VIA DUBAI ENGLISH SEPTEMBER 2018

Monthly Newsletter issued by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority

Inside DCAA DG compliments women’s role

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DCAA recognized for empowering women

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Training course

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Training programme for students

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www.viadubaionline.com

Issue 64 September 2018

Smooth Summer Experience

DCAA INTERVIEW Amna Al Suwaidi

Happiness comes first

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Boeing working on hypersonic airliner

UAE News Emirates becomes first 12 airline to introduce VR seats DAE purchases nine aircraft, leases 26

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Interview Elder Hague Dubai is our extremely important partner

ATM 22

UAE travel & tourism to support 720,000 jobs by 2028 Opinion

Blockchain helping airlines do better

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Building ahead of demand 26

Airlines 23

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Khaw Boon Wan

Cargo & Logistics 24

Making our aviation system safe 20

Daniel K. Elwell

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Technology 26

In life there are many schools for education, but the greatest school is the school of experience.

Sayings by Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Message

from the President

Summer Mission

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very airport experiences peak seasons during annual holidays and festival breaks.

For passengers, airports during busy periods mean long queues, crowds and unavoidable check-ins and baggage clearances. For Dubai, which handled 88.2 million passengers last year, extended summer holidays, year-end breaks and two Eids present a challenging time despite it boosting its capacity and facilities.

Dubai International is equipped to operate 24/7. During the months of June, July and August, Dubai International experiences one of its busiest periods ever in the history of the airport.

The introduction of new travel-related technologies and facilities like online check-ins and Smart Gates, and an inspirational coordination among the stakeholders has helped ensure a safe and easy trip out of the country during the holidays.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Our wealth of experience helped us in the preparations to ensure smooth and safe operations across the board.

The entire operations team had worked closely with all our service partners to ensure a seamless experience, from the moment they arrive at DXB to the moment they leave.

Way back in July 2008, Dubai Airports had launched its annual ‘Summer Mission’ to help the smooth flow of passengers through Dubai International during the busy peak travel season. Our staff and volunteers were deployed across all three terminals to welcome, guide and assist passengers from kerbside to the boarding areas. That spirit still continues. We remain committed to boost the safety, service and capacity levels at our airports.

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In 2007, the functions of the Department of Civil Aviation were restructured. Accordingly, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) was established as a regulatory body, by a decree of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on proclamation of law No. 21 of 2007, as amended by law No. 19 of 2010, to undertake development of Air Transport Industry in the Emirate of Dubai and to oversee all aviation-related activities.

CONTENTS

Inside DCAA 06 DG compliments women’s role

Via Dubai is the official bilingual monthly newsletter of DCAA, designed to highlight the initiatives and developments in the aviation industry and act as a knowledge-sharing platform for all the stakeholders and aviation professionals.

06 DCAA recognized for empowering women

General Supervision Mohammed Abdulla Ahli Coordinator Hanan Al Mazimi Creative Manager Mohammed Al Jarouf

07 Training course

Marketing Manager Fahed Rahmani E-mail: viadubai@naddalshiba.com Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed in the articles are of the writers and not necessarily belong to DCAA. We take all reasonable steps to keep the information current and accurate, but errors can occur. The information is therefore provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness.

The DCAA or Via Dubai does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. Via Dubai does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information mentioned in the newsletter. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional.

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Editorial, Production, PR & Marketing Nadd AlShiba PR and Event Management

DCAA Interview Amna Al Suwaidi

Happiness comes first

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Our Vision

The World Airport, Dubai

Our Mission

Leading and sustaining Civil Aviation Sector by providing capacity, building a competitive edge through innovating, developing people and leaders and achieving customers’ happiness.

Toll Free:80083222 Contact number:+97147770000 Fax:+97142244573 Email: info@dcaa.gov.ae; dcaa@dcaa.gov.ae http://www.facebook.com/dcaadubai

DCAA website:www.dcaa.gov.ae Working Hours:Sunday – Thursday, 0730 - 1430 (GMT+4) Location:Dubai International Airport, Terminal (1), Level (1), Gate no. (4), (Arrivals Side) P.O. Box:49888 Dubai - United Arab Emirates twitter.com/dcaadubai

youtube.com/user/dcaadubai

Message

from the Director General

Vital to the economy

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healthy, well-managed civil aviation sector, supported by good aviation policy-making and regulation, is vital to the economy of every country.

Mohammed Abdulla Ahli

Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) are responsible for the oversight and regulation of civil aviation with a focus on aviation safety, security, airspace policy, economic regulation, efficiency and sustainability.

According to Oxford Economics, the aviation sector contributes US$22 billion— or 28 per cent to Dubai’s economy, which will go up to US$88.1 billion or 45 per cent of the Dubai GDP by 2030.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has been performing diverse duties to ensure that civil aviation remains on the right track. It has in place the most effective policies, rules and regulations concerning almost every aspect of civil aviation.

DCAA’s roles and responsibilities include the implementation of bilateral and multilateral agreements regulating air transport services in the emirate, signing bilateral MoUs, applying environmental protection policies and supervising the implementation of consumer protection legislation in the civil aviation sector.

Helping the DCAA in all matters legal is the Legal Affairs Office which functions under my direct supervision. It is working to develop the DCAA’s business delivery and its legal advice domain. It aims to contribute to the formulation of the general policy of civil aviation in Dubai with a view to fulfilling DCAA’s vision and mission. It has coordinated on the issuance of a law on the Safety and Security of the Airspace of the Emirate of Dubai. We have made benchmarking in relation to legislations and service delivery of legal units, and these involved Dubai Airports and Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The Office’s long-term strategy is to effectively contribute to building an integrated legislative system in the framework of civil aviation, with a view to achieving the vision and mission of the DCAA towards making Dubai home to the best in civil aviation.

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Inside DCAA

DG compliments women’s role

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is Excellency Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has complimented UAE women for their role in achieving the country’s growth and prosperity. In his speech on the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day, HE said: “I am delighted to take the occasion of Emirati Women’s Day as an opportunity to express our pride in the advanced role UAE women have played in

achieving the country’s growth and prosperity. Women in the UAE have always been up to their national responsibility and they have actively and fundamentally contributed to the development process on various levels.

“This is clearly manifested by their pivotal role in building healthy families and preparing creative and ambitious Emirati generations that love their country and strive

to promote it and maintain its achievements, in addition to their active role in all fields and levels of work to the extent they have deservedly occupied some of the highest ranking offices in the State,” he said.

