The Global Airports Forum (GAF) focuses on innovation at airports
- The World Airport Forum 2025 in Riyadh will feature more than 250 exhibitors and 10,000 participants, and will debut its Airport Innovation Hub and track to showcase next-generation airport solutions.
- New exhibitors include Saudi Airlines, Amadeus, Network Attribution, EPG, Tecnica Proyectos, FlyNow Aviation and Gafari Associates, highlighting innovations in operations, sustainability and passenger experience.
- The forum emphasizes the technology-driven shift, from artificial intelligence, touchless systems and biometric screening to personalized passenger services, underscoring the need for collaboration, culture change and people-centred innovation.
4y The edition of the Global Airports Forum (GAF), which will be held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC) from December 16-17, will see the participation of more than 50 new exhibitors including the Saudi national carrier and global travel technology giant Amadeus, along with the Airport Innovation Track and the Airport Innovation Center making its debut.
Organized by Niche Ideas, in collaboration with Matarat Holding, an arm of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), as its main sponsor, the Kingdom’s largest dedicated airport B2B platform will feature more than 250 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, along with more than 10,000 participants over two days. 
An unprecedented number of buyers of over 1,000+ will come from within Saudi Arabia, the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, and from the wider Middle East region. There will be more than 5,000 pre-scheduled meetings over the duration of the forum. In addition, more than 100 international speakers are attending the two co-located events: the Global Aviation Issues Conference (GAIC) and the Women in Aviation Association (WIA).
This release will see four new features: the GSE Future Display, the Airport Innovation Hub, the Airport Innovation Track and the Start-up Hub. In addition, there will be dedicated pavilions by different countries, including Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, with a special focus on game-changing innovations in the airport industry.
“With most of the world’s leading aviation industry players joining forces, AIF 2025 will be a power-packed edition that will showcase new technology and discuss issues of vital importance to this rapidly expanding industry,” said Daksha Patel, Director of Events at Niche Ideas. “We have endeavored to bring the best innovations and ideas to the show for attendees, and the number of new launches this year is a testament to the global industry’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s vision of transforming global air travel.”
The first-ever Airport Innovation Trail and Airport Innovation Hub will provide visitors with a guided discovery experience, highlighting the innovation-led solutions that drive aviation growth – from passenger experience and airport operations to sustainability, safety, security and revenue generation. As part of the route, participating companies will display products and technologies that visitors can explore and interact with throughout the exhibition.
Throughout the journey, participants will be able to discover the amazing technologies found in the B2B platform. It will be complemented by the airport’s Innovation Centre, which will showcase how the passenger journey is evolving through a plethora of practical and forward-looking technology solutions. The Airport Innovation Centre, which includes five dedicated zones, will highlight how airports are becoming more efficient, safe, sustainable and passenger-focused through cutting-edge technologies. Each of the companies participating in the Airport Innovation Track and Airport Innovation Hub will represent their commitments to enhancing airport efficiency, safety and passenger experience.
Speaking about their participation in GAF 2025, Hassan Ezz El-Din, Managing Partner at Bayanat Engineering Company, said that this historic platform brings together innovators and leaders who are shaping the future of aviation. “We are committed to advancing airport technology and operational excellence.
“This event provides an opportunity to demonstrate our continued commitment to innovation, strengthen our collaboration with industry partners, and contribute to the sustainable growth of airport infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and across the region.”
Bandar Al-Safari, Head of Business Development at Swissport Saudi Arabia, said that the Global Aviation Forum served as a key platform to unite aviation leaders who shape the future of airport operations. In Saudi Arabia, Swissport is one of the leading ground handling companies, serving more than 50 percent of all foreign airlines and supporting the growth of aviation in the Kingdom. “We continue to innovate and invest in solutions that enhance operational excellence and raise service standards for our airline partners.”
TDC CEO Hassan Al-Qahtani added that TDC believes innovation is not just about technology – it is about rethinking how we build communications, efficiency and sustainability into every airport project. “Our experience at major airports in Saudi Arabia has shown that real progress comes from collaboration and creative engineering. The World Aviation Congress 2025 provides a powerful platform to exchange these ideas and showcase how Saudi Arabia is setting new global standards in aviation development.”
Among the new exhibitors, leading in their sectors, participating in this edition, are Saudi Airlines, the rapidly expanding national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Amadeus, the leading global travel technology provider; Network Outsourcing, a company that provides services to the aviation and space sectors; EPG, a leading global provider of unified supply chain execution software; Tecnica Proyectus, a Spanish engineering consultancy in the field of transportation and clean energy; FlyNow Aviation, with its eCopters for urban air transport and the Saudi Arabia subsidiary of Ghafari Associates, a global architecture, engineering and consulting firm.
GAF 2025 comes at a time when the airport industry landscape is rapidly changing. Technologies such as biometric screening, automated check-in, and intelligent baggage handling are becoming standard. Airports are looking to adopt touch technologies to enhance passenger experience. Since infrastructure expansion is still disproportionate to the increasing passenger and cargo traffic, airports are turning to digital solutions to optimize the use of existing infrastructure. Touchless technology, including biometric boarding gates and self-service kiosks, is being harnessed to make every part of the travel experience smoother and more enjoyable. Airports are acquiring digital tools to provide passengers with a personalized and technologically advanced experience.
Technology will significantly impact the travel landscape by 2033, with 97 percent of airlines planning a program to develop generative AI, SITA, the world’s leading IT provider for the air transport industry and lead sponsor of GAF 2025, says in its Megatrends report. In 71% of airports, advances are being made in artificial intelligence, machine learning and computer vision. AI solutions have been implemented in 31 percent of airports, and are expected to be implemented by the end of 2026 in 36 percent of airports. More than 16 percent of airports are already using AI and machine learning to improve decision-making, with another 51 percent having plans to implement AI solutions by the end of 2026.
Airports Council International (ACI), which will also participate in the World Airport Forum for the first time this year, said: “Innovation at airports can be visionary and can help solve a problem or capitalize on an opportunity. Airports are committed to providing world-class customer service, and innovation plays an important role in meeting travellers’ needs and expectations.” She added that airports are increasingly realizing that a creative, customer-focused approach to operational and financial management is critical to success. To move beyond innovation as just a buzzword and tap into its transformative potential, airports recognize that it’s more than just technology – it’s a people-centric process that requires a cultural shift and executive-level commitment.
