Emirates Holidays offers Choice to Kuwaitis

Emirates Holidays has released its A World of Choice 2011-2012 brochure in Kuwait. If you're in need of a vacation (who isn't?) and, especially, inspiration, then grab a copy and revel in the beauty of their countless holiday destinations. From sumptuously luxurious spa resorts to weird and wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experiences, there's something for everyone. First released in Dubai in May, the brochure has now hit Kuwait and will, officially, make your workdays seem considerably longer until you're jetting off to (insert dream location here). At over 500 pages, it provides as much excitement for travel enthusiasts as kids experience in a candy shop. The photography alone makes it well worth picking up, with shots of the most luxurious hotels, beautiful scenery and awe-inspiring landmarks. If you haven't decided where you're going on vacation yet, get inspired. The difference here, however, is that while the hotels and services are all wonderful, new activities have also been incorporated into the packages. From safaris to cruises and even trans-European train journeys, options for tailor-made, different holidays are no longer limited, except by your imagination, of course. What are vacations for if not to enjoy the best? Living in the Middle East has the somewhat peculiar effect of making you want things in a certain, specific way. As with any product or service, context is a vital consideration. It's laid back here, life is for living and many wealthier residents become accustomed to a certain standard of living and witness their expectations of what they want and how they want it rise. Therefore, for this increasingly selective market, tailored products are becoming more popular, for example, suits that fit exactly right, and dishes that have that little something extra added to make them particularly sumptuous. This is what makes the Kuwaiti market especially profitable, but also challenging as the various requirements need to be met to a high standard. When it comes to your allotted time off, not the weekends or evenings, but the precious vacations taken to travel, explore and relax, even higher attention is paid to detail so that every minute away can be savored and enjoyed to the fullest. The Kuwait Times met with an official from Emirates Holidays to discuss how the firm takes on the task of tailoring one of the most costly products of all: vacations. Flicking through the Emirates Holidays brochure, the amount of detail and specificity throughout certainly stands out. It's vital to understand your market and their demands in order to satisfy them. And, even more importantly, how does one reach a specific market by meeting all of their needs? Given that one market may have general needs, with each individual within that market having their own set of expectations, it's no mean feat to offer a product or service that encompasses all of them. Dina Al-Herais, Emirates Holidays' Vice President of Commercial Operations, explained that the Kuwait market is a particularly interesting one: "Kuwaitis travel a lot, taking on average around three international trips a year. That's excluding the even more frequent regional flights. It's a really important market, and is worth 12 percent of our revenues. Al-Herais went on to explain that there are also specific requirements in the local market, which Emirates Holidays work tirelessly to meet. "For example, Kuwaitis have very high expectations of accommodation, which is why we only pick the best. Emirates Holidays sources the hotels, and visits them personally, to ensure they meet the requirements of our customers," she said. Al-Herais stressed that Emirates Holidays starts by offering extensive choice: the brochure spans 504 pages, covering Asia, Australasia, the Middle-East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas. There are 550 hotels included, with pictures, and descriptions of their services. The brochures also provide specific symbols indicating a range of factors from whether hotels are child-friendly, whether they offer halal food, if they have spas, if they're good for honeymooners and even if they're environmentally friendly. Again, spanning all the requirements of a particular market increases the likelihood that individual needs are catered to. As well as expanding the range of services it provides, Emirates Holidays is also diversifying the variety of activities on offer to clients. In Kuwait, exciting new destinations are often embraced enthusiastically. "Kuwaitis are adventurous; they really appreciate new and interesting ways to see the world, which is why we're sure to provide them with the latest, and best in travel," Dina said. New products introduced to Kuwait succeed and grow because of their interests in travel. The destination is a key element, of course, but so are the comfort and relaxation they enjoy both en route and while there. We pick the finest hotels in the best destinations, and then source the most exciting new activities. It's all-encompassing. Tailor-made vacations are, undeniably, a great way to travel. While the prices are competitive, the hotels are in the four or five-star range, so they're competitive within that range. For a week in the Seychelles, however, would any less be worth it? The Seychelles is just one option amongst those offered by the firm, and Dina has a few more of her favorites for those who can afford it to add to their travel to-do list: "A combination trip between Mauritius and Cape Town is wonderful, it's such a superb d estination. I'm really hoping to go to Spain for our historical tour, which I haven't had the chance to do yet.