celebrating 25 years of quality and innovation; regional pioneer in inbound travel, orient tours, reveals success secrets
~His Excellency Shaikh Faisal Al Qassemi
launches year long campaign - Celebrating the Sands of Time~
Unmatched standards of quality and continuous product innovation are the two pillars that have cemented an achievement of two and a half decades in the leisure sector, according to His Excellency Shaikh Faisal bin Khalid Sultan Al Qassemi, Chairman, Orient Tours.
The UAE-based inbound tour company reached a 25-year milestone (this month) having paved the way as the nation’s first operator, in 1982.
“Quality and innovation have been our two main driving forces and it is these drivers that will see us through this current growth cycle,” said Shaikh Faisal.
Last year Dubai achieved an all-time record of 6.5 million in-bound visitors, compared to 6.1 million in 2005, according to DTCM. Meanwhile, inbound tourism to the region grew by 8% in the first quarter of 2007, up on global growth figures pegged at 6%.
Shaikh Faisal stressed that it is the industry’s responsibility to ensure the sustainability of the destination as a desirable product.
He confirmed that this has encouraged his team to drive growth through constant product innovation particularly in this silver anniversary year which His Excellency has dubbed ‘Orient Tours – Celebrating the Sands of Time’.
“We operate within an industry that is preparing to accommodate and serve 15 million visitors by 2015,” observed Shaikh Faisal.
“The successful leisure tourism product has always been borne from creativity, in tandem with high-end service-oriented delivery. Today more than ever before, such innovative, authentic product development is crucial.”
He suggested that today’s leisure traveller wants a new experience, honest value and personalisation of service: “We aim to give all three, plus continue our insistence on quality because this is the way we will continue to grow our business and consequently the market in the years to come!”
With staff strength of more than 150 team members, Orient Tours has numerous strategic partners across global markets and service sectors. The company operates a fleet of own-branded, 4-wheel drive vehicles and luxury coaches.
Shaikh Faisal concluded, “The reality is that the authentic Arabian experience belongs to us, so it’s up to us to be creative at all times and this ensure sustainable product that has a global appeal.”
