Saudi Arabia on Monday announced plans for a new airport in Riyadh intended to spur rapid growth in the capital while advancing the kingdom’s ambitious aviation goals.
The airport will accommodate 120 million travellers by 2030 and 185 million travellers by 2050. The airport project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s vision to transform Riyadh into one of the top 10 city economies in the world and support the growth of its population to 15-20 million people by 2030,” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a statement.
“With sustainability at its core, the new airport will achieve LEED Platinum certification by incorporating cutting-edge green initiatives into its design and will be powered by renewable energy,” added Prince Mohammed bin Salman, referring to the green building certification programme.
Saudi Arabia’s aviation goals, part of Prince Mohammed’s extensive Vision 2030 reforms, include more than tripling annual traffic to 330 million passengers by the end of the decade. It also aims to attract $100 billion in investments to the sector by 2030, set up a new national flag carrier, and expand to 5 million tonnes of cargo each year.
The airport will boost Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub, stimulate transport, trade and tourism, and act as a bridge linking the East with the West, he said.
