Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President of Operations, Safety and Security, addressed the audience at the IATA Aviation Day MENA in Saudi Arabia. He expressed gratitude to Saudia Airlines for their hospitality and shared his impressions of the country's rapid aviation sector development.
Careen highlighted the significant contribution of aviation to Saudi Arabia's economy. "According to a recent IATA study, aviation and aviation-related tourism contributed a staggering USD 90.6 billion to the Saudi economy—8.5% of GDP," he stated. The sector supports 1.4 million jobs nationwide, with over 62,000 directly employed by airlines.
He attributed this growth to Vision 2030 led by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, emphasizing that such progress is driven by ambition and strategic decisions.