Aviation experts during a panel discussion at the Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai on Wednesday.

Sajjad Ahmad, Deputy Business Editor

The 3rd day of Arabian Travel Market 2023 saw the announcements of new partnerships between global tourism bodies. The global exhibition also hosted aviation industry experts to discuss solutions for greener tomorrow.

The last two years has seen a resurgence in air travel and while this growth trend provides a welcome boost for the aviation industry, the increase in air traffic places a greater burden on the environment. To explore solutions that go beyond carbon offsetting, Shashank Nigam, Founder and CEO, SimpliFlying gathered a panel of experts on the Global Stage at ATM 2023 to discuss the actions required to futureproof the air travel industry.

The engaging panel included Brian Moran, Vice President Global Sustainability Policy and Partnerships, Boeing; Yvonne Moynihan, Chief Corporate and ESG Officer at Wizz Air and Dave Rowse CEO of CarbonClick, with each sharing their take on the strategies and challenges of flying net zero.

The speakers unanimously agreed that the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plays a key role, helping the industry to meet its long-term sustainability goals. Moynihan said: “From 2025, all airlines will be required to use SAF fuel. In an effort to get ahead, Wizz Air has invested £5 million (Dhs22,923,120) in a UK-based SAF producer called Firefly to support the development and certification of SAF produced from sewage sludge. This agreement gives us the potential to save 1.5 million tonnes of CO2-eq. It is essential that airlines get behind SAF production because there is such limited supply currently.”

The experts agree that the cost of SAF is one of the major barriers in the immediate term. Rowse commented: “Several airlines are working to tackle the prohibitive cost of SAF, including Etihad airlines which subsidises the cost for those passengers choosing to offset their journeys with SAF. It’s going to take five to 10 years before reasonable volumes are produced. While there is consumer demand for SAF, passengers are not prepared to pay for the full cost of it - therefore subsidies from airlines could help encourage the process and ultimately, drive production along more quickly.”

To strike a balance between short and long-term capabilities, Boeing is focusing on developing today’s fuel-efficient aircraft while investing in technologies that will allow the airline industry to project into the future and ‘de-risk. Last year, Boeing announced the launch of Cascade, a data modelling tool which enables airlines to map out the optimal routes to achieve net zero. In addition, the corporation has teamed up with NASA to build, test and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions.

Moran concluded: “There are approximately 24,000 planes in the air today and that number is going to double in the next 20 years. These will be conventional airplanes, and to decarbonise and get on the trajectory to net zero by 2050, airlines will have to fly on SAF, so our priority is to make sure that our planes are 100% SAF capable. It is vital that we invest in the here and now.” The 30th edition of ATM is exploring the future of sustainable travel in line with the theme,

‘Working Towards Net Zero’

Having officially initiated its journey to net zero, the conference programme explores how innovative sustainable travel trends are likely to evolve, allowing delegates to identify growth strategies within key vertical sectors, while providing a platform for regional experts to explore a sustainable future ahead of COP28, which will take place in November 2023 at Expo City Dubai ATM 2023 will run until 4 May 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre. The event is held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre and its strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as the Destination Partner, Emirates as the Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as the Official Hotel Partner and Al Rais Travel as the Official DMC Partner.

Abu Dhabi, Jordan MoU

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the Jordan Tourism Board have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Arabian Travel Market this week. The MoU will unlock the tourism growth potential for Abu Dhabi and Jordan as partner entities working together to support initiatives which aim to drive tourism and cultural exchange, while creating more compelling experiences for visitors.

The MoU is a first-of-its-kind partnership and was signed by Saleh Mohamed Saleh Al Geziry, the Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, and Dr Abdalrazzaq Arabiyat , Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board. The MoU represents a one-year agreement to strengthen tourism and economic cooperation and build dual-destination awareness to drive incremental leisure traffic in key markets through partnerships on trade and consumer activities. As a leading global destination that offers diverse and unmatched experiences for visitors, the partnership also enables Abu Dhabi to be present and build awareness in new markets.

Saleh Mohamed Saleh Al Geziry, the Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are excited to announce our partnership with the Jordan Tourism Board. This collaboration brings together two unique destinations to boost international tourism, strengthen economic cooperation, and facilitate cultural exchange, which we believe will benefit both countries.”

Dr Abdalrazzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, said: “We are deeply honoured to be coming together with Abu Dhabi on this partnership, marking a major milestone in celebrating our unique national heritages and strengthening our offering to attract and welcome visitors from all corners of the globe to our unique destinations.” The signing of this MoU represents a unique opportunity for Abu Dhabi and Jordan to come together in the promotion and marketing of our diverse and unique national cultural heritage and to strengthen the offerings of both destinations in order to welcome visitors from all corners of the globe.