Hertz UK extends 24-hour service
DUBAI: Travellers heading to the UK will now be able to make car rentals 24 hours a day at more Hertz locations across the country from the end of March.
Already operating 24-hour locations at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester, Hertz will soon be open round-the-clock at a further four key international airports in the country. Middle East visitors arriving direct in to Glasgow International Airport or travelling through Newcastle, Edinburgh and Luton airports, will be able to take advantage of the 24-hour service. The vast majority of Hertz UK car rental users will now be no more than two hours away from a 24-hour location to rent or return a vehicle, or make enquiries in the small hours. In addition, Hertz has launched a unique UKwide Mobile Fleet Support Service.
Dnata plans Bahrain, Oman, Qatar expansion
DUBAI: Dnata Agencies, the ticketing and reservation arm of Dubai’s Emirates Group, plans expansion into Bahrain, Oman and Qatar this year, a report said. An announcement is expected in this regard in few weeks, said Rashid Al Noori, senior vice-president of Dnata Agencies. The expansion will be in the form of joint ventures with local partners and plans for Bahrain and Oman have almost been finalised, he said. Qatar will follow later, he added. The company, which represents 34 regional and international airlines as their general sales agents in Dubai and the UAE, set up operations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia last year.
New firm to manage Bahrain govt tourism assets
BAHRAIN: A holding company, with a paid-up capital of BD250 million ($663 million), will be established to run the Bahrain government’s tourism investments. The move is the first of several government initiatives aimed at changing the method of government involvement in the various business sectors. Forty per cent of the company, with an authorised capital of up to BD500 million, will be owned by the government while the remaining 60 per cent will be issued as public shares to eventually be traded on the Bahrain Stock Exchange. The idea, which aims to help Bahrain’s different tourism projects better compliment each other, was approved by Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, said a government statement.
Top award for OctopusTravel
DUBAI: Three UAE-based travel industry organisations, OctopusTravel.com, the Middle East’s leading on-line international travel company, Emirates airline and Dubai International Airport, have all tasted success in the prestigious annual Telegraph Travel Awards. OctopusTravel.com was voted one of the top three online holiday companies in a poll of 25,000 readers of Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper. Amer Al Halabi, regional business development manager, MENA, OctopusTravel.com, said: “The award clearly demonstrates we have a great product.”
Aviation consultation sets base
DUBAI: Aviation-specific management consulting services provider m2p has its Middle East operation recently with an office in Dubai. With offices in Frankfurt (Germany) and in Dubai, m2p is now well presented, both in Europe and in the Middle East, a company spokesman said. M2P assists businesses to leverage processes and technology primarily in the aviation industry. Focusing on the business needs of its customers, it initiates, drives and delivers projects to improve efficiency and profitability of corporate organisations.