DUBAI (Zawya Dow Jones) – Middle East airlines will lead the global aviation industry out of its worst downturn in years, the world's top plane makers said Monday, on the second day of the Dubai Airshow that saw few orders.

"The Middle East is still the hub of aviation growth," Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said at the show held at Dubai International Airport.

Randy Tinseth, commercial marketing vice president for Boeing Co., echoed the bullish mood in saying "we see tremendous growth for the Middle East."

Plane makers, under pressure in Europe and the US, hope that oil prices above $70 a barrel will help the region's mostly state-owned airlines continue expanding as their international rivals get hammered by the global economic downturn.

Both Boeing and Airbus, the world's largest plane makers, Monday announced their market outlook for the Middle East region for the next 20 years.

Boeing expects demand to total 1,710 new planes worth about $300 billion over the next 20 years, while Airbus, a wholly-owned unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV, said the region will need 1,418 passenger aircraft worth $243 billion "to satisfy above world average demand" over the same period.

Boeing's Tinseth said the Chicago-based company expects Mideast passenger traffic to grow at an average rate of 4.9% each year for the next 20 years, while 150 freighters are likely to be delivered to Middle East carriers over the next 20 years.

Airbus meanwhile said that by 2028, the region's passenger fleet will almost treble to 1681 from 586 aircraft at the start of the year.