Aviation Experts Highlight Pivotal Role of Innovation as Regional Passenger Numbers Soar
As passenger numbers in the Middle East are predicted to reach 429 million this year, representing a 5.4% increase on 2019 figures, a panel of aviation experts convened at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) yesterday to discuss how the market is changing, outlining their predictions for the future of air travel. The session, ‘Looking Skyward for Innovation: How Technology is Disrupting Aviation’, was moderated by travel expert Mark Frary and included panelists from Cirium, IATA, AviationXLab, and Riyadh Air.
Research from IATA shows that international passenger traffic increased by 20% in March 2024 compared with the same month last year. According to Kashif Khalid, Regional Director, Africa & Middle East, IATA, innovation is essential for enabling the industry to accommodate this significant growth in air traffic.
Khalid said: “Without innovation, the future will be very challenging. We cannot continue building bigger infrastructure with the level of passengers we anticipate, so we have to look at how we manage passengers and cargo differently through digital solutions and innovation.
On the ground, the industry is working on several innovations, not only to make aviation more sustainable but also to use infrastructure more efficiently. One of these solutions is One ID, where we digitalize tokens for passengers, which enables us to facilitate passengers seamlessly. How we use the traditional infrastructure of airports is going to change dramatically.”
IATA One ID is a digital identity initiative that aims to streamline and enhance passenger travel. The groundbreaking system consolidates a variety of travel documents, such as passports, tickets, and boarding passes, into a single digital token, eliminating the need for multiple physical documents. By providing a unified and efficient identity management solution, IATA One ID enhances security, simplifies check-in processes, and facilitates seamless travel across airports.
During the panel discussion, Kevin Hightower, Vice President of Product, Cirium, stated that data sharing is the key to increasing efficiency in the aviation space and helping the industry accommodate increased demand. Hightower said, “That which is measured can be improved. As we share more data across boundaries, we will start to see the benefits today. Where a decision used to take hours, technologies such as Generative AI enable us to make decisions in seconds.”
Riyadh Air, Saudi’s new national carrier, will launch in 2025 and will be the first digitally native airline, according to Abe Dev, Vice President, Digital and Innovation, Riyadh Air. He said: “Technologies such as AI and cloud computing have matured in the last few years, and so have customer expectations, so we have a unique opportunity to deliver a technology-enabled guest experience that has never been seen before.”
Dev also outlined that Riyadh Air would provide a solid platform for startups to collaborate with the airline, providing further opportunities for innovation. Aviation X Lab, part of Emirates Group, is an aviation-specific incubator based in the UAE, which is already making a significant impact in this area.
Aviation X Lab brings together industry leaders, startups and experts to collaborate on solving key challenges and driving innovation in the aviation sector. Focusing on sustainability, safety, passenger experience and operational efficiency, Aviation X Lab aims to transform the future of air travel through cutting-edge technologies and collaborative partnerships.
“When we look at the travel experience, we look at the passenger journey holistically and try to map out the various touchpoints where technology and innovation can bring advancements,” said Amna Al Redha, Manager, Aviation X Lab.
She added: “We can’t talk about the future without having a sustainability focus – it’s not about being the fastest and biggest anymore; it’s about which aviation companies are going to operate in a sustainable way.”
Video Content Key to Engaging Gen Z Travelers
In an enlightening session on “How To Build Influence with Gen Z in Just 30 Seconds”, Marc-Antoine Simon, Industry Manager, Travel and Tourism – MENA, TikTok, shared insights on the latest trends in community-led marketing, demonstrating how brief yet powerful content can significantly influence travel decisions.
According to research commissioned by Exodus Travels in 2023, only 45% of vacations lived up to or exceeded the perfect picture they had imagined. On average, travelers search through 38 different travel sites to figure out where to go, how to get there and where to book, with 58% admitting to abandoning a booking because the process has been too stressful.
“Travel is one of the most sought-after pursuits in people’s lives, so much so that they would sacrifice just about anything to get away. Unfortunately, the high likelihood of a trip leading to unwanted disappointment is why, ahead of a trip, people go the extra mile to ensure that the reward is maximized and the risk is neutralized,” he explained.
Simon explained that today, this desire to take control of the search experience sees travelers swapping keywords for human words, queries for communities and information for immersion. This allows them to discover, on their terms, and transform a daunting endeavor into an enjoyable journey, proving that travel is at the cusp of a new search era fueled by people.
“Travelers need a search platform that offers fast results with visual content that is mobile and community-led. By creating their own platform, they have eliminated major barriers to travel that once hindered the pre-booking journey, and these communities are making destinations viral overnight,” he added.
A perfect example of the power of user-generated content is Albania, a country often overlooked as a tourist destination. However, in 2022, the country suddenly gained popularity thanks to an influx of videos showcasing its tourism attributes. The impact was significant, with Skyscanner reporting a 44% increase in flight searches to Albania from the UK, and searches from the US also saw a significant uptick.
