The Middle East Transport

Of the six GCC states, Bahrain has the longest history of international air travel and Bahrain International Airport (BIA) is the region’s oldest airport. Today BIA receives 9m passengers a year. The airport currently serves 31 commercial and 10 cargo carriers that in total operate 921 flights per week to 45 global destinations. The next chapter...

A major wave of airport building and expansion is taking place, which is set to transform Oman’s international air transport profile. This is also a key pillar of its plans to diversify the economy away from hydrocarbons, giving a lift to everything from tourism to trade.

With the sultanate’s grid of air, land and sea connections unrecognisable in comparison to what it was just a generation ago, Oman’s transport infrastructure has seen some spectacular growth in recent years.

The period ahead could well be a watershed moment for the logistics sector in Oman, as a series of recent developments in infrastructure and geopolitics begin to coalesce. These moves come alongside improvements in the efficiency of the local sector, pushing the sultanate closer still to its broader goal of becoming an international logistics centre.

Given Jordan’s strategically important location at the crossroads of the Middle East, the country’s transport sector is well placed to become one of the most competitive in the region. With more free trade agreements than any of its neighbours, the sector has continued to show growth over the past year despite ongoing regional instability. At the centre of Jordan’s...

Jordan’s aviation market occupies a medium-sized position within the Middle East. While not quite on par with the rapid increase in international routes that has boosted air travel to Gulf countries like Qatar and the UAE, the kingdom’s airports have nevertheless seen steady passenger growth in recent decades, averaging 9.7% per year between 2006 and 2011.