The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai was a pivotal event for Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, as it witnessed several groundbreaking announcements from the kingdom’s leading airlines, including Riyadh Air, Saudia, and Flynas. The collaborations are integral to the nation’s Vision 2030 ambitions, aiming to expand its aviation footprint, enhance tourist experiences, and bolster economic diversification.
Riyadh Air and Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) partnership
Riyadh Air, the kingdom’s newest carrier (yet to start flying), signed a significant memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Tourism Authority, marking a major step towards enhancing the travel experience to and from Saudi Arabia. This partnership will focus on launching new routes and achieving the ambitious goal of expanding to 100 destinations by 2030. Riyadh Air and STA plan to collaborate on joint marketing activities and sponsorship opportunities, significantly raising Saudi Arabia’s profile on the international stage.
The CEO of STA, Fhad Hamidaddin, highlighted the importance of this partnership in expanding Saudi’s global connectivity. “Increasing Saudi’s connectivity with the world is a vital pillar of our tourism strategy and will ensure we sustain our rapid growth, aiming for 150 million visits by 2030,” he stated. This partnership promises to enhance the visibility of Saudi Arabia’s diverse attractions, including its cool mountains, pristine waters, and dynamic cities, making it an attractive year-round destination.
The partnership will concentrate on several strategic areas to promote tourism and improve service offerings:
- New Routes and Destinations: Riyadh Air and the STA will collaboratively announce new routes and destinations, increasing global awareness and attracting international travellers.
- Joint Marketing Activities: Both entities will co-promote Saudi Arabia and its new destinations, aligning their strategies to draw global attention and inform potential visitors effectively.
- Sponsorship Opportunities: The agreement includes engaging in sponsorship opportunities, leveraging each other’s networks to collaborate with relevant partners and promote tourism in the Kingdom.
- Presence at International Events: Riyadh Air and the STA will maintain a prominent presence at major trade shows and international events, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s tourism hotspots and announcing significant developments.
- Exploration of Loyalty Programmes: Travellers will benefit from the integration of loyalty programmes, enjoying exclusive offers and rewards that encourage further visits to Saudi Arabia with Riyadh Air.
- Enhanced Booking and Payment Solutions: The collaboration will simplify airline booking processes through advanced payment solutions and digital technologies, enhancing the booking experience for guests.
- Involvement in the Tourism Accelerator Programme: Both parties will participate in the Tourism Accelerator Programme, which drives innovation, growth, and sustainability within the tourism sector. This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader National Transport and Logistics Strategy, contributing to the Kingdom’s economic diversification and employment creation as part of Vision 2030.
- Tourism Product Development: Riyadh Air and the STA will jointly develop travel and tourism products, aiming to enhance the overall traveller experience and elevate service standards in the aviation industry.
- Visitor Experience Enhancement: The MoU also includes efforts to collect and analyse feedback from travellers to continually improve services and offerings. This feedback will be crucial in enhancing the overall tourism experience in the Kingdom.
Collaboration with AlUla
In addition to STA, Riyadh Air has entered into a strategic partnership with AlUla. This agreement focuses on leveraging both parties’ strengths to boost tourist volumes and enhance AlUla’s visibility as a premier luxury heritage destination. The partnership will involve creating and distributing distinctive digital content to optimize audience reach through cross-promotional efforts.
Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, highlighted the mutual benefits: “By working together, we can leverage the growing global excitement about AlUla as the Kingdom’s premier luxury boutique heritage destination.”
Saudia and Red Sea Global collaboration
Concurrently, Saudia, the national flag carrier, announced a strategic partnership with Red Sea Global (RSG) to streamline travel experiences for RSG and its affiliates. This collaboration will provide exclusive upfront discounts and special corporate rates across Saudia’s extensive network, reflecting Saudia’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s economic objectives and positioning it as a global tourism hub.
Flynas expands connectivity
Flynas also made significant strides at the ATM by expanding its interline partnership with Emirates. This expanded agreement will open up more travel choices for Flynas customers via Dubai, enhancing connectivity across Saudi Arabia and offering access to Emirates’ global network. This partnership is part of Flynas’s broader strategy to connect the Kingdom with the world, supporting its growth and expansion plans in line with the National Civil Aviation Strategy.
Bander Almohanna, CEO of Flynas, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership’s potential: “We are quite pleased to offer more choices to our customers through Emirates’ wide network. Once the expanded interline partnership is activated, customers will be able to book their travel on the Flynas website, through online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents.”
Bullish outlook
The news from the Arabian Travel Market comes alongside an announcement that Saudi Arabia is set to showcase a new general aviation roadmap, with a plan to increase the business jet segment and drive $2b in total sector GDP by 2030.
The plan will be tabled at the Future Aviation Forum 2024, to be held in Riyadh from May 20-22.
The roadmap will highlight growth strategies in infrastructure, regulation, and market development, supporting Saudi Arabia’s ambitions as a leading business and tourist destination.
His Excellency Abdulaziz Al Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, emphasised that this strategic plan is essential for enhancing the high-value sectors of the Saudi economy, such as tourism and business events.
The 2024 forum is expected to attract 5,000 global leaders in aviation and will include discussions, commercial announcements, and specialist panels, building on the success of previous forums.
