Air Arabia LLC, the Middle East region's first and only low-fares airline, announced a new partnership with leading discount accommodation broker, OctopusTravel.com. The airline website with the largest proportion of internet-based bookings in the Middle East region, airarabia.com, signed the deal with OctopusTravel.com today. Benefits are available immediately offering Air Arabia customers the opportunity to book discount hotel accommodation and a range of other travel services, including, villas, apartments, sightseeing and private transfers.
From the outset, OctopusTravel will provide links to a co-branded web site with special rates and promotions for Air Arabia, which will offer: A unique portfolio of over 20,000 hotels discounted by up to 70% off rack rates in more than 3,300 cities spanning 112 countries, from budget to 5 star deluxe, with a detailed, independent report on every one. Travelers can also choose from 3,000 apartments and villas with real time availability, instant confirmation and a printable voucher and location map.
Amer Al Halabi, Manager of OctopusTravel.com Middle East and North Africa, said: “We are thrilled to be linking to the air line web site that has the strongest internet travel booking profile in the Arab world. This new contract will further enhance our market position and the additional business will help us to improve the depth and quality of our offer.”
The site also features a facility to search and book all kinds of hotel rooms, from singles to triples with cots, and multiple bookings in one transaction. Private transfers and tailor-made private sightseeing bookings are also available in more than 2,000 sightseeing tours and excursions.
Adel Ali, CEO, Air Arabia said "From offering affordable air travel we now offer a complete holiday product which will benefit both leisure and business travelers in the region. We decided to partner with Octopus Travel, because of its industry-leading technical platform, which can present information in over 20 languages including Arabic, its vast selection of accommodation, from large five star deluxe hotels to boutique properties, villas and apartments, its competitive prices and its strong focus on customer service.”
Over 300 extensive city and country travel guides, produced and edited in-house, using local expert travel writers and OctopusTravel’s direct knowledge of the destinations provide customers with detailed destination guides including real time weather reports, currency converter and information on special events.
Daniela Wagner, International MD, OctopusTravel.com concluded: “According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Travel & Tourism growth in the Middle East is projected to be well over 4% per annum over the coming decade. With the clear trend towards booking travel on the internet and Air Arabia’s strong position in this segment of the market, we are optimistic that together we will build a great partnership that will present exciting opportunities for mutual profit and ongoing growth.”
Air Arabia currently flies from Sharjah to nineteen different destinations: ten flights weekly to Alexandria; daily to Bahrain, Beirut, Colombo, Damascus, Doha, Mumbai and Muscat; five days a week to Kuwait; four days a week to Dammam; three days a week to Khartoum and Aleppo; and two days a week to Assiut, Jeddah, Kabul, Riyadh, Luxor, Sana’a and Sharm El Sheikh.
Committed to enabling customers who have not been able to afford air travel in the past to start traveling throughout the region and those who do travel to travel more frequently, Air Arabia offers tremendous opportunities to travelers who are looking for competitive fares. It aims to make air travel more convenient and frequent, while providing the lowest fares in the market without sacrificing the standards of safety, quality or service offered. Bookings can be made through Air Arabia’s call centre in Sharjah on (+971 6) 558 0000, the website www.airarabia.com; Air Arabia Sales Centres; appointed travel agents; and Emirates Post offices.
