Friday 13 / December / 2024
Muscat: Under the patronage of His Excellency Engineer Said bin Hamoud Al Ma’wali, Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, and the Chairman of the Board of Oman Airports, and in the presence of several Highnesses and Excellencies as well as experts in the aviation and airports sector from various countries around the world, and in the presence the Board Chairman and the Director General of the International Council of Airports and chairpersons of regional councils, the Sultanate of Oman, represented by "Oman Airports," will host “Airport Innovate Conference and Exhibition” at Oman Conference and Exhibitions Center during the period 21-22 November 2023.
Participants will discuss the latest trends, developments, and technological innovations in the airport sector through 23 sessions, including presentations and panel discussions. Over 45 CEOs from leading airports worldwide will explore the sector's readiness for innovation, artificial intelligence, and the latest technologies and innovations designed to enhance the travel experience and operational practices in the airport sector.
In addition, 14 international organizations will showcase their latest products dedicated to airports at the exhibition, which will be held alongside the conference. Local startup technology companies will also participate in the exhibition to display their innovations in aviation and airports. The conference agenda will include an invitation to the top three emerging organizations, which won the AeroHack Oman competition, executed in the last quarter of this year, to present their winning innovations to this large number of decision-makers in the airport sector.
Several leading global companies will participate in this important event, including Google, Amazon, Airbus, Idemia, Huawei, Nokia, Cisco, Moody's Credit Rating Agency, IATA, Deloitte, TAV, SISTA, Gulf Air, J C Decaux, the International Hong Kong Aviation Academy, Caesar, and Dutch InterVistas. Additionally, the three regional offices of the Airports Council International are collaborating with Oman Airports in managing the content of this conference and the accompanying exhibition.
In his remarks about the conference, Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni, the CEO of Oman Airports and the Chairman of the Board of the Airports Council International, welcomed the guests of the Sultanate of Oman, who are meeting in Muscat coinciding with the celebrations marking Oman's 53rd National Day and the renewed Renaissance under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik (may Allah protect him).
The CEO of Oman Airports added: "Undoubtedly, the challenges faced by service and logistics organizations worldwide during the period of 'COVID-19' pandemic offered an opportunity to look for innovations and solutions. They came up with a mature technological experience that serves these sectors.”
“Our colleagues the leaders of airports worldwide have contributed to cementing a culture of innovation as one of the work strategies, through which everyone sought to create a dynamic environment in line with the rapid technological advancements, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence," he added.
Today, we are proud and honored to host this significant event in our beautiful ancient city of Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, which has been and will continue to be an important regional and international logistics centre. We are honoured that airport officials from the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Europe, and America come here to think outside the box to create an integrated working environment that aspires towards a bright future for the global aviation sector, which places sustainability and automation at the top of its priorities for the benefit of the sector.
The CEO of Oman Airports and Chairman of the Board of Airports Council International added, "Innovation has become a reality and a fundamental necessity, especially in the field of airports and travel. Our competitiveness prompts us to work towards improving the travel experience for millions of passengers who trust in our capabilities as airport management entities in the region.
“This gathering, attended by industry leaders and innovative thinkers, symbolizes our shared commitment to leadership in a new era of innovative solutions, leading technologies, and cooperative strategies that will shape the future of airports worldwide. This event will also allow for the exploration of new ideas to enhance common links," Al-Hosni concluded.
Meanwhile, the Director of General Airports Council International, Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “It is really a great honour to open the first event for airport innovation, which is jointly organized by Airports Council International - ACI Asia Pacific, the Middle East, ACI Europe, ACI World, and hosted by Oman Airport Management Company.
We meet here in the culturally-rich Muscat to celebrate innovation in aviation and reiterate our collective commitment to shape the future of airports and air travel.
This is a platform that hosts a rich stock of innovative ideas that cover all parts of the world and cross-cutting fields.
The passengers and the communities we serve are the hart of our discussions.
For his part, the President of ACI Asia-Pacific and the Middle East Emmanuel Menanteau said, “We are pleased to meet in Muscat, which is known for its stunning beauty and rich cultural heritage.” He added that we meet together to celebrate the spirit of innovation in our industry.
He stressed that the aviation industry has always been at the forefront of innovation. It continuously strives to improve efficiency and enhance the travel experience in order to remain in the vanguard of development. He stated that the conference aims to explore the potential for innovation in every aspect of airport operations.
Airports always seek to explore innovation and embrace sustainable practices because they recognize the pressing need for more innovation in the sector. Our conference serves as a platform for game-changers, innovators, startups, business leaders, and top technological minds. It also provides a platform for the presentation of concepts and solutions, aiming to drive innovation that can shape the future of airports.
For his part, Stefano Baronci, Director General, ACI Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, said the world airports conference, which will be held in Muscat is a unique event because we celebrate the spirit of innovation in the airports industry before the end of the year. He noted that airports seek to adopt new procedures, approaches, and technologies in an era of continuous innovation to enhance efficiency, improve the passenger experience, and drive economic growth.
He added that this event aims to highlight the importance of innovation in airport operations. It also aims to stimulate continuous development of the airport sector by bringing together top experts, innovators, and business executives from all over the world to exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and inspire each other. It also aims to focus on celebrating the latest practices. We can, through panel discussions and dialogue sessions, can get insights into the strategies that have led to successful innovations.
Day 1 of the conference includes 12 sessions, featuring presentations and discussions on the readiness of innovation leaders, with the participation of CEOs of the airports in Turkey, Milan, and Vinci, a company that manages leading airports in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Another session will address the importance of innovation and the future of airports, with representatives from Google, Amazon, Cisco, and Edimea. Another session will discuss the use of artificial intelligence to enhance the travel experience at airports. One of the prominent presentations will be delivered by the Italian designer Focaccia, who is known for his designs in projects such as NEOM in Saudi Arabia and the conference centre in Rome, Italy, as well as designer of several airports around the world.
Day 2 includes 11 sessions with presentations and discussion sessions. One notable session is titled "Brand Strategy and Innovation," featuring Dr. Youssef Al Balushi, a former lecturer at the University of Oxford and a consultant at the Innovation Center at Oxford University, alongside the CEO of Oj for Innovation, a leading local company in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Additionally, one of the sessions will discuss the role of innovation centres in airports, featuring CEOs from airports in Rome and India, with the participation of representatives from the Sultanate of Oman. The session will also include one of the major companies that manages innovation and software in Silicon Valley, the global technology hub. The conference will also include a panel discussion on the future of aviation workers in the era of artificial intelligence.
Another session on day 2 will discuss the topics of environmental sustainability, clean energy, virtual world, and electric aircraft. There will also be presentations, which will include the exchange of experiences and data among airports in various fields of innovation.
On the sidelines of the Airport Innovate Conference and Exhibition, several agreements will be signed, including a memorandum of understanding in the field of innovation with Frankfurt Airport in Germany and another memorandum of understanding with Rome Airport.
His Excellency Engineer Said bin Hamoud Al Ma’wali,
Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology,
and the Chairman of the Board of Oman Airports
