Africa’s leading online travel agency, Travelstart continues its expansion in the emerging markets with the launch of Arabic versions of its website in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt and Morocco.
Speaking about the company’s latest milestone, Travelstart’s Ahmed Saadeddine said, “The launch of Travelstart in Arabic marks the dawn of a new travel booking era for the Islamic World. This will enhance our customers’ experience as well as validate our standing as a leading travel website across the MENA region.”
The Online Travel Agency’s presence in the region has to date only included English versions of its website in each of the Arab nations it serves. Now Arabic-speaking travel bookers can conveniently switch between English and Arabic versions of the website by using the language toggle located in the top-right navigation of the home page.
Speaking from Dubai, Travelstart’s Business Development Manager Remo Abbondandolo noted Internet search patterns in the Middle East, “In Saudi Arabia approximately 80% of Internet users conduct searches in Arabic, in Kuwait it is 60%, and in the UAE there are fewer searches in Arabic as the market is dominated by expats and locals are accustomed to searching online in English.”
Through its Arabic websites, the OTA hopes to accelerate the growth of online bookings and e-commerce in the region.
