EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
The 11th edition of Arab Aviation Summit at Ras Al Khaimah witnessed top-class delegates from across the world. The 2-day event focused on key issues that are projected to develop Aviation and tourism in this region. At the summit, Frederico Fernandes, Director, Arab Aviation Summit in an interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World explained the significance of this summit and how it’s going to transform the Aviation activities in the Arab World. Excerpts…
How Arab Aviation Summit (AAS) 2024 is important for this region and what’s the strategy for way forward?
It’s our second year and I hope that the delegates are enjoying it. Arab Aviation Summit is a platform to showcase and to learn about Aviation in the Arab World and Arab Aviation Travel and it’s an amazing example for how to be successful and how to be disruptive into the Aviation sector.
The latest mega hubs in the world happened to show here for a reason. We had Qatar, UAE and now we’re going with Riyadh. And also it’s a major hub for visiting relatives and friends and ethnic passengers. There are lot of great examples in all around cross-sector, from airlines to operators, software, managers, media for the Arab world. AAS is very private platforms attended by only guests where one meets and discuss the achievements and learn as well.
So, that’s why we have a first day of the aviation event covered by workshops. Where we speak with our partners and we select which are the teams that are trending or the teams that we need to get better insights. Second day, the leaders discussed and showcased what they are doing in hope that we can also mobilize and inspire all the sector. As I believe that the focus is more on the sustainability and also the tech-enabled Aviation in the future.
In 2023, the event focus was more on sustainability. What’s the theme for 2024?
Last year, we had quite more focus on sustainability as it was our first year. We discussed a lot from infrastructure to technology. We had Airbus and some of the other players that were already using technology. This year we also discussed on sustainability but the focus was more on HR (Human Resource Capital) because it’s very important. We are seeing now that several areas are even growing further, like Riyadh. Others will also grow because they will lose qualified personnel to other areas. For example, India is a major concern because India is growing very fast in Aviation terms and it’s also improving the life. So many cities have a better life index meaning that a lot of people will go back home to work and those people are very important for Middle East. So, it’s really an issue that Middle East and Arab world needs to think about.
We need to start recruiting and enabling the next generation of professionals because there will be a lot of commuting between Asia, namely India, big power in Aviation and Middle East, which uses a lot of workforce from India. So, this is the thing that we wanted to discuss and we did it quite well. We brought Saudi, England, European universities and also local trainees and universities from Arab world.
For investment, we had the panel as owners of assets that can go up to 300 billion. So, when they were discussing with us, where are they moving their aircraft or investments further? Again, India and Arab world, Saudi and UAE are on the top map. It’s very interesting for us as well as industry to understand this trend, so that they can start moving and constructing the future of tomorrow.
Arab Aviation Summit is jointly hosted by RAK Tourism board. What are the benefits of jointly hosting this important event?
RAK has been growing very well and it has an amazing team of tourism professionals that is following this incredible vision of His Highness, the ruler of RAK. They wanted to make a partnership with Arab Aviation Summit because of Aviation. But we exist to approach Aviation to travel because there is a lot of shows of travel, there is a lot of shows of aviation, but sometimes they don’t meet.
The tourist operators don’t meet an aircraft manufacturer. Sometimes they want aircraft, but they don’t know how to do it. So, we are this bridge between the Aviation guys and the hospitality guys. So, I’m available to fly and to support. RAKTDA understood that movement and since the beginning partnered with us to allow that movement to happen in their beach.
This is a commitment that we have together and I think it’s a wonderful relationship and they are also helping us to grow, which is a very important thing.
What would be your focus for the future summit? What exactly are you looking forward to add on?
For the next summit, we’re going to gather again the most influenced partners. RAKTDA is one of them and we’re going to reflect on what needs to be discussed because we will change the team again. After that, we try to curate the best speakers, the best entrepreneurs, the best brilliant minds and we will push the team out and work around that and call again the industry. Come and listen to us and we also want to listen to you and business will grow.
Concluding remarks from you to cater to the much bigger Arab Aviation market?
I think that Arab World, Arab Aviation and Arab Travel are a great example of success. Of course, we can see on top of the pyramid three countries that are also leading that success. But even if you look to further countries, they are also very interesting. Arab world is an extraordinary example of what is being done in terms of technology, digitalisation, flexibilisation and entrepreneurship. They created the biggest mega hubs and now they’re creating the biggest destinations in the world. It’s a great example to come and watch.
