Adel Ali pointed to the projected increase in Middle East's share of global tourism to 4.4% by 2020, and said that the Middle East will lead world passenger traffic growth, with current travel demand up 18%.

According to Mr Ali, with three major emerging markets, including China, India and the CIS countries located in the airline’s backyard, the Middle East is perfectly placed to meet the needs of travellers across the wider region. Each of the areas is currently experiencing sustained passenger traffic increases, and the Middle East can become the hub for this vast region.

Mr Ali also asserted that growth opportunities for the Middle East aviation market are not only linked to geography, but are driven by deregulation and liberalisation, economic diversification and sustained growth, and by the region's demographics, including large expatriate populations in the Gulf states. All of these factors contribute to the success of the region’s aviation and tourism sectors, and have made the area one of the fastest-growing regions in the world in terms of tourism arrivals.

Pointing to the outlook for the LCC segment in particular, Mr Ali said: “While demand is increasing across the sector, the outlook for LCCs is especially bright”. In North America, LCCs market penetration accounts for approximately 25% of the market, whereas in the Middle East, LCCs comprise just 0.1%. This suggests there is significant opportunities for LCCs to expand in the future.

He concluded: “Looking at our geographic advantage, the strength of the region's economies and the demographic trends today, it is clear that the LCC segment here is poised for takeoff”.

Date posted: 29-Jun-07