “Your Ticket, Your Visa” which is the first of its kind in the world has increased airline’s competitive position with a market share of 40% for flights and seat capacity in the past year.”
Saudi Arabian tourism
Saudi Arabia is a country with a rich cultural heritage and history, as well as natural beauty, and it has recently started to open up its tourism industry to international visitors.
Saudi’s tourism ecosystem has an ambitious target of reaching 100m visits annually by 2030, with air connectivity being a central part of achieving this goal.
Saudi Tourism Authority’s strategy focuses on understanding consumer demand and identifying key source markets.
These new direct flight routes have been launched as a response to the uptick in consumer demand from travelers looking to visit or transit through Saudi from Beijing, Birmingham, Kano, and Johannesburg.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board of Saudi Tourism Authority added that “Today’s announcement of four new routes demonstrates the power of the tourism ecosystem to work with airline partners to bring new capacity online.”
“This is significant as direct flight options are not only good news for international travelers but also create growth, opportunity, and investment in Saudi and across the world.”
