Dec. 28--JEDDAH -- The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that it offers a number of investment opportunities that include hotels and markets at airports. GACA said the opportunities include constructing and operating a commercial center at King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jazan. The construction and operation of a 4-star hotel at Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Qasim is also included, in addition to building and operating a hotel comprising a conference hall, a mall and residential compound at Najran Airport.
This is part of GACA's determination to provide passengers at domestic airports with services that would entail the participation and the implementation of the role of the private sector, benefiting from its expertise and capabilities which will contribute to improving many facilities and the level of services.
A GACA official told Asharq Al-Awsat that airports in the Kingdom are accommodating the growth demand for travel because of the ongoing development projects at some airports and the construction of entirely new ones. He said no airline has applied for increasing the number of its domestic flights and thus benefit from the large capacity Saudi airports provide. The overcrowding at airports during holidays occur because of the lack of reservations at the airlines.
GACA has approved a budget of SR 2.5 billion for 2013 allocated for several projects involving the development of airports in Al-Baha and Jazan, as well as infrastructure projects for other airports and additional projects and other airport-improvement projects, including the renewal of runways, asphalting works, pavements and lighting at some areas.
Copyright 2012 - Arab News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