DCAA recognized for empowering women

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E Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, delivered a speech expressing thanks and appreciation to Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak,

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Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, (Mother of the UAE),

for her permanent support of UAE women. This year, H.H. has awarded the Authority a certificate of thanks and appreciation for its role in empowering and encouraging women on an ongoing basis.

Inside DCAA

Sustainable development Training course

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he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) organized a training course for its staff on ‘Communication Skills’.

The course covered topics like the definition of the basics of communication and skills to communicate effectively and using the best ways and how to employ them.

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ears before sustainable development became a global buzzword in the 1980s, the UAE and its visionary founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had practised the principle.

On the UAE’s first Environment Day, he remarked: “We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our country. Our forefathers recognised the need to conserve and preserve it for the succeeding generations.”

The Authority continuously provides a series of training workshops for its employees to enhance their qualifications with the best training programmes.

He exemplified a leader who walked the sustainable development talk. He goes in the history as one of the world’s greatest conservationists. He reintroduced traditional methods of desert agriculture. He gave the country and its leaders a strong sense of environmental stewardship.

Training programme for students

For these efforts, he was the first head of state to ever receive WWF’s highest conservation award, Golden Panda, marking the first time in the award’s history that it had been bestowed on a head of state, was also posthumously recognised by UNEP for the ‘Champion of the Earth’ award.

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Today, the UAE has scores of organisations working for the sustainable development, along with awards that recognizes the efforts towards it. The UAE has many globally recognised initiatives that keep his legacy alive, including Zayed Future Energy Prize and Zayed International Prize for the Environment.

bdul Razzaq Al Hashimi, Director of the Department of Financial and Administrative Affairs, Nouf Abdul Hadi of the American University of Sharjah, participated in the training programme organized by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority in coordination with various universities, colleges and educational institutions.

The programme aims to encourage students to work and engage in the civil aviation sector in various fields, in order to gain experience in this field.

The UAE strives to align the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the UAE’s Vision 2021. The UAE and its people will always be indebted to Sheikh Zayed who truly believed in the principles of ensuring a progressive and sustainable future.

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DCAA Interview

Amna Sulaiman Al Suwaidi, Head of Strategic Planning & Corporate Performance Section, Strategy and Corporate Excellence Department, Chief Happiness Officer, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA)

Happiness comes first

DCAA is on a mission to ensure its employees are happy by being healthy, connected and fulfilled

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hen His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said in July that the “most precious capital for the government is its employees” and that low employee satisfaction rates are “unacceptable”, Amna Sulaiman Al Suwaidi couldn’t agree more.

The Head of Strategic Planning & Corporate Performance Section at the Strategy and Corporate Excellence Department of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA, who is also the organization’s Chief Happiness and Positivity Officer, insists: “Even if you’re a highly profitable company, if your employees are not happy, after some time they won’t produce much.”

DCAA is dedicated to making sure its employees feel happy by being healthy, fulfilled and connected with one another, she adds. “Don’t look at profits first, look at happiness first and the rest will follow.”

Happiness Day, March 20, 2018, we called this team the ‘Happiness Echo’, because we need to know the voices of the employees and the customers.

Excerpts from the interview:

The ultimate goal is for us to make happiness a way of life. To do this we need to create a happy, positive and supportive workplace, without barriers and with trust, where people feel fulfilled and where they have meaningful connections.

What is the role played by members of the Happiness Team?

When we established the Happiness Team, which was on

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The most important role of the Happiness Team is to keep asking questions, listening and taking action accordingly. By this I mean you always have to ask employees how they are doing, whether they’re happy, what they need and what could make things better.

What are the goals of the Happiness Team?

Tell us about the activities that have been set up for the DCAA employees?

The Happiness Team has conducted almost 11 activities so far. One Of them that we had dedicated a place for the employees to relax and enjoy during their short breaks and to divert them from the work load stress to different environment and design.

We pay a lot of attention to employee health and have activities around that. Their health and wellbeing is very important to us. We have internal sports teams, a sports day, as well as wellness checks for diabetes, weight, BMI and blood pressure. We send out messages through our insurance company about checkup promotions. This is important because we want employees to remember to get their regular checkups.

DCAA Interview

In addition, we share positive messages on a regular basis to motivate and inspire. So for example, once a week we send out messages with inspirational quotes from the book of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

We also share positive news like if someone has just graduated or if they’ve had a baby, just to make sure everyone feels connected and shares joyous moments with each other.

That’s the main thing, to connect.

For this we did a lot of winter staff gatherings around bringing people together and breaking barriers around office hierarchy. During the Holy Month of Ramadan, we organized an Iftar as well as visited the community to distribute Iftar meals. In the summer we organized a camp for employees’ children to show and tell them where their parents work and what they do all day.

What is the impact of happiness activities on DCAA staff?

Before the introduction of these activities, the involvement of the people was 40 to 60 percent. Now it’s at 80 to 90 percent, which an

achievement for us. It’s not a matter of just doing activities. If they’re not attending it’s a waste for us and we didn’t achieve the objectives we set out to. But whenever we do an activity we take pre- and postfeedback where we ask: how can we do better, what are your views, do you like such activities? So far people are very accepting and very happy.

At every meeting they now bring new happiness ideas on how to make us all work together and be more productive. Some people even started games in their department, they did handmade gift exchanges and a happiness quiz. So everyone is engaging and getting to know each other better.

This was not the case before. Earlier people just came, did their work and left as soon as it was time to go home. Now in fact, they don’t even look at the clock and often work till after hours.

They also feel comfortable coming to us with concerns and requests. For example, one of the comments that came to us is that the personal time as per HR policy was not adequate.

As per policy they could take two

hours, four times per month. But they said two hours is not enough for to do personal errands, especially considering Dubai’s traffic. So we did a poll and employees responded saying they would like to have three hours, three times a month. We got approval and immediately updated the policy.

What are your future plans?

For some of our employees who want to go to Umrah pilgrimage but are not able to due to various circumstances, we are organizing to take them with our own budget.

Also, because it’s the Year of Zayed and we want all people to recognize the wisdom of our past leader, we will also organize a trip to various UAE heritage sites to show how Abu Dhabi and the UAE started out and proceeded to build this modern country.

In addition, we plan to extend our efforts to the wider community with initiatives that relate to both our strategy as well as the happiness program in terms of how we can help make travel easier.

We are always trying to do something new, creative and beneficial. Our inspiration for this is our great leader His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It’s rare that leaders are focused on the happiness of people more than government results.

