Recreation facilities to be established at
Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore Airports
The Pakistan Airports Authority
(PAA) has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from qualified local and
international firms to develop and operate passenger leisure and recreation
facilities at the country’s three largest airports under a new initiative aimed
at enhancing traveler experience and generating non-aeronautical revenue.
The proposed project, titled AURA (Airport User Recreation & Attractions),
envisions the introduction of controlled leisure and entertainment
installations at landside and terminal areas of Islamabad International Airport, Jinnah International Airport Karachi,
and Allama Iqbal
International Airport Lahore.
According to the EoI document issued by the PAA, the
initiative seeks to transform major airports into experience-led destinations
by offering innovative attractions that meet international safety and operational
standards while improving passenger engagement and dwell time.
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Among the concepts under consideration are glass
observation bridges, enclosed transparent slides, controlled zipline
experiences, chairlift-style panoramic viewing systems, observation decks, and
other interactive leisure attractions designed for airport environments.
The authority emphasized that all proposed installations
will remain subject to comprehensive safety, security, engineering, structural,
and regulatory approvals. No attraction will be permitted to interfere with
airport operations, passenger movement, emergency access routes, or aviation
safety requirements.
Under the framework, aerial and elevated experiences
such as ziplines, gliding concepts, glass walkways, and panoramic chairlift
systems may be developed within designated airport zones. Proposals may also
include enclosed glass slides featuring immersive visual effects and guided
movement systems connecting different terminal levels, subject to feasibility
assessments and approvals.
PAA stated that all attractions must be located within
approved landside areas and will not be granted access to operational airside
zones. Dedicated access arrangements, crowd management plans, emergency
response procedures, and certified operational staff will be mandatory
requirements.
The authority further noted that all personnel, systems,
and equipment associated with the attractions will be subject to security
clearance requirements of both PAA and the Airport Security Force (ASF). Airport
management will retain the right to suspend, restrict, or close operations at
any time due to safety, security, operational, weather-related, or emergency
considerations.
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Prospective bidders have been asked to submit company
profiles highlighting relevant experience in leisure infrastructure,
experiential attractions, aviation-related developments, or comparable
projects. Applicants must also provide preliminary concept proposals, technical
and safety frameworks, insurance arrangements, and indicative commercial models
based on minimum guaranteed payments, revenue-sharing mechanisms, or hybrid
structures.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to
diversify airport revenue streams and align Pakistan’s major airports with
international trends that increasingly incorporate entertainment, recreation,
and experiential offerings into passenger facilities.
Interested firms may submit proposals for one or
multiple airports. The deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest has
been set for June 22, 2026,
with applications to be submitted to the respective airport management offices.
PAA noted that the scope, location, and scale of proposed attractions may be
refined or modified during subsequent stages of the procurement and approval
process.
Source:
PAA