The plan will lay out development of the airport and surrounding land in the resort town of Aqaba - a gateway to the Petra heritage site - to meet expected bigger demand for passenger and air cargo traffic, CAI said in a statement issued late Thursday.

CAI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of airport operator Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, invests in and manages airports around the world. It also offers consultancy services.

CAI said it will update the airport's layout plan related to the configuration of runways, taxiways, aprons, structures, navigational aids and other facilities.

It will also plan the use of land around the airport to ensure aircraft safety and protect the public from emissions and excessive noise.

The development plan must ensure that little damage is done to the environment, the statement said.

'The Middle East is truly an exciting region for the aviation industry,' said CAI chief executive Chow Kok Fong. 'Traffic growth in the region has persistently registered 18 percent or more and represents one of the fastest growing markets in the world.' Imad Fakhoury, chairman and chief executive of the Aqaba Development Corp, said the government plans to develop the King Hussein International Airport into a world-class facility to serve the Middle East.

'With the demand for aviation facilities and air traffic to Aqaba increasing at a rapid pace, the preparation of a masterplan for the airport comes at a very important time,' he said.

CAI has operations in China, India and Russia.

It is also involved in operation of the Abu Dhabi International Airport.

mba/it/lh Singapore-airport-Jordan AFP 190545 GMT OCT 07