Emirates Holidays, the tour operating arm of Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, has established its first global franchise, Emirates Vacations, following the appointment of the US-based Destination Southern Africa Inc. (DSA Vacations) as its partner.

In line with Emirates Holidays’ vision to grow its business in new markets, the five-year franchise agreement will enable Emirates Holidays to tap into the U.S. market, leveraging DSA’s local expertise and market intelligence. Under the brand name Emirates Vacations, DSA will distribute competitively-priced vacation packages to Dubai and other popular destinations such as the Indian Ocean Islands, India, Italy and Thailand.

“With Emirates’ successful operations in the U.S. serving seven gateways, we have access to a significant market of global travellers many of whom are already considering destinations served by the airline’s network. Working closely with Emirates, there is tremendous potential for Emirates Vacations to reach a wider customer base and adopt a more holistic approach to the business – where the airline can and be a part of the customer’s entire travel experience. As the first international franchise of Emirates Holidays, Emirates Vacations reinforces our commitment to build on our commercial strength in the U.S.,” said Thierry Antinori – Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

“The time is ripe for us to make inroads into a very lucrative, dynamic market, and with DSA as our Emirates Holidays’ franchise operator, we hope to extend our brand experience even further in the US. With DSA, we have found a partner with a wealth of experience, an impressive and consistent performance and with whom we share a like-minded philosophy – to deliver memorable travel experiences at the most competitive prices,” said Marc Bennett, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Destination & Leisure Management.

“DSA has recognized the need to provide US travellers with an exceptional vacation experience, and we are proud to align ourselves with a global brand like Emirates to deliver the best value for money on a wide array of exciting destinations. We are excited to bring this opportunity to both the trade and the consumer, as well as maintain and grow the relationships with Emirates Holidays and the properties and partners they serve,” said Terry von Guilleaume, DSA/Emirates Vacations President and CEO.

Providing the same high levels of service and quality of product as the airline and the tour operator, Emirates Vacations will focus primarily on selling one-week to two-week vacations to Dubai. This will then extend to vacation packages beyond Dubai, with stop-overs, multi-centre packages and high-end adventure holidays across Emirates’ global destinations. With a rich heritage and a cosmopolitan culture that combines the best of the new world with the warmth of Arabian hospitality, Dubai in the UAE is a city of contrasts that make it a unique and fascinating destination. Where else can you ski on snow, sand and sea in the same day? Dubai is a cultural melting pot that has year-round sunshine, great shopping and leisure activities for all ages, the finest in international cuisine, the best accommodation and warm, hospitable people.

Emirates offers 56 weekly flights in the U.S. from seven gateways including Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC, and from 1st October 2013, Emirates will launch its new transatlantic route from New York to Milan, providing the only First Class service between the two cities.