Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air Poised to Take on Aviation Giants

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's newest national airline, is set to challenge major players in the aviation industry by partnering with CellPoint Digital for advanced payment solutions. The airline, based in Riyadh, plans to begin commercial flights by mid-2025.

Riyadh Air Set to Transform Saudi Arabia

Riyadh Air aims to redefine air travel in Saudi Arabia. With a $30 billion investment, this start-up airline is gearing up to connect Saudi Arabia to 100 regional and international destinations by 2030.

This move is part of Saudi Arabia's broader goal to become a global aviation hub. The strategic location of the kingdom, bridging Asia, Africa, and Europe, supports this vision.

In preparation for its launch, Riyadh Air has collaborated with CellPoint Digital, a leader in payment technology.

According to Breaking Travel News, partnership focuses on equipping Riyadh Air with a Payment Orchestration platform. Such technology will enable the airline to handle various types of payment transactions, both local and international.

The system is designed to reduce the number of declined transactions, helping avoid booking cancellations and boosting revenue.

The Payment Orchestration platform by CellPoint Digital is particularly tailored to meet the needs of modern airlines. It allows for intelligent routing of transactions based on several factors like pricing, currency, and the geographical location of the payment processor.

This ensures higher success rates in transaction processing.

Riyadh Air's Chief Operating Officer, Peter Bellew, noted that the airline plans to hire about 300 pilots and cabin crew by spring 2025.

Adam Boukadida, the CFO of Riyadh Air, emphasized the importance of digital technology in enhancing the customer's booking and onboard experience. He praised CellPoint Digital's extensive knowledge of the airline industry and highlighted the consultancy support they have received in securing international partnerships.

The collaboration is expected to set a new standard in Saudi Arabia's aviation sector.

Saudi Arabia Hits Tourism and Jobs High

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reported a significant boost in tourism for Saudi Arabia, setting new records in economic contribution and job creation in 2023.

Travel News Asia revealed that the tourism sector expanded by over 32%, adding SAR 444.3 billion to the nation's GDP, which is 11.5% of the entire economy. This figure surpassed the previous record by nearly 30%.

In terms of employment, the travel and tourism sector now supports over 2.5 million jobs, which is about 20% of all jobs in Saudi Arabia. This is an increase of 436,000 jobs from the previous year, demonstrating a robust recovery and growth since the pandemic.

Spending by international visitors surged by 57% to SAR 227.4 billion, a significant rise from the past record, while spending by domestic tourists grew by 21.5% to SAR 142.5 billion.

In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed 100 million tourists, achieving its target seven years early and setting a new goal of attracting 150 million tourists by 2030.

WTTC's latest forecasts anticipate continued growth in this sector, with potential contributions to GDP reaching SAR 498 billion and job creation increasing by over 158,000 in the near future.

The remarkable progress in Saudi Arabia's tourism sector underscores its crucial role in the nation's economic diversification and global tourism prominence.