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The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) participated in the Saudi House initiative during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, held from January 20 to 24 in Davos, Switzerland. The event, organized by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, featured participation from various government entities.

During its participation at the Saudi House, GACA hosted two high-level discussion sessions highlighting investment opportunities through projects and incentives offered by the Kingdom's civil aviation sector. The sessions also emphasized aviation's position as a key driver and supporter within Saudi Vision 2030, showcasing the achievements of the aviation sector strategy and its global transformation, along with unprecedented investment opportunities in the Kingdom launched by the aviation sector strategy aimed at establishing aviation as an economic growth enabler, including the aviation status report.

In a session titled "The Future of Aviation," GACA's Executive Vice President for air transport and international cooperation, Ali bin Mohammed Rajab, emphasized that GACA adopts advanced strategies to attract international investments in the aviation sector by focusing on supporting sustainable growth and innovation through international partnerships, contributing to creating economic opportunities and developing Saudi competencies in the aviation sector.

He noted that the Kingdom's civil aviation sector efforts extend beyond connecting global destinations, as the sector seeks to enhance international cooperation, support sustainability, and affirm the Kingdom's leading position in global aviation innovations.

He stated that the Kingdom confirms its global leadership in civil aviation through its prominent role in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), and by hosting global events such as the Future Aviation Forum 2024, which witnessed the signing of 102 agreements worth $20 billion.

He explained that meeting increasing demand is a major challenge, as manufacturers face order backlogs and airlines struggle with operational capacity constraints. This challenge presents a significant economic growth opportunity, as the Kingdom's aviation sector contributes five times its value to the economic system and requires 279,000 additional jobs to support future expansion plans.

He reported that increased air connectivity has enhanced global trade, tourism, and humanitarian efforts, with the Kingdom's aviation sector recording more than 170 destinations worldwide and increased air cargo capacity (with growth reaching 35% during 2024).

In a discussion session titled "Shaping the Future of Innovation and Investment," GACA's Executive Vice President for strategy and business intelligence, Eng. Mohammed bin Fahad Al-Khuraisi, explained that the National Aviation Strategy focuses not only on infrastructure development but also seeks to transform the civil aviation sector into an engine for innovation, sustainability, and economic growth for the Kingdom and the world, enhancing the Kingdom's leadership role on the international stage."

He addressed the National Aviation Strategy's targets, which aim to connect the Kingdom with more than 250 destinations and increase passenger numbers to 330 million annually. He pointed out that the strategy seeks to attract investments worth $100 billion in the civil aviation sector, including $50 billion for airports and $40 billion for new aircraft purchases, contributing to creating unprecedented opportunities for investment and growth through privatization and public-private partnerships.

Eng. Al-Khuraisi reviewed the investment opportunities and incentives offered by the sector in the Kingdom and the latest developments in major civil aviation projects, including King Salman International Airport in Riyadh with its six runways, along with public-private partnerships to develop Abha, Taif, Hail, and Qassim International Airports. He also highlighted investment opportunities in cargo, logistics, advanced air mobility, commercial aviation, and enabling tourism and business sectors, which play prominent roles in the Kingdom's economy, through the launch of the general aviation roadmap aimed at providing advanced infrastructure, new aircraft, and enhanced services.

The Saudi House pavilion reflects the Kingdom's growing role and effective influence in the international arena, serving as a platform connecting entrepreneurs, change-makers, and innovators to present strategic visions on key areas shaping our world's future.