Muscat: ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, ACI EUROPE, and ACI World today kick off Airports Innovate, a global aviation event centred around innovation.

Themed “Dynamic Think Tank – Reveal the Future”, this brand-new event will capture the latest innovations that are transforming the global airport industry. The conference is hosted by Oman Airports in Muscat from 20-22 November 2023.

With an anticipated capacity of 400+ delegates, 30+ exhibitors and sponsors, and 60+ speakers, this event will bring together an influential audience comprising global airport leaders and their innovation labs, aviation technology developers, airlines, Civil Aviation Authorities, industry suppliers, mobility experts, start-ups and more. 

Airports Innovate will encompass a wide range of topics critical to the airport industry, including Airport Design, Artificial Intelligence & Big Data, Business Solutions, Green Innovation & Sustainability, Innovation Labs, Customer Experience, Digital Transformation and Infrastructure, eCommerce & Retail, electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) & Advanced Air Mobility, Facilitation & Operations, Future of Workforce, Mobility & Connectivity, Risk Management, Security & Cyber Security, Smart Cities, Metaverse, and Brand Strategy. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of airports, innovation is the driving force behind progress, from operational advancements, cost efficiencies, enhanced customer experience and stakeholder alignment to sustainable and decarbonised infrastructure. Airports Innovate is conceived as a premier global event that captures the essence of transformation and seeks out-of-the-box ideas. It serves as a platform for game-changers, innovators, start-ups, and the brightest minds in technology to display their disruptive ideas and solutions, which have the potential to revolutionise the future of airports.

Sheikh Ayman bin Ahmed Al Hosni, Chair of ACI World Governing Board and CEO of Oman Airports, the host of Airports Innovate, said, “We are proud to host this significant event in our beautiful ancient city of Muscat. We are honoured that airport officials from the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, and America come here to think outside the box to create an integrated working environment that aspires towards a bright future for the global aviation sector. Innovation has become a fundamental necessity, especially in the field of airports and travel. Our competitiveness prompts us to work towards improving the travel experience for millions of passengers who trust in our capabilities as airport operators. This gathering symbolizes our shared commitment to leadership in a new era of innovative solutions, leading technologies, and cooperative strategies that will shape the future of airports worldwide.” 

Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General said: “Innovation is one of the three key strategic directions now followed by Europe’s airports, alongside Sustainability and Diversification. The future of the airport industry lies in the interplay of these three tenets, which are now driving and enabling our business transformation – towards a new airport value-creation model. So it is more than fitting that we join forces with our colleagues from ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East and ACI World to take stock of where airports stand and chart the way forward on innovation. I look forward to all the insightful sessions ahead of us that will surely lead to heated discussions and the formation of innovative ideas.”