Riyadh’s ambitions to take its air travel industry international are a game changer for the Middle East.

The Saudi capital aims to become a major international air travel hub by 2030. 

To achieve this, the kingdom plans to invest $100bn in the expansion and enhancement of its aviation sector – efforts that will build on the role of the UAE and Qatar as well-established international aviation hubs.

The February 2023 issue of MEED Business Review explores how the region's air traffic map could be transformed by Riyadh’s Saudi Aviation Strategy over the next seven years.

MEED also looks at airports under construction and planned in the region as the Gulf aviation sector vies for pole position in the global market.

This month's industry report includes MEED's 2023 GCC desalination developer ranking. Saudi utility developer Acwa Power and France’s Engie continue to dominate the line-up, each having cornered one of the two independent water producer (IWP) contracts awarded between 2021 and 2022.

The report also reveals that there are $60bn of water project opportunities in the GCC, as growing security, efficiency and sustainability concerns drive demand for water. 

Our 15-page special report on World Cup host Qatar, meanwhile, finds the country looking to new goals, but with sports still in mind.

Must-read sections in the February 2023 edition of MEED Business Review include:

> AGENDA: Saudi Arabia raises aviation stakes

> AIRPORT PROJECTS: The GCC’s top future airport projects

> EGYPT: Egypt currency crisis stokes project delay fears

> IRAQ: Contractors anticipate surge in Iraq oil and gas tenders

> HILL INTERVIEW: Business as usual for Hill plus more with GISI

> OPINION: MEED says goodbye to a visionary former editor and chairman of MEED

> MEED COMMENTS: 
    > Nuclear power investment potential grows
    > Outlook dims for Kuwait’s $10bn chemicals project

> INDUSTRY REPORT: Acwa Power and Engie dominate water ranking

> LAMAR INTERVIEW: Lamar Holding gains momentum in Saudi Arabia

> ARAMCO INTERVIEW: Aramco seeks to shore up Saudi small businesses

> SAUDI CONTRACTS: Spike in contract awards for Saudi chemicals in 2023

> SAUDI EDUCATION: Saudi higher education needs 900,000 new seats

> PROJECTS OUTLOOK: Middle East looks to projects award uptick in 2023

> MEED INDEX: Saudi leads MEED's latest economic activity index

> TRENDS: Five project megatrends to watch in 2023

> QATAR MARKET FOCUS: Qatar moves on to its next chapter

> MARKET SNAPSHOT: GCC oil and gas megaprojects

> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: UAE leads Gulf projects market growth

> DECEMBER 2022 CONTRACTS: Saudi Arabia and Qatar lift regional market

> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts