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Etihad Holidays to be operated by Dnata in the UK
Dnata Travel Group has signed a partnership agreement to provide sales and service, ground product and brand marketing functions for Etihad Holidays in the UK.
The partnership formally commences this month, with holidays for later in 2020 available, and 2021 already on sale.
The initial priority of the partnership will be to promote Abu Dhabi, showcasing its wide variety of cultural, historic, sport and leisure and entertainment attractions to a wide range of age groups and traveller types. Etihad Holidays will be sold primarily via an enhanced website and UK-based contact centre.
The division will be led by Lisa Balsom, the new head of Etihad Holidays UK at Dnata Travel Group. She joins from The Residence by Cenizaro where she was director of marketing UK, Europe, Russia and the Middle East, having also held senior roles with LUX Resorts, Dnata, Jumeirah and British Airways. She will report to Netflights MD Andrew Shelton.
Hareb Al Muhairy, senior vice president Destination and Leisure Management, Etihad Airways, said: "We look forward to welcoming travellers to our home, Abu Dhabi, when the world is ready to travel again. Our new partner Dnata Travel Group will act as the essential link between Etihad Holidays and the consumer, while providing full support of our marketing and distribution activities in the UK."
Dnata Travel Group, CEO John Bevan said: "For a number of years, Etihad Holidays has offered a comprehensive range of packages to Abu Dhabi and beyond, including the Middle and Far East, Indian Ocean and Australia.
"Our focus is to grow from that strong foundation and use our tour operating and brand-building expertise, to further increase arrival numbers into the UAE capital and broaden the range and choice of destinations and products available.
"This has been an unprecedented period for all of our UK operations, so we’re very pleased to have reached agreement on this partnership against such a challenging backdrop. In doing so, we add to Dnata Travel Group’s already extensive portfolio of brands in this market, and our overall potential for growth."
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Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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