But he’s announced to the world that the most valuable assets in the government is its people. If the people are not happy we won’t be achieving what we aim to achieve.

September 2018

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Cover Story

Smooth Summer Experience D

ubai International handled with ease the high-volumes of passenger traffic in the summer months this year.

This year’s summer season included two Eid holidays, occasions when people utilize for a much-needed break from their work schedules.

Dubai Airports, in collaboration with airlines and other strategic partners, took measures, including a public awareness campaign and the deployment of additional resources across the airport facilities, to ease the passenger flow during the summer season.

With Dubai airport boosting its capacity and facilities, the emirate could overcome the challenging time once again. Dubai is home to the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. Around 100 airlines operate from it over 7,700 weekly flights to over 270 destinations across all inhabited continents.

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Right from the month of May, thousands of residents, who hail from over 180 countries, started jet-setting from Dubai International on their annual vacations, or for a trip back to their home country and other holiday destinations. So much was the rush that DXB faced one of its busiest days of 2018.

Dubai International, expected to welcome 90 million passengers this year, had witnessed June 28th as the busiest day for travel this year. The first weekend of July was also turned out to be a popular time to travel for residents, as the majority of local UAE schools break-up for summer. A total of 1.1 million travellers passed through the gates of DXB in those dates alone.

The airport began preparations many weeks ago to ensure a seamless

journey for passengers, from the moment they arrive at DXB to the moment they leave. People checking in and travelling through and arriving

Cover Story

went on smoothly as Dubai was well equipped with the facilities to manage the influx through its well-equipped terminals.

The facilities included Dubai Duty Free (DDF), the world’s largest single-location facility, which offers the best items from across the board. Then there is a wide variety of F&B outlets, internationally-famous coffee shops and restaurants, fitness centres, massage parlours, spas, pharmacies, Marhaba meet-andgreet services and support services for the unaccompanied minors and elderly people. Travellers enjoy special discounts at several shopping and entertainment places.

Handling the baggage of such a large number of passengers too went smoothly with the help of three distinct baggage systems in the terminals, their combined length being 175km with the capacity to handle around 25,000 bags in a single hour. Dubai Airports has the largest baggage handling system in the world, capable of handling 150 million bags annually. Immigration check too was a pleasant experience

for passengers through the use of the latest technologies like Smart Gates, to expedite their journey.

Remarked His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group: “Dubai International is better equipped to operate 24/7. Introduction of new travel-related technologies and facilities helped ensure a safe and easy journey. We remain committed to boost the safety, service and capacity levels at our airports. We are proud that it was a successful season and we did the best thanks to everyone’s efforts. Dubai ensures the world the best travel experience. The secret of Dubai’s success is the teamwork among all its strategic partners.”

Passenger numbers at Dubai International topped 43.7 million in the first half of 2018, up 1.6 per cent compared to 43,054,268 passengers recorded during the corresponding period in 2017. Dubai International recorded its second busiest month ever surpassing the eight million passenger

mark in July. The airport clocked monthly traffic exceeding eight million passengers on three other occasions last year – in January (8.03 million), July (8.06 million) and August (8.23 million). Passenger numbers in July totalled 8,207,987, up 1.8 per cent compared to 8,065,789 recoded in July 2017. By 2020, passenger numbers at Dubai Airports will grow to 100 million travellers annually.

At Dubai International, every day is a busy one and it is working towards enhancing efficiencies across the board.

It is working to ensure faster passenger flow and better customer experience.

To get real-time insights and drive efficiency across the airport, the authorities has been putting sensors everywhere: 3D cameras for measuring queues and security processes, metal detectors, baggage systems, and X-ray machines. Dubai Airports aims to deliver the world’s fastest airport Wi-Fi. To ensure that passengers are able to access the free, 200 MB internet with zero black spots, the authorities monitors all the access points in real time -with up to 20,000 people connected at any one time.

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UAE in Focus

Emirates becomes first airline to introduce VR seats

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mirates Airlines added another world’s first to its credit by introducing Virtual Reality (VR) technology to let flyers check out seats, airplane even before boarding the aircraft.

Being able to check in online and choose seats prior to departure is a great way to travel. It doesn’t just take away the hassle of standing in long queues at the airports, it also helps ensure that one gets the aisle, window or whatever seat they prefer.

The award-winning airline has introduced three-dimensional (3D) seat models on its portal, allowing passengers to check out in advance the plane they have booked -- before even boarding the aircraft.

Using the VR technology, flyers can simply go to the airline’s website on their desktop or mobile phone and visualize the interior of the Emirates A380 and the Emirates Boeing 777.

It is an immersive experience, as customers can virtually enter the plane and scrutinize the interiors.

DAE purchases nine aircraft, leases 26 Etihad narrows annual loss; sales up 1.9%

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he Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has reported 22 per cent reduction in full-year operations losses as sales rose 1.9 per cent to US$6.1 billion last year The state-owned carrier will continue to monitor capacity and review its route network after posting its second consecutive fullyear loss, it said. Rising oil prices could provide a boon to its oil-rich home base and boost corporate bookings.

The carrier is undergoing a structural and strategy change amid a company-wide review as it backs away from a growth policy of buying minority stakes in global airlines. Last year it withdrew from troubled Air Berlin and Alitalia, who filed for insolvency.

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September 2018

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ubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) have purchased nine aircraft and completed 26 leasing transactions, during the second quarter of 2018.

It sold 16 aircraft portfolio valued at around US$900 million to three parties. The aircraft leasing company also signed an unsecured revolving credit facility worth up to US$800 million.

In terms of deliveries, DAE delivered the first of five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to Brazil’s GOL, and delivered the first two of five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to Gulf Air.

UAE, Kiribati to finalise ASA by year-end

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he UAE and the Republic of Kiribati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate an Air Services Agreement (ASA).

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says the agreement was part of its policy to strengthen

bilateral air relations with various countries to create more operational opportunities for local airlines. The agreement will also encourage economic cooperation and trade exchange between the two nations. The two governments will undertake finalise the agreement by the end of 2018.

UAE in Focus

Emirates aims high with vertical farm facility

Air Arabia takes delivery of two A320 aircraft

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he Sharjah-based low cost carrier, Air Arabia, has taken delivery of two Airbus A320, the latest addition to the fleet brings the airline’s total number of operating jets to 53

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early 70 per cent of the world’s fresh water is used for agriculture and soil-based farming. The UAE is one of the 10 most water-scarce countries in the world, but it has one of the highest per capita water usages globally - 550 litres per person per day, more than double the global national average of 250 litres per person per day. Approximately 85 per cent of UAE’s food is currently imported from

Adel Al Ali, Chief Executive of Air Arabia, says the delivery of latest aircraft from Airbus marks a significant step in the development of the airline’s fleet expansion strategy. abroad. A recent report by the UAE government estimates that the UAE’s food consumption will reach 59.2 million tonnes by 2021.

