Launch of Dubai flights is strategic, says ATCL
UAE: Tanzania’s Flag Carrier (ATCL) Executive Director, Ladislaus Matindi has said that the launching of Dubai flights is part of the implementation of the company’s business plan in increasing the network of international strategic flights from two to three stations.
He made the statement during ATCL’s stakeholders’ conference that was held at the One and the Only Royal Mirage hotel in Dubai on Thursday.
According to Mr Matindi, the country has further opened up after the introduction of the Mumbai trips in India, adding that from there, they have succeed to increase other trips to Guangzhou, China, and now to Dubai.
“Dubai is an important part of connecting flights with Air Tanzania, we have been getting passengers not only for those starting from Dubai, but also for those connecting from different countries through Dubai,” he stated.
Elaborating, Mr Matindi noted that their reason for holding the stakeholders’ conference in Dudai was to ensure that Air Tanzania is well known globally as part of their marketing strategy and to ensure ATCL is commercially acceptable as well as show different attractions and opportunities available in Tanzania.
Additionally, he said that Dubai is an attractive and highly competitive market, and in order to be successful, it is important to make great efforts to ensure that stakeholders understand well what is going on in Tanzania.
“We need to make efforts and invest in publicity. Otherwise, tourists, businessmen, and investors will use other planes to go to countries that are more heard and known,” he said.
He further thanked the government for facilitating the implementation of the ATCL business plan which included allowing the opening of the third international travel center, while promising to increase the number of flights to Dubai from four times a week every day flights by December 2024 if the business and aircraft numbers permit.
On his part, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lt. Gen (retired) Yacoub Mohamed congratulated the efforts of ATCL, especially for their further step of holding a stakeholders conference in the United Arabs for the opening of more and new stations.
