Saudi Arabia outlines plans to become a global travel hub

Saudi Arabia outlines plans to become a global travel hub

Saudi Arabia on Monday pitched aviation industry leaders on its plans to become a global travel hub, drawing scepticism from analysts who questioned how it could compete against regional heavyweights.

The kingdom's aviation goals, part of Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's wide-ranging "Vision 2030" reforms, include more than tripling annual traffic to 330mn passengers by the end of the decade.

It also wants to draw $100bn in investments to the sector by 2030, establish a new national flag carrier, construct a new "mega airport" in Riyadh and move up to 5mn tonnes of cargo each year.

Officials outlined how they intend to hit those targets during a global aviation forum that began Monday in Riyadh.

Organisers said 2,000 delegates are trying to chart the airline industry's post-pandemic recovery.

"Over the next 10 years the kingdom will emerge as the Middle East's leading aviation hub," Transport Minister Saleh al-Jasser told the forum's opening session.

The strategy hinges on tapping Saudi Arabia's large domestic market, he told AFP in an interview, citing what analysts described as a major advantage for Saudi carriers over regional rivals.

"We are very focused on building connectivity to Saudi Arabia, in helping the tourism industry to grow in Saudi Arabia and helping