Dnata Travel, the retail travel arm of Dnata Travel Services, has signed a joint venture with Dunya Travel to strengthen its expertise in Afghanistan.
 
Dnata Travel, from its base in Dubai, has been servicing major contracts for the UN in Afghanistan since 2001 and opened a dedicated office in the country in 2004. This new agreement will see Dnata Afghanistan organising corporate, leisure, emergency and medical travel for 21 different UN agencies, as well as arranging all associated visas, flights, hotels, ground transfers and events. The company will also work with a number of corporate clients in Afghanistan.
 
The venture is expected to qualitatively enhance the existing travel service capacity and also introduce new features and travel services in Afghanistan.
 
A Majid Al Mulla, vice president, Dnata Travel, said: “Dunya Travel is the leading travel agency in Afghanistan and its expertise in the local market and additional language skills will prove invaluable to Dnata as we continue to strengthen our presence in the country.
 
“Dnata is keen to expand operations in the capital, Kabul, and in the future we will consider opening offices in other cities across the country. As the security situation in Afghanistan stabilizes, there will be increased business opportunities, as additional multinational corporations enter the arena. With this new agreement, Dnata Afghanistan will be extremely well placed to take advantage of these opportunities.
 
“The travel industry is still very much in its infancy in Afghanistan. By working with the leading local travel agency, we hope to help implement new standards and operating procedures that will help secure the legitimacy of the industry.”
 
Dunya Travel is the market leader in Afghanistan and is the first IATA accredited agency in the country. Dunya is also a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and is the PSA for Emirates Airlines, Kam Air, Ariana Afghan Airlines, Safi Airways and other Afghan carriers. Its associates also include GSAs for United Airlines, Lufthansa and Air Arabia for Afghanistan.
 
Kabir Arghandiwal, a partner in Dunya Travel, said: “Dnata Travel was the natural choice for Dunya Travel to partner with. Dnata’s reputation, levels of service and the calibre of their operations, are second to none and we are pleased and proud to have been able to form this joint venture.
 
“Dubai is the most important destination for people travelling from Afghanistan, whether for business or leisure, because of its status as a world hub. Therefore partnering with the leading Dubai-based travel services company made every sense. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial working relationship.”
 
Dnata currently has contracts with 21 UN agencies, including; United Nations Development Program for Afghanistan (UNDP), United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). - TradeArabia News Service