Dnata Agencies announces Gulfwide expansion plans

Dnata Agencies, the retail and corporate travel services arm of the Emirates Group, yesterday announced an expansion plan for its network.

Dnata Agencies launched its operations in Kuwait last September through a joint venture and recently obtained a licence for Saudi Arabia.

In Kuwait, Dnata will wholly manage retail travel business outlets through franchise and management agreements.

Dnata plans to open four retail outlets, including the first travel shop at Kuwait International Airport. Its operations in Kuwait will be headquartered in Safat (City Centre), and boast the same one-stop travel stop concept offered at its flagship outlet in Airline Centre in Dubai. The first retail shop in Kuwait will be operational in June.

Dnata has also signed an MoU for a joint venture with partners in Saudi Arabia, to establish a travel management organisation in the kingdom. Dnata intends to set up its main operations in Dammam Al Khobbar in the Eastern Province.

It also plans to set up the first airport travel outlet in Saudi Arabia and the first-ever "ladies only travel hub" in the region.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Emirates Group, yesterday outlined a blueprint which will see Dnata raising Dh100 million in the next 24 months in infrastructure, to establish call centres in both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as well as put in place state-of-the-art operational and IT systems. Dnata also plans to introduce its sub-brands - World of Events, AXIS Holidays, CompanionPoints - with their various specialist offerings, to retail and corporate customers in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and the entire region.

The organisation is also looking at possibilities in neighbouring Gulf countries.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "Over the years, Dnata has firmly established itself as the leading agency in the UAE for travel management services. It is now timely for it to look beyond the UAE, and we believe Dnata's experience and global travel services network will enable it to provide a compelling offering to customers in the region.

Gary Chapman, president of Dnata and Associated Companies, said: "Our network expansion is a strategic move to grow Dnata Agencies as a truly regional player. The company is poised to embark on this regional expansion, which will optimise our prior investments in trained manpower and sophisticated operation systems.

"We have the necessary hardware and software to run a successful travel management organisation, and extending our services to other parts of the region just makes business sense."