The UAE is one of the countries most affected by water shortage, and farming on the land there is a problematic endeavour. Now, Emirates Airlines has whipped up an innovative solution.

Etihad to start Barcelona services from November

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tihad Airways will operate five times a week service to Barcelona from the third week of November 21.

This is the second city in Spain served by the Abu-Dhabi based airline, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid. A two-class Airbus A330200 will be deployed on the route before becoming a daily operation from March 31 next year.

The new link will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient timings to travel between Abu

Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia.

Barcelona has recently been ranked by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as the city which hosted the most international association meetings in the world in 2017, overtaking Paris, Berlin and Vienna to claim first place for the first time since 2004.

The Airbus A320s arrived on schedule from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, marking the completion of all deliveries this year.

Arabian Gulf airlines among most ‘affordable’ globally

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ed by Etihad Airways, Arabian Gulf carriers are among the world’s most economical among the Top 200 airlines for international routes.

According to Global Flight Pricing Report by Melbourne-based travel planning site Rome2rio, Etihad is the sixth cheapest airline followed by Oman Air at 11th, Kuwait Airways at 17th, Gulf Air at 23rd and Emirates at 25th among AGCC carriers.

All these Gulf carriers were more economical than Pakistan International Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Philippine Airlines, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, Swiss and American Airlines among others.

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Interview

Elder Hague, President and CEO, Indra Navia AS

Dubai is our extremely important partner

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n an interview with Via Dubai, Elder Hague, President and CEO of Indra Navia AS, talks about the ways the long-established company in working towards the better management of soaring air traffic globally through innovation and technology

Indra Navia has been in the business for a century now, providing communication, navigation and tower solutions for the world’s leading airports and ANSPs. Isn’t it an exciting time to be in aviation taking into account the fast pace of technology and innovation?

Absolutely, Indra Navia has been at the forefront of innovation for the last 100 years. We have been pioneers in the aviation industry early on and later in the Air Traffic Management field, lead with new

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technology developments the last decades. We see that it is through this innovation that we are able to keep ahead of our competition and maintain our reputation as one of the most reliable ATM equipment manufacturers in the world.

Indra Navia has been involved with Dubai airports developments. Indra Navia assisted the Dubai Airports in establishing a reliable Instrument Landing System (ILS) capability. How has been your

journey with Dubai which wants to be the aviation capital of the world?

The journey with Dubai Airports has been an interesting one. Dubai Airports has seen enormous growth the past twenty years, and we have been fortunate to be a part of that growth. Growth means change and change is often difficult to manage.

The partnership with Dubai Airports has helped our organization become more flexible and able to adapt quicker to changing situations and environments.

Interview

There are other airports in the Middle East which are also active in the development. Are you working in other countries of the region?

Being a global player, it is no secret that we are working in other countries in the region as well as other regions. We have been successful in the other Emirates as well as neighbouring countries to the UAE. Our latest success, although through Indra Sistemas has been in Abu Dhabi with the GCAA and SANDS in Saudi Arabia.

We continue to focus on customers and partners who see the benefit of aligning themselves with a professional company like ours.

What is your biggest market in the Middle East?

For Indra Navia our biggest market in the Middle East has been Dubai Airports. Although there may have been some large individual contracts in other countries. The portfolio of expansion, upgrading and delivery of new technologies from Indra Navia in Dubai over the years makes Dubai an extremely important partner.

Indira Navia participates actively in Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR). How your company is facilitating the modernization of ATM capabilities and ensure that technology is state-of-the-art?

Indra Navia, together with Indra Sistemas in Spain, are the leading technology partner with the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU) and the SESAR project. Indra is one of the most prominent enterprises involved in SESAR 2020, the second phase of one of the world’s most ambitious air traffic R&D programs. The company is taking part in nearly every single project at

the beginning of this phase and in two cases it is the project leader.

The technology developed for SESAR will transform air travel in Europe by facilitating a threefold increase in air traffic management capacity, improving safety by a factor of 10, reducing the environmental impact by 10%, and cutting the costs of navigation services by 50% What future holds for us in terms of advanced technologies in voice communication and airport surveillance?

Since innovation and investment in research and development are at the core of Indra’s philosophy, it is natural that we are involved in advancing new technologies in all fields of Air Traffic Management including voice communication.

Indra is represented in the European working group defining the future requirements for voice communication systems.

Indra Navia is involved with the first simulation test to remotely control three airports. This is the first step within SESAR towards a remote tower solution for controlling multiple airports, improving regional mobility in Europe. How is the project progressing?

The project for testing and evaluating operations for multiple airport operations in a remote tower environment is progressing well. Since these concepts are new they need to be fully tested and verified before being available for implementation into operational use.

The first round of evaluations were successful and raised a number of questions, scenarios and situations,

which are being discussed by the various stakeholders. The results of these discussions will be tested and verified in the next evaluation, which will be completed in the future.

What is Indra Navia’s turnover target or business expectations by the year 2020, for the Middle East and worldwide?

Indra Navia will follow the growth within the Air Traffic Management industry. Our ambition is to continue to be a strong player globally and regionally in the Middle East. We believe we are well positioned with our portfolio of solutions and technologies to achieve this ambition.

In addition to our traditional ATM business, we also see the emergence of Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as an area of interest. Many concepts are currently being evaluated, where drones are used to support commercial activities.

We see the need for some sort of coordination for Drones similar to the coordination Air Navigation Services providers do for commercial airline operations.

September 2018

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Middle East News

Embraer ramps up Middle East sales pitch

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mbraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, executive and agricultural aircraft and provides aeronautical services, is boosting efforts to woo Middle East buyers for its aircraft.

The world’s third largest aircraft manufacturer joined other planemakers is optimistic about its discussions with prospective customers in the region for the latest version of its E-jet series, John Slattery, Chief Executive of Embraer, told The National. Recently, it appointed a new executive in Dubai to strengthen its regional sales effort.

E2 is Embraer’s latest re-engined family of 70 to 130-seat passenger jet.

