The Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia is going to undergo a major expansion and refurbishment project as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing attempts to modernize its aviation and tourist industries, as part of its ambitious ‘Vision 2030’ roadmap.
During the first phase of the project, which is scheduled to be finished in 2028, the size of the hub in the Aseer region, which is located in the southwestern part of the Kingdom, will be increased from 10,500 square meters to 65,000 square meters.
According to a statement, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman kicked off the process of developing the basic master plan for the new Abha International Airport on the first week of October 2023.
The existing capacity of the airport, which is 1.5 million people, will more than tenfold to accommodate over 13 million passengers each year after the expansion is complete.
Additionally, it will be able to handle over 90,000 flights annually, which is a significant increase from the existing level of 30,000 flights. In addition, the new airport will include a total of 20 gates, 41 check-in desks, and 7 new self-service check-in locations. This expansion will also include the construction of passenger boarding bridges, self-service facilities for streamlined travel procedures, and high-capacity parking facilities, as per the reports.
The project reportedly aims to embody a consistent architectural identity with the heritage of the Asir region, thereby transforming it into a prominent landmark in the Kingdom.
The goal of Saudi Arabia’s aviation policy is to more than double the country’s connectivity to more than 250 locations and increase passenger counts to 330 million by the year 330.
This is in line with the larger policy to transform travel and tourism into one of the pillars of growth under Vision 2030 as the Kingdom attempts to diversify the economy away from its reliance on oil.