The expert panel included other notable figures, including Joshua Roche, CEO of Bulla Connect Ltd; Keith Herman, CEO of Trending Travel; and His Excellency Harris Whitbeck, Minister of Tourism Board of Guatemala. Their discussion focused on social media’s pivotal role in influencing Gen Z’s travel decisions and how these platforms can be leveraged to convert interest into tangible tourist engagements.
During the discussion, H.E. Whitbeck highlighted Guatemala’s successful strategies for attracting Gen Z tourists, with a special emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives that align with their values.
“Gen Z is a massive market for Guatemala, being highly educated and curious. With 78 million people using TikTok in Latin America, marketing the destination becomes a blank slate. However, while community-led coverage from Tiktok is welcome, Guatemala would prefer visitors who have a lower impact on our resources. To achieve this, we would need to leverage tools such as AI and Big Data to tailor our messaging to the right audience,” he explained.
As the 31st edition of Arabian Travel Market approaches its final day tomorrow, Thursday, 9 May 2024, at DWTC, more than 2,300 exhibitors from 165 countries and 41,000 attendees from around the world will look to embrace insights such as these to innovate and transform tourism strategies effectively.
Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners are the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.
Experience Abu Dhabi Scoops Best Stand Design Award
Experience Abu Dhabi secured the Best Stand Design Award (over 150m2) at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024. The exhibitor’s stand was praised by ATM’s independent panel of judges for its flowing design, innovative use of greenery and excellent visibility from the show floor.
In the Best Stand Design (50-150m2) category, ExploreTECH was selected by the judges for its slick, two-story concept as well as its efforts to promote partner startups. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration won the Best Stand Design Award (under 50m2) thanks to its traditional yet colorful layout and effective use of space.
Qiddiya Investment Company’s stand won ATM’s inaugural Best Use of Technology Award. Judges commended the interactive digital recreations developed by the organization, which allow attendees to feel as though they are physically present at the planned megaproject in Saudi Arabia.
ATM 2024’s Sustainable Stand Award was presented to AlUla, which paid particular attention to materials reuse, including the carpet selected for the space. The exhibitor integrated a series of QR codes, which enable attendees to access information about the sustainability-related reasons behind its various design choices. Judges were also impressed by AlUla’s pledge to offset emissions from its stand, as well as its approach to visitor engagement – planting a tree for everyone who engages during the show.
This year’s Best Stand for Doing Business Award was presented to the Saudi Tourism Authority, which received praise for effectively showcasing multiple destinations with distinct meeting areas, zones dedicated to the nation’s culture, and an abundance of information points. The award for Best Stand Feature went to flydubai for an innovative design that plays with perspective, making visitors feel like they are flying from one angle while resembling the wings of an aeroplane from another.
Emirates was highly commended in the Best Stand Design Award (over 150m2) category for a stand that created an open feel for visitors, with a layout that allows attendees to enter from any direction.
The judges for the ATM 2024 Best Stand Awards included; Sarah Duignan, Director of Client Relationships, STR; Mo Elhadi, Account Manager MEA, STR; Otag Fida, Senior Project Manager, DXB Live; Kate Harden-England, Editor, Travolution; and Nehme Shehab, Operations Director, RXME.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “It proved extremely challenging to decide on the ultimate winner in many of this year’s Best Stand Awards categories, which just goes to show the level of quality on display at ATM 2024. I am immensely grateful to our independent judges for their time and effort, and I would like to congratulate all this year’s award winners and highly commended exhibitors.”
Best Stand Award winners
- Best Stand Design under 50m2 – Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (AS7555)
- Best Stand Design between 50-150m2 – ExploreTECH (TT4250)
- Best Stand Design over 150m2 – Experience Abu Dhabi (ME0750, ME0720)
- Best Stand for Doing Business – Saudi Tourism Authority (ME1820, ME1730)
- Best Stand Feature – flydubai (ME1020)
- Best Use of Technology – Qiddiya Investment Company (ME1780)
- Sustainable Stand – AlUla (ME1750)
The Best Stand Awards winners were announced on day three of ATM 2024. Elsewhere today, the Future Stage hosted a full program of fascinating innovation-focused sessions including Innovations Shaping the Future of Accessible and Inclusive Travel and Decoding MENA Tourism Potential: Unveiling NextGen Destinations in 2040.
The excitement is building for the ATM Start-Up Pitch Battle tomorrow, which will take place on the Future Stage. Held in partnership with Intelak, the Start-up Pitch Battle provides a platform for travel start-ups to present their innovative, industry-changing business ideas live on stage. The shortlisted companies are Curated Planet, stayK, InterLnkd and ClearQuote Technologies ME Ltd.
Arabian Travel Market concludes on May 9 with the largest edition of the event to date following 4 days of impactful industry discussions and unrivaled networking opportunities across the MICE, leisure, luxury, and corporate travel sectors. The final day will focus on the next generation of travel and tourism talent with the Educating Young Entrepreneurs: Building a Career in Travel session and the Network with Future Leaders event.
ATM 2024 is centered on the theme ‘Empowering Innovation – Transforming Travel through Entrepreneurship’, spotlighting the pivotal role of start-ups and entrepreneurs in shaping the sector’s future. Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners are the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.
eTurboNews is a media partner for ATM.