Dammam airport to double capacity

Over 10 million to use Beirut airport by 2020

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ebanon’s only functioning international airport saw an 8.23 percent increase in air passengers in 2017 and is expected to welcome 10 million passengers through its doors by 2020.

After hitting the 7.6 million passengers mark in 2016, a high of 8.23 million flyers used Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport last year.

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ammam airport, one of the 26 airports in Saudi Arabia with commercial services and the country’s third-largest hub, has finalised the master plan for its expansion.

The hub will undergo significant expansion as it plans to more than double capacity by 2025 to handle an expected surge in passenger traffic as the kingdom invests in tourism and entertainment projects to transform its oil-reliant economy.

King Fahd International Airport, the Kingdom’s eastern hub in Dammam, will expand its current terminal to 30 million passengers annually, up from 12.6 million currently, as part of a multi-phased master plan that may include a new terminal.

Saudi aviation market in major growth phase

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audi Arabia’s aviation market has entered a new phase of rapid growth, facilitated by liberalisation.

Saudi Arabia recorded eight per cent passenger growth in 2017 and the rate of growth could reach the double digits over the next several years.

Five airlines now serve the domestic market, compared to only two airlines two years ago.

Intensifying competition has led to lower fares, simulating demand and leading to faster growth.

The international market is expanding rapidly and has an even brighter outlook, driven primarily by rising inbound demand as

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Saudi Arabia focuses on tourism as part of a diversification strategy. Aviation is also a major priority for the government. In an analysis, the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) said passenger traffic at

Saudi Arabia airports could reach 100 million in 2018, up from 92 million a year earlier. Saudia is the market leader, and as a group now accounts for more than 70 per cent of domestic capacity.

September 2018

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International News

Cardiff Airport plans new terminal

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ardiff Airport has unveiled its vision for the next 20 years.

The Master Plan features among other things a new terminal and transport hub. The plans are to develop the airport over the next two decades, with the aim of growing the current 1.5 million passengers a year.

The new terminal will be based on two-levels and has a total Gross Internal Floor Area of approximately 40,000 square metres.

The plan is based on robust forecasting and planning assumptions by the airport and is designed to deliver the infrastructure needed to support the key milestones: achieving two million passengers by 2021, 2.5

AirAsia to bid for Clark Airport contract million passengers by 2027, three million passengers by 2036 and 3.2 million by 2040 It is planned that the new terminal will be connected to the hotel and car park. A phased delivery of the plans will ensure the airport remains operational while the new terminal is built. Once completed, the existing terminal will be demolished and the area used for aircraft stands.

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alaysia’s AirAsia Group will bid on an operation and maintenance contract for Clark International Airport in the Pampanga province of the Philippines.

The Group’s Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the group, together with its subsidiaries in Indonesia and the Philippines, would be bidding for the airport’s 25-year operation and maintenance contract.

Zimbabwe begins US$153 million Mugabe airport’s upgrade

It has plans to build a big east ASEAN hub, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

imbabwe has commissioned the US$153 million Robert Gabriel Mugabe (RGM) International Airport upgrading and rehabilitation project, as the government modernises the country’s infrastructure to meet world standards.

Travel prices to rise sharply in 2019

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September 2018

The project includes expansion of the international terminal building and aprons, installation of four new air bridges, a secondary radar system, construction of a VVIP pavilion, an airfield ground lighting system and communication systems. The project is anticipated to take three years to complete and brings with it employment opportunities for Zimbabweans. The upgrade is being funded through a concessionary loan from China Exim Bank. The contractor is China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Corporation (CJIETCC), the firm behind the successful upgrading of Victoria Falls International Airport completed in 2016.

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ravel prices are expected to rise sharply in 2019, with hotels going up 3.7 per cent, and flights 2.6 per cent, driven by a growing global economy and rising oil prices, according to the fifth annual Global Travel Forecast, published by GBTA and CWT with the support of the Carlson Family Foundation.

The 2019 forecast also shows the trends and developments that will shape the business travel industry.

Daxing International Airport - China © ADP Ingénierie & Zaha Hadid

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September 2018

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Opinion

Building ahead of demand P

rojecting aviation traffic correctly is a very difficult task.

It is especially challenging for the Changi Airport where transiting passenger numbers are significant.

After completing Terminal 1 (T1) in 1981, we kept our eyes keenly on international aviation growth and its demand on airport capacity. As airport infrastructures require a lot of time to build, we started to plan and build early, comfortably ahead of capacity demands.

Building ahead of demand is indeed one of Singapore’s economic success factors. For global business, if you don’t have the capacity to serve, you lose business to your competitors. But building ahead of demand requires sound judgement.

The aviation industry is unpredictable, subject to so many disruptions, including oil prices and at times, unhelpful Governmental interventions.

Adhering to straight line projections may end up with white elephants. We must be sensitive to potential disruptions and be ready to make strategic changes promptly when warranted.

Today, with T1, T2, T3 and T4, Changi can carry up to 82 (Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA).

But with continuous aviation growth, this will not be sufficient.

That is why we will be expanding

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T2 and have started to plan for T5. T5 is not just another terminal building. T5 will actually be our second airport. To manage the risk of disruptions, we are designing T5 in scalable modules and to build them in phases.

This is a practical approach to avoid over-investment and being caught wrong-footed, should our projections turn awry.

The T4 is beautiful and a handsome building and its operations, since the soft opening last year, have proven it to be an outstanding and popular terminal.

We now have a great building to deliver a great service. With intensive global competition, our ability to serve well is what will distinguish us from the others and make our projections come true.

Excerpts from a speech at the official opening of Terminal 4, Changi Airport

Khaw Boon Wan Minister of Transport Singapore

Opinion

Making our aviation system safe T

he Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is turning 60.

Aviation didn’t start out as the safest form of transportation in the world. The earliest years of flight were filled with trial and error.

Over the last twenty years, commercial aviation fatalities in the US have decreased by 95 percent. The US went more than nine years and two months without a passenger fatality in commercial aviation. That’s about 90 million flights. And one life lost.

Everything good that’s happened in aviation safety over the last few decades is thanks to the FAA. Regulation alone can’t achieve the kind of results we demand for aviation. The relationship that exists between the FAA and the industry it regulates is the driving force behind our unprecedented safety record. When an incident occurs in the system, it doesn’t just happen to one airline. It shakes the public’s confidence in the entire industry.

we monitor the situation to make sure the solution works. In most cases, airlines adopt our safety measures voluntarily. Because everybody operating within the aviation industry shares the same goal: making our system as safe as possible. And that’s allowed us to build an environment of mutual trust.

