The milestone 10th edition of the Arab Aviation Summit (AAS) will open tomorrow (March 15) in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, under the theme ‘Impactful sustainability in modern-day travel and tourism’.

 

The urgent need for decarbonising aviation and travel is a major focus at the aviation industry event that is expected to bring together more than 600 aviation experts and hundreds of attendees across multiple sectors at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre. 

 

The summit will address the impact of climate change and will be the world’s first aviation and tourism event to calculate carbon emissions. 

 

Participants and attendees will also be empowered to participate and offset their journey and carbon emissions calculators, said the organisers.

 

This edition of the summit, which runs until March 16, will see insightful panel discussions by over 70 renowned industry experts from around the region. 

 

The three-daay event is an industry initiative committed to improving the state of Arab aviation and tourism by facilitating a constructive dialogue for public-private cooperation.

 

Described as the ‘voice of the industry’, the AAS marks the partnership of the three key players in the travel and tourism industry - public sector, private enterprises and media.

 

The annual event will highlight the trends, insights and opportunities driving the continuous growth and development of the Arab aviation and tourism industry.

 

The summit is also a catalyst for destination awareness of the host city, highlighting its travel and tourism experience while debating the challenges and opportunities that exist in the wider Arab world.

 

Previous editions of the summit have been held in Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and the UAE. 

 

The event features a line-up of interactive panel discussions and keynote addresses, in addition to various workshops and exhibitions, enabling industry experts to share expertise and knowledge and explore the trends, insights and opportunities driving the continuous growth and development of the Arab aviation and tourism industry.

 

Hosted in collaboration with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the summit will analyse the importance of impactful sustainability and disruptive technologies in a rapidly changing travel market. 

 

It will have a series of workshops and partner networking events that open doors for discussions on opportunities and challenges in the sector. Endorsed by Arab governments, the summit will also feature a business development arena with route development and will be attended by noted leaders in innovation, travel influencers and media personnel, amongst other key industry stakeholders, said organisers.

 

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said: "Hosting the summit for the third consecutive year not only solidifies the emirate as a leading MICE destination in the region but also examines the case for sustainability in tourism. As Ras Al Khaimah gears up to become the regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025, we strongly believe that the entire tourism ecosystem, where aviation plays a leading role, must work hand-in-hand with destinations to deliver a sustainable future for the industry."

 

Frederico Fernandes, Arab Aviation Summit Director, said: "As a critical meeting point for the industry to discuss collaboration as well as opportunities and challenges to advance the sector, the 10th Arab Aviation Summit is an ideal platform to showcase industry insights and best practices as we move in earnest towards making a tangible commitment to sustainable transformation."

 

"At the Summit, leading players will outline scalable solutions that address the key interdependent pillars of the aviation ecosystem to accelerate pathways to a sustainable future," he stated.

 

In addition to RAKTDA, AAS 2023 is supported by global industry partners such as Airbus, Air Arabia, CFM, Collins Aerospace, Turkish Teknik, T3 Aviation Academy, Cirium, Plug and Play, Rolls Royce, Department of  Civil Aviation, Government of Ras Al Khaimah, ENOC, iGA, Arab Air Carriers Organisation, IATA, RAK Airport, and Choose.-TradeArabia News Service