A Dubai-based travel agency has announced to cover the pre-travel RT-PCR costs of its employees with the aim of appreciating the efforts of the employees. Indian businessman and managing director of Smart Travels Afi Ahmed stated that he would pay for the mandatory pre-travel RT-PCR testing of a total of 34 staff members across all branches of the company.

In addition, the company will pay for the return tests that are required to be conducted 48 hours before their journey as well as the rapid RT-PCR tests mandatory to be taken at the airport before return.

"Most of my staff are from the sub-continent. All travellers from the region have to undergo at least five RT-PCR tests to travel from Dubai and back. The entire cost comes up to approx. Dh 250 per traveller," Ahmed said.

He further explained that he recently travelled to India and while returning from the country one of his employees was travelling with him. He observed that his employee was finding it difficult to pay for the rapid tests conducted at the airport.

"That's when I decided to pay for him and made up my mind to pay for all other employees' tests," he added.

As per the updated prices, a pre-travel test from private testing centres cost around Dh80 while a rapid PCR test at the airport cost between INR2500 to INR4,000 from India. It further depends on the destination country of the travellers.

Ahmed added that his employee expressed delight when he volunteered to pay for the test. It is not easy for all range of workers to pay for PCR tests, he noted.

"Pre-pandemic, I had about 93 employees. I had to close down six of my agency branches. It was a very tough time. It was more challenging for my employees. I am hoping that in three months' time, I can bring back the staff strength to 60," he added.

Earlier in June, Ahmed announced an initiative to pay the salaries to his employees' mothers back home.

"Since then, all the mothers' of my staff have been getting a stipend of INR5000 (Dh250). This was one of the best decisions of my life," he affirmed.

Ahmed is also planning to bring the mothers of his employees to Dubai to visit the Dubai Expo 2020. Additionally, the company provides a yearly ticket to all its employees as an incentive for their hard work.