RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s budget airline flynas announced on Sunday the inauguration of its first direct flight connecting Jeddah with Brussels. This move marks a major milestone in flynas’ European expansion, establishing it as the first Saudi national airline to provide direct connectivity between the Kingdom and the heart of the EU, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency. The new route, part of flynas’ growing portfolio of international destinations, is a strategic component of the Saudi Air Connectivity Program. This program is a key initiative in line with the National Tourism Strategy, aiming to increase the Kingdom’s global connectivity. The strategy aims to draw 150 million tourists and expand Saudi Arabia’s international flight destinations to over 250 by 2030. The launch, signifying the strengthening of Saudi-Belgian relations, was attended by key dignitaries, including Pascal Gregoire, the Belgian ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The celebratory event at the Brussels Airport was graced by the deputy ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Brussels, Mohammed Moanes, along with representatives from flynas and prominent figures from the travel and tourism sector. The Air Connectivity Program, initiated in 2021, is crucial to the Kingdom’s tourism growth. It focuses on enhancing Saudi Arabia’s global air links by developing existing and potential flight paths, thereby positioning the region as a leading global tourist destination. The program operates as the executive arm of the National Tourism and Aviation Strategies, aiming to foster collaboration and partnerships across public and private sectors in tourism and aviation. This route expansion by flynas signifies a step in Saudi Arabia’s aviation capabilities and aligns with the broader vision of diversifying the Kingdom’s economy and enhancing its global standing as a key player in international travel and tourism. On Dec. 2, the airline also inaugurated six destinations and routes, including two domestic flights to Abha and Tabuk and four in the international category — to Dubai, Amman, Istanbul and Ankara — to be operated alongside the other four existing destinations from Madinah to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Cairo.