Award-winning Abu Dhabi International Airport Q1 air passenger traffic up 25pc
Fast becoming a regional airport, at the start of 2007, Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA), has received a 25 per cent increase of total passenger traffic to reach 1.575 million compared to 1.255 million passengers during the same first quarter period in 2006.
Abu Dhabi is looking ahead to the future, beyond oil revenues and it’s tourism profits that the emirate has in mind. The increase in passenger traffic sits firmly in line with the emirate’s vision of becoming a world-class destination and it’s master plan to foster a thriving market for Abu Dhabi property and a drive for economic development.
Following the trend, Duty Free customer spending is up with turnover registered by the Middle East’s number one travel retailer of Dh90.2 million, a 27.8 per cent growth on the same period last year. Average spend per customer has risen to $51 during the quarter.
The first three months of 2007 has brought international accolades for the airport, with recognition for the airport as a gateway of choice and awards by the Airports Council International which operates over 1,643 airports in 178 countries. Abu Dhabi International Airport won the prestigious title of best Airport in Africa and the Middle East in terms of service quality, courtesy, and customer service based on annual feedback of international passengers.
The Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) is constructing a multi-billion dollar new airport with a new flagship Midfield Terminal Complex that will bring the Airport’s overall capacity to 20 million passengers by 2010, with scope for further expansion to cope with a projected 40 million passenger growth. Construction of an interim terminal for Etihad Airways (one of the world’s fastest growing airlines), a second runway, a state-of-the-art air traffic control complex, new cargo facilities, and an airport free trade zone are all part of the Abu Dhabi International Airport project master plan to establish the UAE capital as one of the world’s most sophisticated aviation gateways. The expansion of Abu Dhabi International airport is to accommodate increasing numbers of business and leisure travellers – a large number of them in transit between Europe and the Far East. The Gulf News reported in March that Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector “harvested a revenue of nearly 2.37 billion U.S. dollars” and attracted more than a million visitors last year.
