By Staff Reporter
LEADING international airline Emirates has seen an increase of more than 6 percent in the number of passengers travelling to and from Harare in the last year.
According to company commercial manager Mr Al Falasi, the airline carried about 337,512 passengers on its Harare to Dubai daily route in the 2017/18 financial year against 317,967 in the previous year.
Mr Al Falasi added that “Emirates touches the lives of many people in Zimbabwe.
“We connect investors and experts in the business sector; deliver seasonal perishables to market, and connect Zimbabwean people to the world. It’s an important contribution and we take that role very seriously”.
Dubai is the leading destination for Emirates passengers travelling from Zimbabwe, followed by Lusaka, London, Guangzhou, Beijing, New York, Mumbai, Delhi, Geneva and Istanbul.
The Emirates commercial manager said their flights enable Harare passengers to almost anywhere in the world owing to its wide network and destinations across the world.
“We are the only airline connecting Zimbabwe with a through-flight outside the Africa continent, and this links the nation to our network of over 160 destinations in 86 countries and territories worldwide, enabling Harare passengers to be almost anywhere in the world within 24 hours of departure,” added Mr Al Falasi.
Emirates’ prides itself in its multinational cabin crew and chef-prepared local, regional and international cuisine, using the freshest ingredients, accompanied by a wide range of complimentary wines and beverages.
There are 181 Zimbabwean nationals employed by Emirates, including nine pilots and 31cabin crew.
The airline plays an important role in terms of inbound tourism for Zimbabwe owing to its huge network and reliability and answers to Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s (ZTA) marketing efforts.
ZTA is currently implementing various marketing strategies meant to increase arrivals in the country for both business and pleasure and Emirates indicated that it has experienced growth in the number of business travellers.
“Emirates has also seen growth in the number of business travellers exploring opportunities in Zimbabwe, buoyed by renewed confidence in the economy.
“Growing demand for travel to Asia and Europe, add well as the popularity of Dubai as a shopping and family tourist destination have also added to the airline’s growth, added Mr Al Falasi.
