Safe Saudi airports boost the growth of domestic tourism

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July 19, 2020
 
The return of life to the Kingdom’s airports after the issuance of the kind approval for the resumption of domestic flights starting on the 31st of May via the national air carriers contributed to enhancing internal air transport in the Kingdom and stimulated all economic sectors. This include the tourism sector, due to the direct impact of the air transport market  on all other sectors and the growth of the entire economic activity. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has been keen to implement all necessary preventive and health measures within the airport facilities and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health. This in addition to its continuous monitoring of the commitment of national air carriers and airport staff in imposing these precautions to ensure a safe travel journey that starts at the steps of the passengers home until the traveler reaches his intended destination.
 
And with the vital sectors resuming their activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia again, after the stoppage due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic. GACA seeks to advance the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom to play its role effectively and to augment its participation in strengthening the national economy. Moreover a move forward in improving the services provided by the Kingdom's airports to its valued customers. The authority has gradually increased the number of flights at the Kingdom’s airports, which witnessed a great activity in the number of flights and passengers traffic during the resumption of domestic flights, as the number of domestic flights reached more than (20) thousand flights.
 
The Kingdom's airports network contributed to the promotion of domestic tourism and economic and developmental growth in all regions of the Kingdom. The area of the Kingdom, which covers more than two million square kilometers, where the Saudi’s airports network was able to link the various parts of the country. Furthermore, the geographical distribution of Saudi airports contributed to the development of domestic tourism and to the diversity of tourism options for citizens. This is due to the presence of four main international airports (King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah). This in addition to airports scattered in all regions of the Kingdom, including (5) Airports in the central airports group, which includes, (Prince Naif Airport in Al-Qassim, Al-Ahsa Airport, Qaisumah Airport, Wadi Al-Dawasir Airport and Dawadmi Airport), and (6) Airports in the Western Airports group (Yanbu Airport, Taif Airport, Al-Baha Airport, Prince Abdelmajeed Airport in Al Ula,  Al Wajh Airport, Rabigh Airport). Furthermore, there are (8) airports belonging to the northern airports group that includes, (Hail Airport, Al-Jouf Airport, Prince Sultan Airport in Tabuk, Arar Airport, Rafha Airport, Qurayyat Airport and Turaif Airport and Neom Airport). Moreover, there are (5) airports in the southern regions (Abha Airport  King Abdullah Airport in Jazan, Najran Airport, Bisha Airport and Sharurah Airport). All these  (28) airports facilitate travel between cities around the Kingdom and make it faster and safer and encourage human communication, as they drive economic growth and support development in all regions around the kingdom.
 
It is worth noting, that GACA has harnessed all of its capabilities and taken all measures and procedures to ensure a safe travel journey for travellers. It has scheduled flights, where the time periods between flights are not less than 3 hours until the terminals and equipment are sterilized. Furthermore, GACA obligated all airport and flight crew personnel to sterilize and wear masks and face shields and they were subjected to health examination. GACA also provided sterilizers in every parts of the airports, in addition to sterilizing the airports continuously "every 3 hours", and constantly cleaning the aircraft after each flight, as the Kingdom is working to increase the capacity of its airports to cope with the development of new tourist destinations. Destinations, such as the city of the future "NEOM"  And the cultural city of Al-Qidiya, near Riyadh, in addition to a number of tourism and entertainment projects in the vicinity of the Red Sea.