JEDDAH, 15 December 2006 — Elaf Group of Companies — one of the leading travel and tour operators in the Kingdom — yesterday unveiled plans to expand its operations by opening new offices and hotels across the country.
“Our expansion plans for 2007 are in response to the market needs and increasing customer expectations,” Moutaz F. Kayal, president of Elaf Group of Companies and also of the Saudi Chapter of American Association of Travel Agents (ASTA), told Arab News in an interview.
The group’s future plans include the opening of new branches for Elaf Travel & Tourism in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Riyadh cities, making a total of 12 strategically-located offices by early 2007.
In Jeddah, one more branch will be opened at Madinah Road and another branch is due to open in the near future at the Red Sea Mall - regarded as the biggest and most luxurious mall on King Road, Jeddah.
In Madinah, a second office is being opened since Prince Mohammed Airport has become an international destination.
In Makkah, a new branch is to open soon, he said. In Riyadh, a second office will rise in Batha district.
Moreover, Kayal said Elaf Hotels Company is currently negotiating two management contracts for hotels in Jeddah, another in Makkah and a fourth in Madinah. Elaf Hotels Company opened three new hotels in Makkah in 2006 - Elaf Al-Salam-Nour with 155 rooms and suites, Elaf Al-Thuraya-Nour with104 rooms and suites and Elaf Mena-Nour with 130 rooms and suites. Overall, the company has 12 hotels in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah offering a total of over 2,000 rooms and suites. He said 2006 was a landmark in the history of Elaf Group’s financial results, in which the group received national and international recognitions as well as being included in the top 100 Saudi companies for the fourth consecutive year.
The company was also a recipient of Dubai government award as one of the highest contributors to the emirate’s tourism. It was voted as one of the Kingdom’s top 10 travel and tourism companies by Lufthansa/Swiss Air, British Airways and Air-India.
It also received Gulf Air Silver Award and Emirates Airlines Award, as well as Marriott 1000 Nights Award for its contributions and achievements.
The company was likewise accorded an award of appreciation by Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts and another Business Achievement Award from ACCOR.
Kayal pointed out that “Elaf Travel & Tourism Company and Elaf Hotels Company were the first in the Middle East to qualify for ISO:9001-2002 for Quality Management System since 2002 and valid until 2008.”
The long list of citations and awards in 2006 was achieved due to especially-tailored comprehensive training programs for all its personnel in travel, tourism, hotels, technical support services and information technology, with emphasis on Saudi talents “as they represent the current and future assets of the group,” he explained.
