Key challenges currently faced by the aviation sector will come under the spotlight at the Aviation and Media Summit 2013 which starts today in Salalah, Oman.

More than 100 editors and media representatives from across the Arab world are expected to gather for the three-day event, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Themed 'Aviation and Tourism: Enabler of Economic Growth,' the summit is aimed at exchanging constructive dialogue between two key stakeholders - industry business leaders and the media fraternity.

Organised by Air Arabia in partnership with Oman's Tourism Ministry, Airbus, CNBC Arabia and CFM, the event will be inaugurated by Oman Public Authority for Civil Aviation chief executive Salem Nasser Said Aufi and Oman's Tourism Ministry Under-Secretary Maitha bint Saif bin Majid Al Mahrouqi.

Al Mahrouqi will also lead a high profile panel of speakers discussing and debating the challenges and opportunities faced by the industry in the wider Arab world.

She will be joined by Oman's Public Authority of Civil Aviation director of aviation regulation and standards and change management office Ahmed Issa Sulaiman Al Zadjali, Oman Air chief executive Wayne Pearce, Air Arabia chief executive Adel Ali, Airbus director strategic marketing and market forecast analysis Andrew Gordon, IATA Gulf area manager Micheal Herrero, Amadeus vice-president Antoine Medawar, ICCA Middle East regional representative and Al Ketbi Consulting president Awadh Al Ketbi, Simpliflying head of operations and innovations Subhodeep Pal and CaveChalk social media managing director Alan Devereux.

Conceptualised and launched by Air Arabia in 2011, the Arab Aviation and Media Summit is the only aviation industry conference dedicated for media representatives in the Arab region. – TradeArabia News Service