JEDDAH, 5 February 2007 — Efforts are under way to establish two new domestic airports in the Riyadh region. The High Commission for the Development of Riyadh (HCDR) is looking for suitable sites on which to establish the airports which will be located on the north and southeast parts of the city.
One airport will be established in Sudair, northwest of Riyadh, in order to meet the requirements of people living in Al-Ghat, Zulfi, Majmaa and neighboring villages. The second airport will be in Aflaj to serve the people of Houta and Hareek, informed sources said.
The new airports will reduce pressure on Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport. “The move to establish two more airports in the region comes at a time of reports that air traffic to Riyadh will increase by three percent annually since it is the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” one source said.
At present there are three civilian airports in the Riyadh region. The Dawadmi airport, named for Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman, is 250 km west of Riyadh and was opened three years ago.
Riyadh is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Middle East. In less than 50 years its area has expanded more than 100 times. During this period, its population increased from 20,000 to nearly five million. According to a new book, Riyadh’s population growth rate is one of the highest in the world.
Another study by HCDR revealed that the growth in Riyadh’s population has been due to increased birth rates and also by a continuing wave of migration into the city by Saudis from different parts of the Kingdom. The study showed that Riyadh’s population has increased by 120 percent during the last few years. The population of the city is projected to exceed 11.1 million by 2020.
The new airports will also boost domestic tourism as Al-Ghat is home to a number of historic landmarks, which could be developed for tourism purposes.
There is a palace built by Nasser ibn Saad Al-Sudairy more than 85 years ago when he was governor of the city. It is considered of great architectural interest. The Riyadh Development Authority has set out a plan to develop the palace.
Other tourist attractions in the area are Aushaza Mosque, which is 400 years old, and the National Park.
The new airport projects augur well for the licensing of two private domestic airlines. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) licensed National Air Services (NAS) and Sama in December last year to operate domestic flights in the Kingdom.