We have entirely new classes of users asking for airspace access.

Drones and commercial space vehicles are here. A lot of these companies don’t have experience working in the aviation business.

They don’t understand the culture we’ve built, and how important it is. So it’s incumbent upon us to welcome them into the fold. And to share the lessons we’ve learned.

Daniel K. Elwell Acting Administrator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) United States

Excerpts from the speech at the ALPA Annual Air Safety Forum

The FAA and the aviation industry have worked together to create a safety culture that’s built on three key ideas: voluntary reporting, risk management and effective mitigation.

We work with the airlines to develop safety enhancements that will mitigate the risk. Then

September September 2018 2018

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ATM

European air traffic delays mounting

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he International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade body for the world’s airlines, representing 290 airlines or 82 per cent of total air traffic, says European airline delays “have more than doubled” this year.

It said failure to address the issue by governments and air traffic control providers will leave the industry unable to prevent increasing delays. According to IATA, new data shows that in the first half of 2018, Air Traffic Management (ATM) delays more than doubled to 47,000 minutes per day, 133 percent more than in the same period last year.

UTM to manage Czech Hong Kong’s new ATC system is safe and reliable Republic’s busiest airspace ince its full commissioning in November 2016, the new Air Traffic

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irMap, the world’s leading airspace management platform for drones, has announced that its Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) services are being deployed

by Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic (ANS CR) to deliver situational awareness and authorization capabilities to the country’s growing community of drone operators. ANS CR is deploying AirMap UTM to manage authorizations for drone flights in the controlled airspace around Václav Havel Airport Prague.

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Management (ATM) System has, on numerous occasions, demonstrated its capability to handle challenges brought about by adverse weather conditions, holiday traffic peaks and contingency situations. A record-breaking number of flights were handled last August.

The total number of movements handled by the new ATMS between November 2016 and October 2017 increased by 6.7 per cent year on year, said Raymond Li, Assistant Director General of Civil Aviation (Air Traffic Management).

NATS to recruit over 200 trainees a year

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ATS, the UK’s main air traffic service provider, has launched a recruitment drive as Scotland’s airports gear up for one of the busiest rush periods on record.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) want students who are about to receive their exam results to consider becoming air traffic controllers (ATCs). It is responding to a predicted surge in flight numbers. It expects that by 2030, 355 million passengers will fly to and from the UK on over 3.1 million flights - an additional 500,000 extra flights per year.

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Airlines

Airlines making billions from Frequent Flyers programmes

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new report by an airline industry analyst suggests airlines are making billions by selling frequent flyer points to banks, so they can use the points to entice customers to use credit cards--an amount that potentially rivals what they make from the traditional travel part of their business.

Delta hiring 8,000 pilots

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elta, the world’s second largest airline which flew 146 million passengers last year, is seeking 8,000 pilots over the next decade.

The largest airliner by assets value and market capitalization runs a mainline fleet of 887 aircraft flying to more than 490 destinations in 87 countries.

The Atlanta-based airline is allowing employees to take leave to train as a pilot.

It is asking flight attendants, ticket agents and other employees to consider taking a seat at the cockpit controls on an unpaid leave of absence to attend flight school. On the other end: a job flying a Delta jet.

Delta estimates it will need to hire more than 8,000 pilots over the next decade, as its ranks of more than 13,000 pilots thin due to the federally mandated retirement age of 65, or leave for other companies.

Boeing, the world’s largest airplane manufacturer, estimates a global need for 637,000 new pilots by 2036, 18 percent of them in North America.

What’s more, he thinks the airlines ought to spin off their frequent flyer programmes into separate companies.

Malaysia Airlines too need more pilots

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alaysia’s national carrier is targeting to normalise its operations by early 2019 and has already recruited 62 new pilots.

Malaysia Airlines needs an additional 150 pilots to stabilise its systems from the current 927 pilots operating its fleet. The carrier, which is still going through an organisational turnaround, and driving very high available seat per kilometres, has already been hit by a shortage of pilots in mid-second quarter of this year.

For the next 10 years, the industry requires a very huge influx of pilots, estimated at 255,000 in Asia Pacific from now until 2035. Airline bosses need to be 10 years ahead or else they will be caught with pilot shortages, an official said. Besides it, other global airlines such as Qantas, Qatar, Cathay Pacific are also facing pilot shortages, he said.

Singapore Airlines named world’s best

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ingapore Airlines has been named the world’s best airline for the fourth time in the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, with Emirates Airlines bagging the fourth position.

The carrier also took out the awards for best first class, best airline in Asia and best first class seat. The awards were announced in London, coinciding with the Farnborough Air Show.

The awards are based on surveys of more than 20 million travellers,

who rated more than 335 airlines between August 2017 and May 2018.

Singapore Airlines knocked off last year’s winner, Qatar Airways, for the top spot. Asian airlines dominated the list, with seven of the top 10 coming from the region. Lufthansa was the only European airline to make the list.

In October, it will re-launch the world’s longest flight route by resuming non-stop services between Singapore and New York.

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Cargo & Logistics

Wildlife traffickers highly dependent on commercial air transport

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wildlife products from 2009 to 2017, finding trafficking instances in at least 136 countries worldwide.

The report, In Plane Sight: Wildlife Trafficking in the Air Transport Sector, produced as part of the USAID ROUTES Partnership, analysed global airport seizures of illegal wildlife and

New data from 2017 shows a massive spike in rhino horn seizures, which nearly tripled from 2016 numbers. The seizure data indicate that wildlife traffickers moving ivory, rhino horn, reptiles, birds, pangolins, marine products, and mammals by air tend to rely on large hub airports all over the world.

new analysis of global wildlife trafficking seizures in the air transport sector reveals that wildlife traffickers are highly dependent on commercial air transportation systems to smuggle endangered wildlife.

SF Airlines opens air cargo line from Shenzhen to Chennai

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F Airlines, a Chinese cargo airline, has opened its international air cargo line from Shenzhen to India’s southern port city of Chennai, serving as an expansion of its international air cargo business. The line is undertaken by B767-300 freighter, which is considered as the longest international aircraft of SF Airlines till now. The company is headquartered

in the International Shipping Centre of Bao’an International Airport in Guangdong province, Shenzhen, China. The airline currently operates a fleet of 48 aircraft.

SF Airlines has continued to expand its fleet and add new services, while details have emerged of its plans to open its own airport.

