Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi travel company Almosafer, which is part of the listed Seera Group, has teamed up with Asia's booking portal Klook to launch the first-ever holistic tours and activities platform in the Kingdom under the name Almosafer Activities.
The platform will go live for distributors during the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, which begins in July, according to a press release.
The new joint venture (JV) is a one-stop digital platform that is enhanced with end-to-end content and inventory management solutions supporting tourism and leisure activity merchants in Saudi Arabia. It also benefits distributors from across the world to provide a wide range of product offerings for travellers to, from, and within Saudi Arabia.
Almosafer Activities will offer seamless booking experiences while connecting Saudi Arabia travellers to global platforms, starting with Klook. It further supports the tourism agenda of Saudi Vision 2030 by boosting inbound and domestic tourism.
Small and medium-sized merchants in the Kingdom will benefit from the new portal which will grant exposure to more distribution channels.
CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, said: “Saudi is setting the pace for global tourism development. We are currently undergoing a remarkable transformation and experiencing unprecedented growth, positioning ourselves as the world’s largest investor in tourism – this presents an exciting opportunity for both our existing and new partners.”
Meanwhile, Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, said: “Our new platform serves as a reliable marketplace for activities, tours, events, attractions and experiences, while providing a wealth of opportunities for merchants and distributors.”
Ahussain elaborated: “Almosafer Activities will empower the travel and tourism ecosystem as a whole whilst further supporting the Kingdom’s strategy to continuously enhance the domestic tourism offering and increase its inbound tourism footprint.”
For his part, C.S. Soong, VP, Corporate Development of Klook, said: “The launch of Almosafer Activities represents a significant leap forward for the industry, playing an integral role in propelling Saudi Arabia towards Vision 2030.”
Soong added: “Leveraging Klook's technological strengths and innovative merchant solutions, this new platform seamlessly connects the experiences sector and drives the digital transformation of merchants. Additionally, we are confident that this strategic collaboration will inspire and attract a larger influx of international visitors to the Kingdom, amplified by our extensive global network.”
The JV follows the signing of an agreement between the two travel industry powerhouses in early 2022 to establish the platform with the purpose of creating a holistic B2B marketplace for activities in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile in 2021, the parent group Seera entered into a strategic partnership with Klook to enhance the digital transformation and growth of the Saudi tourism sector.
During the first quarter (Q1) of 2023, the travel company Seera turned to net profits after Zakat and tax of SAR 57 million versus net losses worth SAR 63 million in Q1-22.
