Market Information

• The International Air transport Association (IATA), declared that in 2009, the Middle East was the only and fastest growing region for both passenger and cargo demand.


• The ten leading airports in the Middle East are building enough capacity to handle 320 million passengers per annum by 2012. In September 2008 alone, Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports have increased their annual passenger handling capacity by a total of 32 million passengers with the opening of two new dedicated terminals for Etihad and Emirates Airlines. The total capacity of the two airports has risen to 72 million passengers per annum.


• A new analysis by business research and consulting firm, Frost & Sullivan has found that $86bn will be spent by Middle East airports in expansion plans. The firm expects this figure to double after 2025, with major airports in the region pursuing their aim of becoming global hubs. The emergence of the Middle East as a global hub in the future is attributed to the expansion of the 12 major airports across the region that constitute over 90% of the total investment of $86bn in the region


• With aviation generating as much as 25% of the emirate's economy, Dubai plans to press ahead with expanding its current airport and building a new one. Dubai Airports Co has said that Al Maktoum International will open on June 27 2010. The new airport, which will be the largest in the world, is part of the $33bn Dubai World Central (DWC) development in Jebel Ali.


• Saudi Arabia is to invest SAR2.5 billion riyals (US$667 million) to develop 23 airports, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing the General Authority of Civil Aviation.


• The Gulf has become the major internal hub for the winter cruise season. All key industry cruise players like, Royal Carribean, Costa Cruises, Silversea, all plan to use Dubai as the Winter Cruise destination.


• The new cruise terminal in Port Rashid Dubai was officially opened in February this year as part of the major Nakheel waterfront. The new terminal spans 3,450 square metres and is designed to handle four ships simultaneously and cater to the increased number of ship calls.


• In 2009, Dubai played a host to 87 cruise ships that brought 261,000 cruise tourists. This year, Dubai will be hosting 120 ships with over 325,000 passengers. Next year, the terminal is expected to receive 135 ships with 375,000 passengers followed by 150 ships with 425,000 passengers in 2012, 165 ships with 475,000 passengers in 2013 and 180 ships with 525,000 passengers in 2014 and 195 ships with 575,000 passengers in 2015.


• Kuwait Municipality has approved plans for the country’s section of the $25bn regional railway network. The supply-side analysis of expected investments indicates that the GCC region could see investments totalling $109bn, based on the announced projects in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the pan-GCC project.

(*Sources: Emirates, International Air Transport Association - IATA, Saudi Arabian Airlines, AME Info, Gulf News, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing – DTCM, Gulf Africa Magazine)