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 JCDecaux, the largest outdoor advertising company in the world.

The French-based company was awarded the milestone contract following a fiercely competitive bidding process in which several of the world’s largest firms participated.

The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, JCDecaux Middle East Chief Executive Officer, Mr. 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 the modern advertising methods it has been utilizing in over 75 countries.

The Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed 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.

Following a rigorous selection process, we identified JCDecaux as the most capable candidate for handling the advertising needs of this massive project, and are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.”

BIA currently accommodates around 9 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.

Bahrain Airport Company Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah 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 modernize the entire passenger travelling experience and appeal to the tastes and needs of today’s sophisticated and demanding travelers.

We have high expectations to leverage JCDecaux vast experiences and capabilities to realize the vision we have developed for the new passenger terminal building”

Jean-Charles Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: “We are very proud to have been chosen by Bahrain Airport Company as the recipient of the new Bahrain International Airport advertising contract, allowing us to enter a new market and expand our footprint in the Middle East.

With 35 airports currently under concession in the region, JCDecaux offers brands and advertising agencies a unique premium network reaching an audience of almost 218 million passengers annually.

This new contract demonstrates the trust that our partners place in us to transform airport environments by delivering innovative and premium digital advertising solutions.

We believe that our track record of enhancing the passenger experience in the world’s leading airports, as well as our extensive global and regional client base, will ensure the success of this partnership and position BIA as an industry leader in its class in the region.

Work on the AMP is ongoing, with the new terminal expected to open to the public in 2019 and completion of Phase 2 by 2020.

Source: Fana News