Despite the increasing rents and cost of living, more and more residents living in the UAE will be traveling in record numbers this summer, with Far Eastern destinations rising in popularity among UAE nationals. On the other hand, the United Kingdom and the Indian Subcontinent continue to top the list of preferred summer getaways for expatriates in the region.
Forecasting a boom in individual air travel in the UAE, a top official of Sharjah National Travel & Tourist Agency (SNTTA), one of the leading travel companies in the region and a member of the Dubai-based Liberty Investment Company, said that the trends were based on SNTTA achieving a strong 18 percent increase in outbound air-travel reservations for the first quarter of this year, over the corresponding period last year.
“It is going to be a record-breaking summer season for us this year and almost all airlines are nearing full capacity,” explained Zafar Imam, General Manager of SNTTA-Sharjah. “After years of slow growth, this is the time of recovery that the regional travel industry has been waiting for. This year, the upswing in the economy, combined with innovative promotions and incentives have jointly contributed towards a healthy growth for the air travel industry.”
At the same time, SNTTA announced the launch of its latest summer campaign, this year offering an innovative “Fly Free Anywhere” promotion that allows travelers the opportunity to win back the entire amount of the ticket they purchase at any of the eight participating SNTTA outlets in Sharjah, including those in Dhaid, Khorfakkan and Kalba.
Starting from May 16th until July 29th – for 75 days – the travel company is giving its retail customers the opportunity to win 75 air tickets, along with the chance to enter into a grand draw, where one lucky customer stands to win a 2005 Chevrolet Epica. To be eligible for the promotion, customers must purchase their tickets from any of the participating SNTTA outlets, with each ticket accompanied by a raffle coupon, regardless of the amount spent on the ticket.
Each week, the names of seven lucky customers will be picked out in a raffle in the presence of senior officials of Sharjah Municipality and top SNTTA management. The winners then obtain a full redemption on their ticket purchase amount and their names are also prominently displayed at all the participating outlets as well as on the SNTTA website (www.sntta.com). Additionally, all raffle coupons will be entered into a grand raffle draw, to be held on July 30th, to pick the lucky winner of the 2005 Chevrolet Epica.
“SNTTA has always been at the forefront in presenting innovative promotions that will help in luring travelers back to the skies and encouraging their participation in our events,” explained Imam. “Our latest summer promotion aims to reward customers for their loyalty that has, over the years, built SNTTA into a reputed and trusted travel company in the region.”
This week, the names of the first seven lucky customers were picked out in the raffle draw by a Sharjah Municipality official. These included Ahmed Javed (Dubai-Lahore), Salah Abdalla (Dubai-Doha-Dubai), Sulaikha Hassan (Dubai-Calicut), Philip Mathew (Cochin-Dubai), Mohammed Abdulla (Dubai-Karachi-Dhaka), Hayatullah (Dubai-Peshawar), Zainab Ahmed (Dubai-Lahore-Dubai).
SNTTA is the General Sales Agent for 12 international airlines and travel companies such as Emirates Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian, Pakistan International Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Sudan Airways, Iraqi Airways, Shaheen Air, Air Malta, American Express Travel Services and Indian Railways. SNTTA is also Passenger Sales Agent (PSA) for all international airlines that operate to and out of the UAE. As an important service provider, SNTTA offices and call center are open every day of the year.
About SNTTA:
Sharjah National Travel and Tourist Agency (SNTTA) was established as a full service travel agency in 1975. It is a member of the Dubai-based Liberty Investment Company which is the holding company for the group. Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Qasimi is the Chairman of the group and President of SNTTA. In 1999, SNTTA became the first travel company in the UAE to achieve the ISO-9001 certification. It is also a franchise partner in Sharjah of American Express Travel Services and a Loyalty Program Partner with Airmiles. At present, SNTTA has eight travel offices in Sharjah, and other offices in Dubai and Northern Emirates, offering total travel solutions to retail and corporate clients. The SNTTA group employs over 300 staff in the UAE and is managed by a team of highly experienced professionals.
