Elaf Group of Companies, a business organization serving the Saudi Arabian travel, tourism and hotel industries, has pointed out that improving packages, services and products from key industry players are complementing the boom in domestic tourism in the country. Elaf Group revealed that innovative customer-centric services such as Garuda airlines' dedicated call center in Jeddah, Elaf's special packages for corporate and individual clients, and premium offerings across its chain of hotels in Jeddah, Makkah and Madina, which collectively offer over 2,300 rooms, have helped open new business possibilities as reflected by the steadily increasing traffic of domestic tourists being entertained by the Group. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, president, Elaf Group of Companies, said: “We are looking at expanding our portfolio to include four new hotels by 2012 as we aim to accommodate the steadily growing number of tourists in key travel destinations across KSA. The latest trends in domestic tourism are certainly making it more conducive and attractive for Saudi nationals and residents to travel within the country. With the tourism authority increasingly promoting historical sites and the KSA's cultural heritage, people are getting a lot more excited to explore new destinations within the country, particularly the sites that are being added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.” “Elaf Group's strategy is to complement the growing focus on domestic tourism by developing dedicated services and product offerings that add value to the travel experience of domestic tourists. Moreover, Elaf Group conducts its business and investment activities in accordance with the Shariah law, which gives us greater leverage to cater to the distinct requirements of local travelers,” Bin Mahfouz added. “Elaf Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of integrated value offerings that include customized travel packages, boarding passes, visit visa issuance, conventions and conferences, charter flights, international driving license issuance, catering, contract furnishings, travelers' transportation, and even landing arrangements and permissions. With such a potent combination of services and value-added offerings, we are strongly positioned to support the efforts of the higher authorities to consolidate the country's tourism industry and target a wider range of high-yield niche markets,” he noted.
