The site, Travel and Aid, was created by Qatar Charity and went live yesterday as a way of offering an easy way to donate to those in need, allowing more people to help “make the world a better place,” a senior official said.
Speaking to Doha News, Mohammad Abdullah Al Yazidi Yafei, QC’s executive director of support affairs and head of the project said that the site is the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Like on any other travel website, it can be used to book hotels and flights. Currently, QC has an agreement with Expedia to arrange the bookings.
For now, flights can be booked on five airlines: Qatar Airways, Etihad, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Air Berlin, but several others are expected to soon be added to the site, the official said.
Speaking a press conference the launch of the website on Sunday, Yafei told media:
“We call on people in society to interact with the website, when they want to travel, because it provides them with the booking service that they need, and they can donate at the same time, without any extra charge.”
Charity initiatives
Speaking to Qatar TV, QC marketing consultant Mohamed Al-Shahawy explained that around 50 percent of travelers in the Gulf book their vacations online, so the website will ideally serve as a way to automatically increase donations for charity projects.
Throughout the year, QC works to support these communities and natural disaster-ridden areas in more than 60 countries, from 18 field offices around the world.
Following the launch of the travel website, QC said it is also planning to debut a shopping site that follows the same model by the end of July.
This new site will allow shoppers to buy products from Amazon, eBay and others while also giving a percentage of their spendings to charity.
Have you tried the new travel site yet? Thoughts?
A very good idea (Y)
I know this is a really minor point out of the article, but only 50% in the GCC book online? Why would you not? Is it preferable to battle traffic, then stand in line somewhere instead of a few clicks at home?
Because the older population is not comfortable with ordering online and most of the time ignorant about how to do it?
two main reasons for adopting technology, ease of use and perceived usefulness, on top of that there are other dimensions to consider, culture, age, demographic; could also be that some companies offer tickets home directly through QA for example
It’s probably also easier for some to call somebody on speed dial and tell them “The whole family, London, 3rd day of eid till before school, I will come by to pay it this evening… ”
No calculation of dates, different choices/prices, typing information for “the whole family”….
The fact that 50% of the GCC don’t book online is the reason we have so many Travel agents who basically book online and charge double to the customer. Twice in the last 12 months I have received travel vouchers and had to use an agent – I also had to educate them that I am able to see the same hotel on my iPhone and it costs much less than the price they are quoting…….