Riyadh Airports Company, which manages and operates King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, has launched the “Riyadh Airports Innovation Council” in collaboration with Cognizant. This digital initiative aims to foster collaborative innovation and improve the passenger experience. The announcement was made during LEAP Expo 2024.
The travel sector witnessed a recovery in 2023 compared to previous years, driven by changes in traveler behaviors and their digital expectations. This necessitated the adoption of modern and innovative technologies that contribute to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and enhancing the customer experience.
Mr. Osama Alfawaz, the Chief ICT Officer at Riyadh Airports, commented on the collaboration, stating, “We trust the excellent capabilities provided by this collaboration with Cognizant, given their extensive experience in this field. We expect several important outcomes from the ‘Riyadh Airports Innovation Council,’ including the establishment of a dedicated platform for identifying use cases and initiative priorities, as well as the development of proof of concept (PoC) experiences, solutions, and minimum viable products (MVPs). The goal is to employ them in realizing travelers’ aspirations for a digital travel experience and enhancing the customer experience at King Khalid International Airport. Riyadh Airports will have ownership rights to the solutions developed by the council, enabling us to optimize the benefits of this collaboration.”
Similarly, Mr. Tariq Zarq Al Ayyoun, General Manager of Cognizant in Saudi Arabia, stated, “Our goal is to redefine the travel experience by focusing on customers, employees, and partners to create a positive impact that contributes to technological development in the Kingdom.” He further added, “We are committed to supporting the Innovation Council and its institutional leadership to meet the needs of current and startup businesses by accelerating the necessary technical aspects to fulfill these requirements.” He emphasized that a team of business and technology specialists from Riyadh Airports and Cognizant has been formed to collaborate on idea development, provide guidance, and offer necessary directions.
The council is scheduled to meet regularly to collaborate on identifying use cases, innovation priorities, and finding creative initial solutions and programs. Cognizant will work on developing these solutions, and the council will invite specialized companies to provide external perspectives on the proposed solutions that can be implemented, leveraging all available technologies in these fields.
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