“At a time when other airlines are cutting back, Emirates is growing. Emirates has earned record profits in the last six months. We could not have achieved our success alone,” said Muhammad H. Alfalasi, Emirates regional manager, Saudi Arabia. “Tonight we say thank you.”
With that statement, Alfalasi kicked off the annual Emirates Awards Gala. More than 300 travel agents from the Eastern Province participated in the event, which included 15 awards in the sales category and five awards for cargo handling. The gala was hosted by Emirates Eastern Province Sales Manager Afzal Azam Baig. In addition to Alfalasi, Shaikh Muhammad Khaliq, Emirates cargo manager, Saudi Arabia, was on hand to congratulate the winners. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the first lifetime achievement award.
“Emirates will be presenting this honor annually to recognize individuals whose contributions have proved invaluable to the development of the travel trade in Saudi Arabia,” said Baig. “This year we are recognizing a man who has helped the oldest travel agency in the region achieve SR1.75 billion in turnover in the Middle East. Although the travel industry in general is facing consolidation and upheaval, Kanoo Travel continues to thrive. Kanoo Travel would not have achieved their current level of success without the talents of their executive general manager, a Saudi from the Kingdom’s Eastern Province, Abdullah M. Abo Khamseen.”
Joining the Kanoo Group in 1975, Abo Khamseen was hired as an assistant in the personnel department. He climbed a career ladder that was anything but a straight shot to the top, taking over Kanoo’s travel division in 1987.
“I started out at the bottom and at certain points along the way I was pushed in new directions,” he said with a laugh. “Believe me, when I was administrative manager for the Kanoo Group, I never thought of a career in the travel industry. Then the job of general manager of the Aircraft Handling Service was presented to me as a challenge. Looking at it that way, I set out to do my best and I have come far.”
Currently, Abo Khamseen is caught up with the challenges facing the Kingdom’s travel industry as it struggles to cope with changes thrust upon it by the coming of the Internet, evolving revenue models, globalization and Saudization.
“Customer demands are driving the changes that we see today in the travel trade,” said Abo Khamseen. “Customers are more informed. They are more price conscious, more product conscious and they have more choices than ever. Travel agencies will continue to play a role in the travel trade only if they stop perpetrating old habits and restructure to face new economic realities.”
In the past, airlines, hotels and other suppliers depended on travel agents for bookings. Now, there are cheaper distribution channels, such as call centers and websites. With suppliers’ commissions reduced, travel agencies must look for other sources of income.
“For travel agents to survive, clients must begin to pay for our services,” Abo Khamseen asserted. “For that to happen, clients must view our service fees as fair compensation for our work. That means selling more than just a seat or a bed. Travel agents must sell a promise of a good quality time. We must help people make their dreams come true. Only then will people feel that our services are valuable.”
That’s a tall order for anyone. Abo Khamseen admitted that it is not easy to attract Saudis to serve in the travel trade when there are other less demanding careers available for skilled individuals. Kanoo Travel is 31 percent Saudi, compared to 40 percent Saudization for Kanoo Group. In an attempt to raise Saudization numbers, Kanoo has set up its own training academy.
“The level of attrition among our Saudi staff is high,” said Abo Khamseen, “but we are proud to have some Saudis at all levels from executive management to the counter staff at Kanoo Travel. It takes six months training at our academy, plus another six months behind the counter before a Saudi trainee is allowed to issue his first domestic airline ticket. I must point out that we offer our training free and pay the trainee a salary.”
Abo Khamseen believes that careers in the travel industry best suit those who “love to travel and love to serve people.” Prospective travel agents must also have some English language knowledge and be computer literate.
“Despite the difficulties, Kanoo’s Saudization efforts will continue,” Abo Khamseen said. “We feel that Saudization is not only our sacred duty, but from a business perspective, a lot of Saudis are in the purchasing cycle now and they need people to serve them right and understand their requirements. In the travel trade, always keep the needs of the customer in mind, and the strategic decisions to make for success will be clear.”
Arab News Features 7 March 2003
