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SNTTA Travel To Expand Network To 25 Branches By 2011 |
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Leading travel company integrates all outlets under single management, with a new tagline ’Travel the World’SNTTA, one of the top five travel companies in the UAE, will have a network of 25 branches by the end of 2011, as the company begins the process of integrating all its outlets under single management, powered by a new tagline ‘Travel the World.’ The 35-year-old travel management company, which operated in all emirates under different corporate names and as separate profit centres, will now integrate its operations as ‘SNTTA - Travel the World,’ accentuated by the familiar ‘globe’ emblem, to reinforce its image as a global travel services provider. “The travel industry has started seeing an upswing in outbound travel as the clouds of recession begin to lift, and we approach the peak summer travel season,” said Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi, Chairman of Liberty Investment Company, the holding company of Liberty Group, of which SNTTA is a member company. “The re-engineered SNTTA business model will be tuned to fully tap the anticipated buoyancy in the UAE market and deliver a superior level of service to outbound travellers.” “We are aiming for a network of 25 branches by the end of 2011,” said Zafar Imam, the newly appointed Managing Director of SNTTA Travel, UAE, who spearheaded the company’s phenomenal growth in Sharjah and Northern Emirates for over a decade. “We are targeting over 15 per cent growth in 2010, having achieved an impressive 12 per cent growth in a difficult year like 2009. This ties in well with our average year-on-year growth of 20 per cent over the past six years.” SNTTA currently has 18 branches across the UAE. The immediate expansion plans include opening a new branch at Mirdif City Centre in March, followed by another in Khorfakkan in May. Recently, the SNTTA main travel shop and offices in Al Garhoud Dubai were expanded and fully refurbished as part of the new growth strategy. Plans are underway to open more outlets in other emirates, with a focus on Dubai and Abu Dhabi. SNTTA is a leader in travel management services, which include business travel, leisure travel, holiday packages, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises, pilgrimage packages, etc. It is the GSA (general sales agent) in Sharjah for leading airlines, such as Emirates, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Pakistan International, Royal Jordanian, Shaheen Air, Sri Lankan and Sudan Airways, and franchise partner for American Express Travel Services. SNTTA is also the GSA for Singapore Airlines in Sharjah and Northern Emirates, and GSA for Indian Railways in the UAE. “Operating under common management will elevate SNTTA to a higher level of professionalism and more innovative travel solutions. The ‘Travel the World’ tagline, which was developed through an in-house competition involving the entire staff, has been created to drive home the message that we are truly a one-stop shop for worldwide travel solutions,” added Imam. SNTTA’s new expansion plan comes at a time when a recent survey by YouGov Siraj confirmed that business travel was on a rebound track. The survey revealed that 46 per cent of respondents were confident that business travel would increase this year, representing a rise of 22 points against corresponding period last year. The survey, conducted in January 2010, interviewed 330 leisure and 255 business travellers from the UAE. |
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