According to the International Air Transport Association, or Iata, the aviation market of the UAE is predicted to grow 170 percent by 2073. It will support about 1.4 million jobs. Also, it will add $128 billion to the county’s economy.
Currently, domestic aviation industry of the UAE supports about 800,000 jobs. Besides, it contributes $47.4 billion to the UAE’s economy forming 13.3 percent of the country’s GDP.
As the UAE government has put the aviation industry at the first place, it is capable of creating additional 620,000 jobs. As well as this, it will add $80 billion in GDP for the UAE’s economy by 2037. In fact, the aviation industry of the UAE is a major strategic asset.
Today, in terms of air trade facilitation, UAE is the number one not only in the Middle East, but also in the world. This is due to factors such as visa openness. Besides, the UAE is an aviation powerhouse and the UAE airlines carry people to all around the world.
In order for the UAE to remain the leading global aviation hub, some factors are vital. For instance, sufficient air space capacity is needed to meet demand. In addition, infrastructure investments and the use of new technology is important.
It is interesting to note that the UAE has experienced an economic evolution over the past 25 years. The aviation industry has been at the heart of this transformation.
Robin Kamark, chief commercial officer, Etihad Aviation Group, has said that the national carrier has a significant role in the evolution of the Middle East. In fact, it turns the region into a travel and tourism hub. Also, it makes the UAE a leader in the global industry of aerospace.
Etihad Airways is the UAE’s national airline. This airline is evolving and looking to some ways to provide the guests with a superior travel experience and also more choice. New and improved technologies can play an important role in achieving this goal.
There are some factors that can lead to more growth for the aviation industry and more value for the UAE. These include aligning infrastructure investments with expected growth, rising the capacity of airspace to meet future demand, and leverage new technology. The last one will enhance efficiency as well as passenger experience.
According to Iata, airspace capacity has caused significant delays, especially in the GCC region. This is because there hasn’t been growth as much as demand. The collaboration of the governments in the region can help solve this problem.
Future infrastructure investments must provide enough capacity to meet market demand and ensure airline technical and service level needs are aligned and remain affordable, Iata study said.
The study argued that fast adoption of new technology and initiatives to integrate aviation with future modes of transportation would enhance the competitiveness of the UAE as an aviation hub.
