The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will participate in the World Travel Market 2016 in London (WTM), a three-day event from Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 November, 2016. A major event for the global travel industry, the WTM brings together more than 50,000 professionals and enthusiasts of travel and tourism. This is GACA›s second participation at the WTM after a universally acclaimed first showing. GACA's participation is a result of the collaborative agreement it had signed recently with the General Authority of Tourism and National Heritage, said Bassem Al-Salloum, Assistant to the President for Marketing & Communications at GACA. "GACA's participation in WTM reflects the solid relationship between the two agencies," he said. "It also is a great opportunity to showcase GACA›s efforts on privatizing Saudi airports and opening up opportunities to international investors. With civil aviation being the colossal global industry that it is, Salloum went on, tourism, as major motivator of air traffic, is a major contributor to the industry. "The Kingdom enjoys a strategic cohesion between the two industries, and GACA, being tasked with ensuring the smooth running of every airport in the Kingdom, will stand behind many initiatives and programs that aim to grow the national tourism industry all over the Kingdom," said Salloum. Spanning almost four decades, the World Travel Market first convened in 1980, with 9,000 visitors seeing the offerings of 221 companies from 40 countries. This year's event, though, is set to have about 5,000 companies from 182 countries showcasing their services to some 50,000 visitors. GACA's participation will be within the Saudi booth that the General Authority of Tourism and National Heritage is setting up at the WTM. The two agencies will work together to bolster strategic cooperation among relevant agencies, travel and tourism corporations and professionals, so as to help grow domestic tourism and boost the national air industry's performance and profitability. Also, GACA aims to demonstrate its impact on the regional and global air industries, and build ties with more than 5,000 exhibitors. — SG