Global air cargo market to be worth US$130.12 billion by 2025

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he concept of Air cargo is any goods or commodities carried in an aircraft. Air cargo are defined in two segments such as air freight and airmail. The air freight segment of the global air cargo market is expected to hold the major market share during the forecast period and is estimated to bring in revenues of nearly US$98.81 billion by the end of 2020.

Factors such as rapid development of businesses, building of cargo hubs, and rapid growth of the e-commerce business model is expected to drive the prospects for growth in this market segment. The global air cargo market is expected to reach a valuation of US$130.12 billion by the end of 2025. During the forecast period of 2017 and 2025, the global market is expected to surge at a CAGR of 4.9 per cent.

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Chinese courier companies explore air cargo market

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hinese private courier companies are increasingly investing in the air freight business to offer swifter deliveries.

Shanghai YTO Express has signed a contract with the municipal government of Jiaxing in the eastern province of Zhejiang to build an air logistics hub at the Jiaxing airport.

With a total investment of US$1.06 billion, the hub will start construction before the end of 2018, and it is expected to be operational in 2021.

Jiaxing is an ideal place to build the air cargo hub and a centre for China’s courier business and many major cities are within a three-hour flight distance from the city.

Cargo & Logistics

Air Canada Cargo first to obtain CEIV-Live Animal certification

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ir Canada Cargo has become the first to obtain IATA’s CEIV-Live Animal certification – the newest denomination within IATA’s Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) portfolio of cargo-handling frameworks, a project that the airline “played a key role in helping to pilot.”

IATA’s CEIV certifications provide standardization for the movement of sensitive cargo – the most widely known being the CEIV-Pharma cert for the safe transport of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.

Oslo Airport to operate new seafood facility

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orwegian hub Oslo Airport (OSL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) for the operation of a new onsite seafood centre.

Oslo Airport was the fastest growing airport in cargo traffic last year, increasing its volume by 36 percent from the year before to about 185,000 tonnes. Much of that traffic – about 90,000 tonnes – is attributable to seafood exports from the region, which is one of the top exports of the Norwegian economy behind petroleum products.

WFS, the ground-handling giant, is present at more than 196 major airport in 22 countries, servicing international carriers like American, Delta, Lufthansa, Air China and Emirates.

Ethiopian and DHL forms a logistics joint venture

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HL Global Forwarding, a leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services, will be collaborating with the largest aviation group in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines, to form a joint venture company – DHL-Ethiopian Airlines Logistics Services, to build the Leading Cargo Logistics provider Joint Venture firm in Africa.

The joint venture will be based in Ethiopia, and businesses will include the entire continent of Africa. Thus, enhancing Ethiopia’s logistics infrastructure and connections. The two companies have signed a new agreement to form the joint venture company. Ethiopian Airlines, which assumed a majority stake in the joint venture, will provide regulatory and operational support as DHL Global Forwarding establishes air, ocean, and road freight connections between Ethiopia’s main trade hubs and the rest of the world.

Blue Dart opens aviation hub in Chennai

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lue Dart, a leading logistics services provider and a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has launched an aviation hub in Chennai.

The new facility will also house the headquarters of Blue Dart Aviation, India’s only commercial cargo airline, which has a dedicated fleet of six B757-200 freighters and a capacity of 500 tonnes every night, operating across 73 flight sectors daily.

The hub boasts of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security-approved security screening with its own X-Ray machines, equipment and dedicated manpower, said a company press release.

The hub is located at the Blue Dart Aviation Terminal at Chennai’s old international airport with both air and land side access. It is equipped to carry out in-house engineering line maintenance for its fleet of aircraft, and has regulatory approval for security screening.

It also has dedicated manpower and parking space for its own freighters.

Charles Brewer, CEO, DHL eCommerce, said: “We see immense potential in India across many fast-growing industries such as e-commerce, banking and financial services, automotive, pharmaceuticals and more. These industries demand high-quality, fast, seamless logistics to support their growth.

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Technology

Blockchain helping airlines do better T

he world’s airlines, which carries over three billion passengers and contribute US$665 billion annually to the global GDP, must be flexible — yet systematic — to compete in the industry, where the efficiency of their chain of operations determines their bottom line.

Airlines and airports are functioning on outdated methods of information collection and distribution, using many isolated operating systems where data exchange can be timely and unsecure.

Major competitors have recognized how the characteristics of the aviation industry align with blockchain, which has the potential to streamline data sharing among information silos in airports to create a seamless and secure travel experience.

The world’s leading airport communications and information technology specialist, SITA, has tackled the simple and prevalent issue of corresponding flight delay information in airports. It has designed a private permissioned blockchain to conduct trials and track over two million flight changes between British Airways, Geneva Airport, Heathrow and Miami Airport.

A subsidiary of Lufthansa, the largest airline in Europe, launched the initiative Blockchain for Aviation (BC4A) in an effort to compile potential applications of the technology and create industry standards for its use.

A French insurance company, AXA, is utilizing smart contracts to automate compensation to passengers whose flights are delayed. Russia’s biggest domestic airline, S7, partnered with Alfa Bank to launch a blockchain platform to issue tickets.

Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines have partnered with the Swiss-based non-profit Winding Tree, which is using blockchain to power a decentralized travel distribution network to make travel more cost effective and profitable for customers and providers.

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The private blockchain will reduce the settlement time between the airline and agents selling the tickets from 14 days to 23 seconds.

An Atlanta-based airline software company, Volantio, piloted a new program for United Airlines in lieu of an overbooking debacle that resulted in a passenger being forcibly removed from a flight.

Volantio is also partnered with Emirates, Alaska Airlines, Ethiopia Airlines and Jetstar, among others — and its innovation may prove to be essential in eliminating lastminute negotiations at the gate, which inevitably delay flights and are costly to airlines.

Technology

UK leads in next revolution in electric and hybrid planes

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he aerospace sector in the UK will be propelled into a new era of cleaner, greener flight through industry and government investment, the Business and Energy Secretary said.

From the total investment, £255 million – supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) - will go towards 18 new research and technology projects, including the development of cleaner and greener hybrid aircraft.

To support small and medium-sized companies, £68 million of the funding will be made available to increase research and development opportunities,

with £20 million to drive improvements in long-term productivity across the sector. The projects will not only help maintain the UK’s existing strengths in aerospace but also position the UK as a world leader for some of the most technologically advanced aircraft that will transform the face of aviation including electric aircraft, hybrid-electric propulsion systems, and future materials for aircraft manufacturing.

