The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will be participating in the fourth iteration of the Bahrain International Airshow for 2016, the Authority said in a statement. Sulaiman Al-Hamdan, the Authority's president, will head its delegation to the three-day airshow, scheduled to be held at Al-Sukhair Air Base on Jan. 21 under the patronage of Hamad Al Khalifa. Besides the Authority, the Saudi section will include all Saudi carriers. With its participation in this global event, the Authority aims to explore ways to enhance cooperation and strategic relationships between the two Kingdoms in general, and their aviation sectors in particular, and boost this relationship so as to contribute to the development of the Saudi aviation industry and enhance the global activities of Saudi carriers. It also aims to showcase its strategic initiatives to bolster the performance of the Kingdom's civil aviation sector and boost its overall profitability. Also, the Authority's presence at the show presents an opportunity to reach out to, and build ties with, regional and global media, and highlight the vital role the aviation industry plays in the region and around the world. The Authority's presence at the show will also enable it to highlight the Saudi civil aviation industry's contributions to the national economy. The Authority's participation is expected to be met with great interest in aviation circles, thanks to the Kingdom's strong presence in the region's aviation scene, and given the fact that the Kingdom is the single largest aviation market in the Middle East and North Africa. Despite this being only its fourth iteration, the biennial Bahrain International Airshow has become a must-go for anyone concerned with civil and military aviation. It has proven to be vastly popular with aviation enthusiasts and show goers, with some 50,000 people visiting the last show in 2014 to see what 130 exhibitors from the civil and military aviation sectors of 33 countries had to showcase. Having showcased 106 aircraft, the 2014 show saw $2.8 billion's worth of deals and agreements. Compared to the first Bahrain International Airshow held in 2010, this year's show is expected to see as much as 60% more participation. The show includes elaborate exhibitors' sections with world-class specifications, as well as hospitality and transportation services. Also, to give medium and small aviation companies to participate, an additional hall with an area of 4,500 square meters has been added. All available space has already been sold, with plans to expand the show's area even more in the future to accommodate the mounting requests to participate.
