IFA Travel & Tourism (IFA TT), a subsidiary of IFA Hotels & Resorts, said it has signed a joint venture partnership with Wings Corporate Travel to cater to the Middle East and North Africa region.

The JV partnership will fully-integrate and standardise the corporate travel market with particular emphasis on the oil and gas sector, a specialised division for Wings, a South African-based travel management company.

“We are delighted with our new travel management partner and their introduction to the region. Wings has made a well respected name for itself over the last decade in Africa, the US and UK, particularly in oil & gas related corporate travel, an area which the company has dominated and excelled in,” said Werner Burger, president and COO, IFA HR.

“The strategic decision for Wings to enter the region at this time comes as no surprise, particularly as Dubai offers an unparalleled opportunity for Wings to capitalise on the region’s Oil & Gas industry,” Burger pointed out.

Wings was founded in 1992 as a corporate travel management company and has since got recognised for providing a high level of personalised and professional service for the corporate sector, whilst aggressively leveraging technology to advance innovative and customised solutions. 

'This is a significant step forward for Wings as our corporate brand will be enhanced through our association with the IFA Hotels & Resorts group.'

You need only look at the IFA Hotels & Resorts’ positioning and you will quickly see the tremendous value of being partnered with a company with such a premier portfolio of assets, and who have rapidly established themselves as a major international player in the premier tourism segment,” said Tony Sofianos, CEO, Wings.

“Our clients are global multinational companies, and in order to service these clients effectively, we realized we needed to expand our position, aligned with our strategy of providing clients with a seamless 24/7 service, 365 days a year. 

“Dubai represents a logical entry point into the region given its growth over the years, and the establishment of frameworks that encourage companies to set up their businesses.  Furthermore, almost all of our existing oil & gas clients have significant operations based out of Dubai,' Sofianos observed.

He said the joint venture partnership provided the company with an opportunity to deliver standardized and fully integrated travel solutions to clients in the Middle East.

'One of the unique value propositions for the joint venture partnership is that we operate as ‘one company’, with seamless integration across all its operations,” he explained.

IFA TT specialises in corporate  and leisure travel management; providing a wide range of business and leisure service solutions ranging from personal travel consultancy to air chartering services, events, meetings and corporate incentive arrangements and exclusive corporate offers.

“Our clients and partners are also seeking out more effective corporate travel solutions. This newly formed partnership will certainly enhance our high-end travel and leisure offerings and expand our business in Africa and the Indian Ocean region,” said Emad Jabr, IFA TT general manager.-TradeArabia News Service