Rehan Ali Syed, CEO, Tawfeeq Travel Group
Strong leadership is the bedrock of any business. But it takes a unique set of skills to be a leader in the travel industry. As one of the largest sectors of the global economy, the travel industry has a fast-paced, dynamic, unpredictable, and unstable operating environment that requires an inimitable leadership with the agility and a drive to relentlessly rethink, revive, and reinvent to address the complexity of the ever-changing travel landscape. Along with vast industry knowledge and experience, leaders must have unwavering commitment, zeal, persistence, and passion to better understand customer needs and the uncanny ability to adapt to change. Avidly exhibiting such traits, one such admirable leader who is creating a difference in the travel management sector with his pioneering approach and evolutionary perspective is Rehan Ali Syed, the CEO of Tawfeeq Travel Group, a leading Travel Management Company in Qatar, committed to creating ultimate business and leisure experiences.
Prior to Tawfeeq Travel, Rehan spent 27 years in the travel industry, working in various leading roles that helped him gain in-depth industry insight and experience which further shaped him to become the business leader he is today. Now, as the CEO of Tawfeeq Travel Group, he is responsible for strategic growth of the business and diversifying business in various travel verticals as well as expanding the footprints in different countries to position Tawfeeq Travel Group on a global stage. Under the indomitable leadership of Rehan, Tawfeeq Travel has evolved and increased at an exponential rate over the years.
Soaring to Great Heights from Humble Beginning
They say big things often have a small beginning and this phrase seems so true for Tawfeeq Travel. The innovative company began its journey in 2009 in a small office with just seven staff. However, over time, it witnessed significant growth and emerged as a leading Travel Management Company in Qatar with a focus on offering industry-leading service to its customers. It was founded under the patronage of Mr. Abdulla Ahmed Al Mustafawi Al Hashemi with a vision to provide the best travel services in Qatar. As a part of the Al Hashemi Group, Tawfeeq Travel advocates and upholds the values and culture associated with the name. Once started as a corporate travel agent, the wholly Qatari-owned enterprise has now matured into several verticals related to travel. It offers versatile services and products that range from corporate travel solutions, leisure travel, and cruise ground handling to airline representation and logistics. To oversee all aspects of travel management, the Group has set up seven key segments where each vertical manages an exclusive business line with a specialist crew to handle consulting, products, and services. These segments are equipped with cutting-edge facilities and technology to manage every need of customers.
Since its inception, Tawfeeq Travel has been growing fast each year and it has already begun making a name for itself around the world. Recently, at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Middle East Gala Ceremony 2022, it has clinched four prestigious titles including Qatar’s leading Travel Management Company under the Tawfeeq Travel brand, Qatar’s leading Destination Management Company under the Tawfeeq Holidays brand, Qatar’s leading airline representation company under the Najm Travel brand and the Middle East’s Best B2B travel portal under the EZY Trip brand. “The awards we won today are a global recognition for the relentless efforts of all our employees. It is also a reflection of the trust and belief that our stakeholders, customers, partners, and principals put in us,” shares Rehan.
Simplifying Corporate Travel
Specializing in Corporate Travel Management, Tawfeeq Travel helps its clients in planning, coordinating, and simplifying their business trips for corporate accounts with utmost professionalism. With years of experience in understanding and managing the complexities of corporate travel, it ensures complete adherence to its client’s travel and compliance policies. “We maximize your spending, manage international approvals, reconcile expenses in multiple currencies, and ensure travel safety. With years of experience in understanding the complexities of corporate travel, we are just the experts in business travel that you are looking for,” asserts Rehan. Being the official American Express Travel Partner in Qatar, Tawfeeq Travel consistently delivers best-in-class service to American Express Global Business Travel clients, and through its relationship, American Express Global Travel is supporting Tawfeeq Travel on a Global level.
Creating Bespoke and Spellbinding Holiday Options
Qatar has a lot to offer to all tourists whether they are seeking beach getaways, adventure, cultural experience, or just shopping and family entertainment. Thus to help its clients explore the bounties of Qatar and streamline their travel experience, Tawfeeq Holidays, the inbound division of Tawfeeq Travel Group brings in a wealth of services from visa support and transport solutions to premium deals at luxury hotels and creative adventure pursuits. The polite, multicultural team of travel advisors at Tawfeeq Holidays pays close attention to individual tastes, itinerary planning, and travel logistics for crafting an unforgettable vacation for clients. It coordinates group travel, accommodation, and transportation according to the schedule and provides complete ground handling for the passengers of renowned cruise liners, from meet and greet to transportation and luggage handling. “From unique destinations to popular ones, from budget travel to ultra-luxury getaways, from all-inclusive experiences to ocean & river cruise experiences, from the short city breaks to curated holidays to any destination worldwide; we have them all. With our wide and reliable network of partners across the globe, we bring you the best experiences with unbeatable value,” opines Rehan.
Fostering a Multicultural Environment with Values at the Core
Undoubtedly Tawfeeq’s success lies in its ability to adapt, innovate and deliver quality customer experience. However, what makes it stand out in the market is its value-driven, cultural and multicultural environment. The culture at Tawfeeq Travel is driven by 5 core values — Simplicity, Integrity, Innovation, and Superior Customer Service. Keeping these values as the cornerstone, the company strives to streamline its resources and implement a result-oriented eco-system that is competent in confronting the trials and tests of the industry. “We are committed to our partners, employees, and customers and invariably pledged to uplift their trust in us. By identifying new demands and challenges, we are able to influence and accommodate the rapid changes in the Industry,” affirms Rehan.
The company firmly believes in fostering a multicultural environment where people from different parts of the world work as one team driven by passion and shared vision to deliver the ultimate customer satisfaction. “At Tawfeeq Travel Group, we believe that ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’. Our talented, diverse, and close-knit group of employees is the driving force of this company. Each of our employees is an asset to our company in their way,” adds Rehan.
Set to Conquer New Heights
While Tawfeeq Travel has made incredible strides over the years, Rehan clearly envisions an even brighter future ahead for the company. Forging ahead, he aspires to see Tawfeeq Travel establishing itself as a partner in building Qatar into one of the leading leisure and business destinations. Driven by this goal, the company is strategically positioning its outlets across the country, primarily in shopping malls and key locations to continue witnessing sustainable growth from its humble beginnings, boasting 15 outlets and more than 150 staff. “The scope of our activities is considerable, and plans are underway to diversify into additional business verticals to reinforce our commitment to bring to Qatar the very best in travel technology and products from around the world. We are justifiably proud of the successful journey that we embarked on 14 years ago and look forward to a future that gives us an opportunity to scale to new heights,” concludes Rehan.
