UK staffing and travel-retail specialist Blackjack Promotions is to launch in the Middle East and North Africa following an agreement between parent company OmniServ and the Lakhraim Business Group.
OmniServ, the European subsidiary of American aviation facility and service provider Air Serv and Zain Capital, part of the Lakhraim Business Group, have established a joint-venture company, Air Serv Hospitality MENA.
According to Blackjack, OmniServ, which serves more than 15 airports including London Heathrow, is well positioned through the joint-venture to provide solutions for retail, travel-retail and operations to airlines across the Middle East.
Through the new partnership, Air Serv Hospitality MENA will work in Dubai Duty Free stores under the Blackjack Promotions trading name, to provide promotional staff and brand experts to promote a number of duty-free brands enhance the traveller experience and boost sales. Air Serv Hospitality Services MENA officially launches its services next month.
According to Blackjack Promotions managing director Sally Alington (pictured above) the trade licence was issued in July and company is fully established. New recruits are undergoing training ahead of launch and first services will take place in Dubai in the latter part of the year.
Alington told DFNI: “The decision to expand our business to the Middle East was a key part of our own business strategy to be at the forefront of passenger experience, brand promotion and product sales in the key airports of the world. Additionally the UAE, in particular, has made no secret of its incredible growth and development plans for the aviation sector.”
Outlining its immediate travel-retail plans in the region, Alington said they stemmed from opportunities to work within its existing client portfolio and to draw on its experience of providing brand ambassadors who deliver the highest levels of service and sales.
She said: “We are hugely proud to represent so many incredible travel-retail brands in UK airports and are delighted to be able to extend our business partnerships to a new region and within such a pinnacle retail environment. It also makes perfect sense to draw on the huge experience with these brands and products and the knowledge we have on how to promote and sell within the airport environment and use that knowledge to train and develop focused sales and service workforces in Middle Eastern airports.”
Increasing passenger numbers at Dubai International airport, development of Dubai World Central—Al Maktoum International airport and Midfield Terminal development plans in Abu Dhabi, present some of the most exciting territories in the industry, acknowledged Alington. “We are thrilled to be able to start providing our services in these high-profile locations.”
The company will mirror its UK business in covering all travel-retail categories. The main focuses, however, will be perfume and cosmetics and liquor. But the long-term aim is to cover all duty-free segments including confectionery, luxury, tobacco and electronics. Alington added: “There will definitely be an emphasis on providing multi-lingual and multi-cultural sales representatives to maximise an opportunity with key nationalities, something that we know has a truly positive impact in airport retail.”
Alington said the decision to launch as a joint-venture was part of its plan to build a solid management team in the Middle East. The aim was to take people who understand Blackjack and Air Serv and combine them with people who have experience of operating in the region.
She added: “It would be foolish to think that coming from the UK to the Middle East won’t present its fair share of challenges. The operational differences are far greater than the similarities. There is a huge amount of redevelopment, expansion and growth so I am hoping our biggest challenge will be keeping up with demand.”
OmniServ chairman Ernie Patterson commented: “ Dubai in particular is such a focal point for aviation at OmniServ. We are proud to provide services in the most significant locations worldwide so that we can take a truly global approach to enhancing the end-to-end traveller experience.”
Lakhraim Business Group chairman Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi remarked: “We are delighted to launch these services at Dubai International airport and see great potential for extending our services to major airports across the region. We believe through the knowledge and expertise of ABM and Ominserv Ltd we can enhance the passenger experience to complement the exciting expansion plans of these airports.”
Originally posted DFNI 12 August 2015