Air Connectivity Program expects to add 20 new destinations by year-end: Official

Majid Khan, CEO of the Air Connectivity Program (ACP)

Majid Khan, CEO of the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), said that more than 60 destinations have been added to Saudi Arabia since the program’s inception, including more than 15 destinations this year that is likely to reach 20 by year-end.

The number of seats currently provided by the program exceeds 1.1 million, he said in an interview with Asharq News. He added that the seat occupancy rate is also increasing.

The program targets the Kingdom’s four major airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, as well as secondary destinations. It aims to extend routes to secondary cities in Saudi Arabia that are of particular interest for tourism, Khan said.

He pointed out that additional routes will be announced in the coming few years, with an international carrier launching service to one of the secondary cities.

According to the data available to Argaam, the Air Connectivity Program aims to spur tourism growth in the Kingdom by improving air connectivity with countries worldwide.

As the executive driver of both the National Tourism Strategy and the National Aviation Strategy, the program focuses on building cooperation and partnerships between key public and private sector entities within the tourism and aviation sectors.