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29 Sep, 2017

Bahrain Airport Ad Contract Awarded to French-Based JCDecaux

MANAMA, Bahrain, Sept 28 (NNN-BNA) – Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), and the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, awarded the airport’s much coveted advertising contract to the Paris-based outdoor advertising agency JCDecaux.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, JCDecaux Middle East Chief Executive Officer, Martin Sabbagh, and other high level officials.

The concession agreement, which marks the advertising giant’s first entry into the Kingdom, will be for a period of 10 years, and covers the exclusive use of advertising space within BIA’s premises, in line with the vision of the Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP).

This includes the airport campus, forecourt and all approach roads. JCDecaux will use more than 230 formats for the duration of the contract, introducing modern advertising methods it has been utilising in over 75 countries.

Kamal said, “This agreement represents a milestone in our journey, to put the Kingdom’s aviation and travel experience on the map, as one of the most advanced in the world.

It will also provide additional sources of income, that will help finance and sustain the AMP, an initiative that will elevate the Kingdom’s economic status substantially.

BIA currently accommodates around nine million passengers per year. Upon completion, the new state-of-the-art passenger terminal building will increase that capacity by 50%, allowing up to 14 million passengers to travel through the airport and benefit from its expanded commercial offerings.

Mohamed Yousif said, “This concession agreement will not only give JCDecaux the opportunity to expand its operations to a new country, but will also allow them work on a unique project of its kind.”

The AMP is more than just an expansion of the airport. It is meant to modernise the entire passenger travelling experience and appeal to the tastes and needs of today’s sophisticated and demanding travellers.

With 35 airports currently under concession in the region, JCDecaux claims to be reaching an audience of almost 218 million passengers annually.

Work on the AMP is ongoing, with the new terminal expected to open to the public in 2019, and completion of Phase two, by 2020.