A major beneficiary of the latest research and development funding is the revolutionary E-Fan X project. The project brings together Airbus, RollsRoyce and Siemens to develop a flying electrical demonstrator which will form the foundation for future electrical

Boeing working on hypersonic airliner

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ypersonic passenger travel still seems more like dreamy work of science fiction than a feasible commercial project, but Boeing is working on it as a serious project.

The airplane manufacturer first unveiled its hypersonic airliner concept in June. “It may not be as hard as people think it is,” says Boeing’s Chief Technology Officer, Greg Hyslop. “It’s still going to be hard.”

It said that it has found a combination of speed, materials and propulsion that can

make a Mach 5-capable aircraft not only technologically achievable, but financially profitable at some point after around 2040. To cruise at speeds around M5.0, the aircraft has to fly at an altitude between 90,000 and 95,000 feet. The passengers will have to be seated in a pressurised cabin. Boeing’s concept proposes a top velocity of five times the speed of sound.

The fastest passenger-carrying aircraft with an air-breathing engine in history is the Lockheed SR-71A.

aircraft and help the aerospace sector to manufacture cleaner, quieter aircraft and grow the industry sustainably.

Rolls-Royce’s ACCEL project will also lead a UK programme to accelerate the electrification of flight which will contribute to the UK’s aim to cut emissions through its Clean Growth Strategy.

Airbus partners with startups for GenNext aviation solutions

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wo Airbus subsidiaries, NAVBLUE and Aerial, have partnered with three Indian startups – Stelae Technology, EFLIGHT and Airpix, to power cutting-edge technologies for ushering new industry benchmarks in aeronautical data services, flight operations and imagery services.

NAVBLUE signed up Stelae Technologies to enhance aeronautical data services quality and consistency while enabling faster introduction to the market of next generation fully data-driven and connected EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) solution.

Likewise, its agreement with EFLIGHT aims at providing comprehensive service solution to Indian business aviation market.

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Tourism

Indonesia’s booming tourism industry

I UAE travel & tourism to support 720,000 jobs by 2028

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he travel and tourism sector contributed a total AED154.1 billion – 11.3 percent – to the UAE’s GDP in 2017, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

ndonesia’s tourism industry is booming, with the country, in 2017, welcoming over 14 million overseas visitors, an increase of more than two million from the previous year. This rapid increase in visitors, and the billions of dollars in foreign currency flowing with them, seems likely to continue. This is not mere happenstance, but rather the result of a coordinated and strategic government effort to drive growth in the industry. In 2015 the Ministry of Tourism set a goal of 20 million

foreign visitors by 2019. At the time, the numbers were hovering around nine million.

The Ministry of Tourism is marketing Indonesia more aggressively as a tourist destination and targeting strategic destinations outside of Bali for development and promotion.

Since the programme kicked off in 2015, the industry has grown by leaps and bounds, generating a flurry of economic activity and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.

According to the data, the figure is expected to rise 4.9 percent in 2018 and 3.8 percent per annum to AED234.2 billion by 2028, constituting 10.6 percent of the UAE’s GDP. Additionally, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in 2017 was AED69.1 billion, a figure expected to rise five percent to AED72.6 billion in 2018.

The data showed that the travel and tourism sector generated 300,000 jobs directly in 2017, or 4.9 percent of total employment. In 2018, jobs generated by the sector are expected to grow 4.1 percent to 312,500, including restaurant and leisure industry jobs supported by tourists.

By 2028, travel and tourism will account for 396,000 jobs directly, and support a total of 720,000 jobs, or 10.2 percent of total employment.

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Thailand to see half a million fewer Chinese tourists

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hailand will lose more than half a million Chinese tourists in response to a deadly boating accident that killed nearly 50 people, a potential blow to the country’s vital tourism sector.

The Phoenix was carrying 105 people — mostly Chinese — when it sank on the way back from a popular snorkelling spot in July off the southern resort island of Phuket. It was among three vessels which ignored a bad weather warning against island day trips.

Tourists from China made up almost a quarter of Thailand’s 35 million visitors last year, official statistics show. In a statement provided to AFP, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports revised down its forecasted number of Chinese arrivals for July-December by nearly 670,000, to 5.1 million. August will see a 60 percent decrease in arrivals. Thailand is confident that Chinese arrivals will continue rise year on year. It expects to welcome more than 11 million Chinese tourists this year.

Tourism

Iceland attracts two million visitors

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ith tourism at an all-time high in Iceland—more than two million visitors came last year, with the vast majority of tourists (98.7 per cent) arriving via Keflavík International Airport.

Top 100 cities account for 46 percent of all global tourism

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nternational tourism rose from fewer than 300 million trips in 1980 to some 500 million in 1995, before exploding to 1.3 billion trips in 2017—a number that’s expected to rise to 1.8 billion in 2030.

Much of this growth has been driven by China. In 2017, Chinese tourists made about 130 million trips abroad—a big jump from a decade ago. China also accounts for an estimated 80 percent of the growth in tourism spending over the past 10 or so years.

Tourism is highly concentrated in a handful of destination cities around the world. Today, roughly half (46 percent) of all global tourism is concentrated in the top 100 cities, where tourism grew almost 25 percent faster than the worldwide rate.

From 2012 to 2016, growth in the Icelandic tourism industry accounted for an average of just under 50 per cent of the country’s GDP growth.

Travellers (both foreign and Icelandic) spent a total of US$4.68 billion on accommodations, tours, meals, and transportation associated with domestic travel in 2017. Seventy percent of this spending was by foreign tourists.

Statistics Iceland estimates that 13–14 per cent of all working individuals in the Icelandic labour market work in tourism.

Greece visitor numbers to break European records

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reece, this year, is expected to welcome 32 million foreign travellers – an almost 100 per cent increase from the 15 million visitors in 2010 and over five times the amount of visitors from 10 years ago.

For a country that has recently been on the brink of bankruptcy, the heavy flow of tourists has arguably been a necessary evil in keeping its economy afloat. One in five Greek people work in the tourism sector.

Domestic travel traffic picked up pace in the three months of summer marking a 10 percent increase compared to the same period last year, while travel abroad grew by 20 percent against 2017, said the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist & Travel Agencies (FedHATTA).

The number of Greeks travelling in 2017 grew by 10.2 percent to 4.5 million compared to 2016 who made 7.5 million trips – an increase of 12.6 percent.

The world’s leading hotspots include Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, Singapore, Paris, Dubai, Istanbul, and New York. In 2016, New York City hosted more than 60 million tourists, up from 35 million in 2002.

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