Emirates Holidays serves 100,000 in 2007-08

Dubai: Emirates Holidays, the airline's leisure arm, served more than 100,000 holidaymakers in the 2007-08 financial year and is set to see a 35 per cent growth this year.

Emirates Holidays on Sunday launched its largest-ever brochure, with 130 new hotels, 100 new excursions and new destinations, including Venice, Newcastle, Sao Paolo, Ahmedabad, Toronto and Houston.

"As leisure travel escalates across the world, travellers are demanding niche tourism products," said John Felix, senior vice-president of Emirates Holidays.

Jungle safaris

In line with this, jungle safaris in southern India are being introduced along with tours of South Korea, Australia, Essaouira in Morocco, Munich and Durban.

"Safaris are gaining in popularity and trips to places like Malaysia are generating more interest. The presentation of these destinations in the past was more focused on cities," said Felix.

"Cruises are popular but with the market we are in, the type of passenger who wants to go on a cruise is limited. It is growing but from a small base," Felix said.

Emirates Holidays saw sales revenues increase 22 per cent in 2006-07, generating more than Dh500 million. The UAE made up around 41 per cent of the holidaymakers, the Middle East 28 per cent, Africa nine per cent and Russia and Australasia produced seven per cent while eight per cent came from Eur-ope.

Dina Al Herais, vice-president of commercial operations said the UAE, the UK, France and the Far East are good performers and that Emirates Holidays are "market leaders" in the Indian ocean region.

"We are also moving towards opening new source markets," she said.