Dubai: Have you ever wanted to visit space, the final frontier? Soon, $200,000 and a call to Sharaf Travel will get you there.
The Dubai-based travel agency has just been selected as the UAE general sales agent for Virgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson's space tourism initiative under his global Virgin brand.
Virgin Galactic is set to launch its first manned flight in late 2009, according to Salaf Sharaf, chairman of Sharaf Travel. The launch site will likely be in the southwestern United States, with each trip featuring three hours in space.
Sharaf Travel's selection as the exclusive ticket sellers for the Galactic service in the region follows a year of courting the UK-based airline for the position, Sharaf said. Virgin first entered the Dubai market in 2006, when it began operating commercial flights from London to Dubai, taking on Emirates, Etihad Airways and British Airways.
The Gulf has the potential to become a highly profitable region to book space tourism flights, due to its prevalence of high net worth individuals.
'The potential is huge because this is something entirely new, it's the first space tourism in the region, and a totally new concept," Sharaf told the Gulf News, adding that he hoped to become one of Virgin Galactic's first customers.
Virgin Galactic is one of several outfits planning commercial space flights. Malaysia is making plans to offer space flights, as well as Space Adventures, with a planned launch site in Ras Al Khaimah.
Virgin Galactic is set to disclose further details of the service, including its first passengers, during the Arabian Travel Market today.
