Saudi Arabia Elevates Global Aviation Innovation as Riyadh Hosts Fourth Global Airports Forum Featuring Over 250 Exhibitors and 50 New Participants in 2025

Saudi Arabia is reinforcing its global leadership in aviation innovation as Riyadh prepares to host the Fourth Global Airports Forum (GAF) 2025, a premier international platform bringing together more than two hundred and fifty exhibitors and fifty new participants. The upcoming edition underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to transforming the global aviation sector through advanced technologies, strategic partnerships, and sustainable development. As part of its broader Vision 2030 goals, this large-scale event positions Riyadh as a central hub for collaboration, showcasing groundbreaking airport solutions and future-ready innovations that will shape the next decade of air travel.

The fourth edition of the Global Airports Forum (GAF) is scheduled to take place at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC) from December sixteenth to seventeenth. The event is set to welcome more than fifty new exhibitors, including the Kingdom’s national carrier, Saudia, and leading global travel technology company, Amadeus. This year’s forum will also mark the debut of the Airport Innovation Trail and Airport Innovation Hub, further enhancing the event’s reputation as a hub for cutting-edge airport technologies and collaborations.

Organised by Niche Ideas, with Matarat Holding — a subsidiary of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) — serving as the main sponsor, GAF remains the largest B2B airport-focused platform in Saudi Arabia. The 2025 edition will feature more than two hundred and fifty exhibitors representing over one hundred countries, attracting an estimated ten thousand participants across two days of networking, innovation, and knowledge exchange.

A record-breaking number of more than one thousand buyers from Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East are expected to attend, with over five thousand pre-scheduled business meetings planned during the forum. The event will also host over one hundred distinguished international speakers across its two co-located conferences — the Global Aviation Issues Conference (GAIC) and the Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly — both aimed at driving thought leadership and inclusion within the aviation sector.

The 2025 edition introduces four major new attractions: the Future Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Display, the Airport Innovation Hub, the Airport Innovation Trail, and the Startups Hub. These additions aim to highlight breakthrough solutions transforming airport operations, sustainability, and passenger experience.

Several international pavilions will also feature prominently at the exhibition, including those representing Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Each pavilion will spotlight pioneering technologies and next-generation innovations that are reshaping the global airports industry — reaffirming GAF’s position as a vital platform connecting global stakeholders and advancing the future of aviation infrastructure.

Daksha Patel, Event Director at Niche Ideas, remarked: “With most of the world’s leading aviation
industry players coming onboard, Global Airports Forum 2025 will be a power-packed edition that will
display new technology and discuss issues that are of vital interest to the rapidly-expanding industry.
It has been our endeavour to bring the best innovations and ideas to the show for our attendees and
the number of new launches this year is a testimony to the global industry’s commitment to Saudi
Arabia’s vision to transform global air travel.”

The inaugural Airport Innovation Trail and Airport Innovation Hub are set to introduce an immersive, guided exploration showcasing how innovation is reshaping the aviation industry. This initiative will highlight breakthrough technologies driving growth in areas such as passenger experience, airport operations, sustainability, safety, security, and revenue optimisation.

Throughout the exhibition, participating companies will present their most advanced products and technologies, allowing visitors to engage directly with interactive displays and live demonstrations. The journey through the Innovation Trail will offer attendees a first-hand look at the future of aviation technology and its transformative impact on global airport operations.

Complementing the Trail, the Airport Innovation Hub will serve as a central platform displaying the evolution of the passenger journey through next-generation solutions. Divided into five dedicated zones, the Hub will spotlight how airports are becoming more efficient, sustainable, secure, and customer-centric with the adoption of intelligent systems, automation, and eco-friendly technologies.

Each participating company in both the Trail and the Hub will embody a shared commitment to advancing airport performance, elevating safety standards, and redefining the passenger experience through innovation and collaboration.

