The decision to reduce jet fuel prices at the Kingdom’s airports will see a rise in the number of to and fro flights to Saudi Arabia and decline in ticket fares, experts in the travel and tourism fields say.

The Cabinet recently decided to cut jet fuel price by 15 halalas per liter at King Abdullah International Airport and King Khaled International Airport, and by 20 halalas at the rest of the Kingdom’s airports.

“Airfares are likely to drop by 15-20 percent soon after the Cabinet decision to decrease jet fuel prices for all airlines operating in Saudi Arabia’s airports,” the experts were quoted by a local newspaper.

They said the Cabinet decision on the direction of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman will encourage and attract international airliners to all the airports in the Kingdom.

Calling it a step in the right direction, Nashaat Bukhari, an expert in the tourism sector, said “This is important because fuel is a basic element in the high costs incurred on international aviation companies.”

He said international airliners attribute the decline in sale of air tickets to fuel prices as one of the reasons. “Airfares increased due to a continuous rises in jet fuel prices last year,” he said.

Bukhari expected travel movement to revive once the decision to reduce jet fuel prices is implemented.

Echoing Bukhari's view, Hani Aaref, an aviation expert, said the Cabinet decision will encourage international airlines to run flights to the Kingdom’s airports.

Another expert, Ahmad Jameel Ashoor, agreed with him. “This will surely encourage more flights to come to the Kingdom, either for tourism or to discover the country, including safari trips, hunting, Umrah and ordinary visits. This will result in growth in the travel and tourism market and an increase the operations at the newly-established airports,” he said.