Abu Dhabi, UAE: Seera Group, the region’s leading travel services company, has signed an exclusive GCC partnership with Experience Hub, a subsidiary of Miral and the trade and promotion arm of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the fastest growing leisure and entertainment destinations globally. The agreement will see the two entities work together to train Seera’s agents and sales associates on the iconic attractions in the UAE capital city and drive further visitations from Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A comprehensive calendar of virtual training activities has been lined-up to cover the various attractions on Yas Island Abu Dhabi, enabling Seera to promote these destinations further to its consumer travel customer base.
Another initiative by Seera Group to foster strong industry linkages to support the recovery of the travel and tourism sector, the partnership is expected to drive stronger visitor footfalls to Abu Dhabi from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Muzzammil Ahussain, EVP of Consumer Travel at Seera Group, said: "Abu Dhabi is one of the fast-growing destinations of choice for visitors from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Through our partnership with Experience Hub, we are offering our sales associates and travel agents more insights into the diverse aspects of Yas Island. As we prepare for travel and tourism activity to reopen and flourish, such virtual training programmes will not only keep our teams motivated but also accelerate the sector’s growth."
Liam Findlay, General Manager of Experience Hub, said: "The GCC is a key source market for Yas Island and our first priority in welcoming back international visitors to the destination. Our aim at Experience Hub is to forge deeper relationships with our partners through collaboration and resource-sharing so that together we can rebuild consumer confidence and foster growth of the travel industry. We look forward to working with Seera to welcome back guests from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait."
As per estimates by Almosafer, Seera Group’s consumer travel business unit, Saudi visitors to Abu Dhabi increased by nearly 21 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, while the number of online searches on the emirate hit a record-high of over 167,000. Nearly two-thirds of all Saudi visitors through Almosafer to Abu Dhabi preferred to stay at five-star hotels and resorts. Typically, the guests stay four nights in the Emirate, and now with the training for Seera Group staff, the goal is not only to increase tourist arrivals but also to enhance their length of stay.
The virtual (and later physical) interactive activities offered by Experience Hub will give an in-depth overview to Seera associates of the attractions at Yas Island Abu Dhabi. They will also take part in virtual games as well as social media competitions – all carefully tailored to highlight the differentiating strengths of the two destinations. The participants will get an overview of the hospitality offering, which will in turn enable them to offer informed advisory to guests. They will be certified as Yas Island experts upon completion of the programme.
As MENA’s largest homegrown travel company, Seera manages cutting-edge consumer online travel platforms on the web, mobile web and, app, as well as retail travel agencies across the Kingdom. Seera is also the largest corporate and government travel services provider in Saudi Arabia.
Yas Island offers a diverse range of engaging experiences and itineraries that appeal to GCC travellers. This includes award-winning theme parks such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster; iconic waterpark, Yas Waterworld; family favourite Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi; and the island’s newest attraction CLYMB, home to the world’s largest indoor skydiving flight chamber and the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall. Not to mention the retail paradise at Abu Dhabi’s largest mall, incredible dining options, one of the region’s top links golf courses, and a glamorous marina and beach.
Experience Hub currently operates offices serving the GCC and the Levant, the Indian Ocean, Asia Pacific, Europe and the CIS markets. Visit the Experience Hub website to learn more.
