Dnata Travel, the Middle East’s leading travel company with expertise across the full range of travel services, and Hogg Robinson Group (HRG) have announced the opening of Afghanistan’s first globally-recognised one stop travel shop in Kabul.

Dnata services include retail travel, corporate and government travel, contact centres, incentives, events and e-commerce solutions for travel-related businesses.

With a 23 per cent share in UK-based HRG, Dnata is also able to bring a corporate travel company with global reach to the region for the first time.

Iain Andrew, divisional senior vice president, Dnata Travel Services, said: “Dnata is positive about the opportunities presented by the market in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a rapidly expanding emerging market of strategic importance close to some of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world.'

'As the country becomes more stable more international companies are moving into the region,' he noted.

'With the opening of our offices here in Kabul, Dnata and HRG are able to offer these companies the full range of travel services they are used to across the globe, from internationally recognised brand names to international standards,' he added.

The move follows the signing of a deal with local travel partner, Dunya Travel, in April 2008. Dunya Travel is the market leader in Afghanistan and is the first IATA accredited agency in the country.

Dunya is also a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and is the PSA for Emirates Airlines, Kam Air, Ariana Afghan Airlines, Safi Airways and other Afghan carriers. Its associates also include GSA’s for United Airlines and Lufthansa for Afghanistan.

Dnata currently has contracts with 21 UN agencies including United Nations Development Program for Afghanistan (UNDP), United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).-TradeArabia News Service