Saudi Arabia’s ministry of interior recently announced the launch of the smart gates project at NEOM Bay Airport. In collaboration with the General Directorate of Passports, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), and NEOM, the smart gates project seeks to improve the efficiency of passenger procedures by allowing passengers to scan their biometric data at self-service kiosks.
High-efficiency solutions
The initiative at NEOM Bay Airport is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to enhance the quality of life by implementing high-efficiency digital solutions in Saudi cities.
In April this year, Jawazat inaugurated the first phase of e-passport gates at terminals 3 and 4 of Riyadh airport. This initiative established Riyadh airport as the first airport in Saudi Arabia to implement biometric e-passport scanners.
Read: Saudi Arabia enhances air connectivity with new direct flight route from Riyadh to London
Achieving Vision 2030 tourism goal
Saudi Arabia has surpassed its Vision 2030 tourism goal of attracting 100 million visitors annually by 2023, seven years ahead of schedule. The Kingdom’s tourism revenues reached $36 billion in 2023. Meanwhile, net tourism income increased by 38 percent. The sector’s direct and indirect contribution to GDP reached 11.5 percent in 2023.
Therefore, the NEOM Bay Airport’s smart gates align with the goals of the National Aviation Strategy and Vision 2030. It also signifies the aviation and travel sector’s ambitious adoption of new technologies which contribute to positioning Saudi Arabia as a pioneer in the aviation sector in the Middle East region and globally.
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