Speaking about their participation in GAF 2025, Hasan Ezzeddine, Managing Partner at Bayanat
Engineering, said this landmark platform brings together the innovators and leaders shaping the
future of aviation. “We remain dedicated to advancing airport technologies and operational
excellence. The event provides an opportunity to showcase our continued commitment to innovation,
strengthen our collaborations with industry partners, and contribute to the sustainable growth of
airport infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and across the region.”
Bandar Alsafari, Head of Business Development at Swissport Saudi Arabia, said the GAF has been
a key platform for uniting aviation leaders shaping the future of airport operations. In Saudi Arabia,
Swissport is a leading ground handling supplier, serving more than 50 percent of all foreign carriers
and supporting the Kingdom’s aviation growth. “We continue to innovate and invest in solutions that
enhance operational excellence and elevate service standards for our airline partners.”
TDC CEO Hassan Al Qahtani added that TDC believes innovation is not only about technology —
it’s about rethinking how one builds connections, efficiency, and sustainability into every airport
project. “Our experience across Saudi Arabia’s major airports has shown that real progress comes
from collaboration and creative engineering. GAF-2025 offers a powerful platform to exchange these
ideas and showcase how Saudi Arabia is setting new global benchmarks in aviation development.”

Several industry leaders are joining this year’s Global Airport Forum (GAF 2025), showcasing innovations that define the next generation of aviation and travel technology. Among the new exhibitors are Saudia, the rapidly growing national carrier of Saudi Arabia; Amadeus, the world’s foremost provider of travel technology solutions; Esnad Al Shabakah, a key service provider for the aerospace and aviation sectors; and EPG, an international leader in unified supply chain execution software.

Also taking part are Tecnica Proyectos, a Spanish engineering consultancy specialising in transport and clean energy solutions; FlyNow Aviation, which is introducing its innovative eCopters designed for urban air mobility; and the Saudi branch of Ghafari Associates, a globally recognised architecture, engineering, and consulting firm.

GAF 2025 arrives at a pivotal moment for the airport industry, as technological transformation accelerates worldwide. With biometric verification, automated check-in systems, and smart baggage handling now becoming mainstream, airports are evolving rapidly to meet modern traveller expectations. Touchless technologies are being embraced to enhance safety, efficiency, and convenience, creating a seamless passenger journey from arrival to boarding.

As air travel demand continues to rise, infrastructure growth often struggles to keep pace. To bridge this gap, airports are investing in digital optimisation tools to make better use of existing facilities. Smart solutions such as biometric boarding gates, self-service kiosks, and advanced data analytics are revolutionising passenger flow management. These innovations not only streamline operations but also deliver a more personalised and technologically enriched travel experience.

With the participation of global and regional pioneers, GAF 2025 is set to highlight how the integration of intelligent technology, sustainability, and customer-centric design will shape the airports of the future.

SITA, a global leader in aviation technology and a major sponsor of GAF 2025, has revealed in its latest megatrends report that technology is poised to redefine the future of travel by 2033. According to the findings, around ninety-seven percent of airlines are actively developing programmes centred on generative artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, seventy-one percent of airports are adopting advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and computer vision to enhance efficiency and passenger experience.

The report also highlights that AI-driven solutions are already operational in thirty-one percent of airports, while an additional thirty-six percent aim to introduce them by the end of 2026. Furthermore, more than sixteen percent of airports currently utilise AI and ML to support improved decision-making processes, and fifty-one percent are preparing to implement such systems within the next two years.

Saudi Arabia is set to showcase its aviation ambitions as Riyadh hosts the Fourth Global Airports Forum 2025, welcoming over two hundred and fifty exhibitors and fifty new participants. The event highlights the Kingdom’s growing influence in global aviation innovation and its dedication to fostering smart, sustainable airport solutions. As part of Vision 2030, this major gathering strengthens Riyadh’s position as a key global hub for collaboration, technology, and future-ready air travel advancements.

Airports Council International (ACI), who will also be exhibiting at Global Airports Forum for the first
time this year, have said: “Airport innovation can be visionary and can help to solve a specific problem
or take advantage of opportunities. Airports are committed to providing world-class customer service,
and innovation plays an important role in meeting passengers’ needs and expectations.” It added that
airports increasingly understand that a customer-centric, creative approach to operational and
financial management is critical for success. To move beyond innovation as a mere buzzword and tap
into its transformative potential, airports understand that it’s more than just technology – it’s a process
centred on people that requires a culture shift and executive-level commitment.”

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