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The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GCAA) presented its general aviation roadmap and initiatives, highlighting their contribution to significantly increasing GDP, aiming to achieve tenfold growth to reach $2 billion by 2030.

This presentation took place during its participation at the Saudi House pavilion as part of the World Economic Forum 2025 annual meeting, held from January 20 to 24 in Davos, Switzerland, organized by the Ministry of Economy and Planning with participation from various government entities.

GACA discussed the sector's future direction through initiatives and programs supporting private aviation to attract global investors, operators, manufacturers, and service providers, strengthening the Kingdom's position as a general aviation hub and aligning infrastructure planning and regulations across the sector. Statistically, it highlighted the importance of private aviation in the Kingdom, reporting 24% growth in flight volume during 2024, with private flights increasing from 19,000 in 2023 to 23,500 in 2024. Domestic flights increased by 26% exceeding 9,200 flights, while international flights rose by 15%, reaching 14,400 flights. The Kingdom's main airports led growth in Saudi private aviation, with King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah seeing a 30% increase in private aviation traffic, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh recording 22% growth, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam showing a 7% increase.

Eng. Mohammed bin Fahad Al-Khuraisi, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Business Intelligence at GACA, stated that the growing private aviation sector is key in supporting the Kingdom's tourism and business sectors, announcing GACA's implementation of a first-of-its-kind investment program to ensure the Kingdom provides advanced infrastructure and unprecedented private aviation services.

He noted that the Kingdom's general aviation roadmap opens the private aviation sector to the world, offering $2 billion in investment opportunities for investors, operators, manufacturers, and service providers in this vital sector.

Eng. Al-Khuraisi mentioned that GACA launched the general aviation roadmap during its participation in the Future Aviation Forum in May 2024, including a comprehensive transformation program to develop the general aviation sector to reach $2 billion by 2030, creating 35,000 jobs.

Eng. Al-Khuraisi stated that the general aviation roadmap focuses on establishing advanced infrastructure and implementing robust regulations to create six airports dedicated to private aviation and nine private passenger terminals for private flights. It also aims to increase the number of service providers and maintenance and repair capabilities for private aircraft. He noted that an agreement was signed last December to make Jubail Airport one of six airports dedicated to general aviation in the Kingdom, with the goal of increasing the sector's current operational capabilities and developing private aviation services.