Face-to-face: Brian Kelly, Chief Executive of ORTG
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Why did you decide to launch a website dedicated to selling Dubai as opposed to any other destination?
I purchased around 100 URLs based around “Fly” back in the late 1990s – early 2000s based on the vision that destination web sites with full booking capability could be where the online travel market may end up. With booking trends pretty much all online through the demise of the High Street travel agent, we felt that Dubai had the potential to grow for many years to come as a leading global destination out of the UK and Europe so it was an easy decision where we should launch our first “Fly” site, www.flydubai.co.uk
What pick up/growth in business have you witnessed since you launched the site and what’s driving demand?
The site is in its infancy. However, we hope that one of the main draws, and unique selling points of, flydubai.co.uk is that it is an all-encompassing travel website providing flights, accommodation and activities. People seem to be coming to the site not only to look at flights but also the other services we offer. Building upon on our expertise in the online travel market, we hope to capitalise on the demand for a “one-stop shop” for everything associated with your city break to Dubai by providing customers with a simple, quick way to book their holiday.
What trends are you noticing in terms of who is booking Dubai, what airlines are they choosing, where are they staying and what experiences are they choosing?
I’m afraid it’s too early to give you a clear pattern in online booking terms but our primary target audience is xxx. We would expect to see the key airline players such as Emirates, British Airways, Virgin and then airlines such as Royal Brunei taking the majority of the bookings with our clients staying in a variety of accommodation types from self- catering and budget hotels to the most popular hotels favoured by the UK traveller on the Palm and at the Jumeirah Beach Residence.
What’s the average length of stay and how does it compare with other ‘long-haul’ destinations?
We see Dubai as a mixed duration destination, it has become a great short-haul destination from Northern Europe with the traveller taking in a special event, concert, sport, conference, combined with a superb winter climate, shopping and food experience. It is certainly competing well against New York, Miami and Boston as a weekend destination and due to its safety record has overtaken the Red Sea resorts of Egypt and attracts a different clientele to the Canary Islands.
Why are customers choosing Dubai over competing destinations for a weekend break?
I think this comes down to what Dubai has to offer. As I mentioned above the vast array of attractions and events taking place in the city has meant that it has enticed people to choose this as their holiday destination as well as securing some of the biggest names in music playing at the concerts. Furthermore, many of the big sporting events throughout the year now happen here such as the Dubai World Cup.
What factors have transitioned the perception of Dubai from long- to short-haul?
Short flying time, a superb winter climate, time difference not a major issue, quality carriers and a range of accommodation to fit every budget. Dubai also plays host to some of the best shopping in the world linked to superb restaurants and a variety of great attractions catering for adults and children of all ages. International concerts and sporting events throughout the year that allow you to combine everything you could want from a short duration and a short-haul destination.
What support (advertising or otherwise) are you getting from Dubai travel partners for this website? I.e. DTCM. Emirates, hotels, etc
We have spoken to and developed relationships with many of the key Dubai players from carriers, destination management companies, accommodation providers, ground transportation and attractions. We are confident we will get continued support as our brand gains traction and booking levels increase.
Do you have similar websites planned for other destinations?
We have already launched a site for the Isle of Man and are now aiming to be successful on the global stage with FlyDubai.co.uk. We have around 100 names but have chosen the UAE as a starting point to see if we can be successful on the global stage. Providing rich content destination web sites with full online capability is still fairly unique. We will be launching FlyAbuDhabi.co.uk in [early May 2015] followed potentially with FlyOman.co.uk. If we meet our expectations within the next 12-18 months then we may consider entering into China, Australia and perhaps even the US. The opportunities are huge and we are delighted as a small company operating in the Offshore Islands of Jersey, Guernsey & the Isle of Man to be able to even consider competing online on the global stage.
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