Saudi Arabia’s aggressive economic transformation strategies will act as key drivers of travel industry trends in the region over the next 15 years, according to a report published by Amadeus, a major technology partner for the global travel industry.

Among the key factors analyzed in the report were the Kingdom’s evolving Cities of the Future, the six new cities that are being developed across the country.

Backed by an impressive list of new universities, colleges and training institutes, these multiple economic cities are expected to lay the foundation for industrialization through a knowledge-based economy, inviting extensive private investment.

The Amadeus-commissioned report — Shaping the future of travel in the GCC: Big travel effects — was collated by Frost & Sullivan and Insights, and highlights factors that directly or indirectly impact the future of the travel industry in the GCC region.

The report additionally reveals nation-specific information on these "engines of change" or "effects" which are classified under five large heads: the population effect, the "beyond oil" effect, the infrastructure effect, the gateway effect and the information effect.

Antoine Medawar, VP, MENA, Amadeus, said: “At Amadeus, we continually strive to provide multifaceted support to our industry partners and end-travelers by utilizing our resources to understand stakeholder requirements and develop best-in-class solutions. This recent study is certain to assist travel industry players in anticipating trends, and understanding the challenges and opportunities ahead of them.”

Nashat Bukhari, general manager, Amadeus Saudi Arabia, said: “Saudi Arabia currently leads the Middle East market in terms of domestic and international air travel volume, and will continue to do so, primarily because of its youth-driven demographics, high level of smart device penetration, and diversification of economy. Saudi is using its hydrocarbon revenues to drive strategic infrastructural growth, a fact that is expected to trigger unprecedented growth in the region’s seasonal and corporate travel sector.”