
Richmax begins international journey with Dubai debut
Dubai: Richmax Group has announced the official launch of its Travel & Tourism Division in Dubai, marking the company's foray into the Gulf market and signaling the beginning of its international expansion strategy. Operations are set to commence in July 2024, positioning Dubai as the gateway for Richmax's broader GCC ambitions.
"This strategic move comes after a comprehensive market evaluation across the UAE and other Gulf nations," said Adv. George John Valath, Chairman of Richmax Group. 'It is the first step in a long-term global vision.'
Founded in 2020 amidst the pandemic, Richmax Finvest, the group's flagship financial services arm, has grown rapidly from its roots in Kalamassery, Kerala, expanding across South India, Odisha, Delhi, and West Bengal. The group now aims to establish 1,000 branches by 2030 and transition into a Small Finance Bank by 2040, reflecting its long-term growth ambitions.
Launched in 2024, Richmax Tours & Travels has quickly gained traction with its curated international travel packages and growing customer base. After opening its second branch in Aluva in 2025, the company is now ready to go global with its Dubai outlet. As part of its expansion roadmap, Richmax plans to establish a presence in all Emirates of the UAE by the end of 2027, and across all GCC countries by 2030.
Another key vertical, Valath Jewellers, also continues its upward growth under the Richmax umbrella. With established showrooms in Kalamassery, Aluva Road, and Kanjur, the brand is expanding further into Central Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A Dubai showroom is also in the pipeline, as part of a wider goal to make Valath Jewellers a publicly listed company by 2028.
Further diversifying its portfolio, Richmax has launched Richmax Marketing & Consultancy, a strategic advisory arm that provides business consulting services to internal and external clients.
As part of its strong commitment to community welfare, Richmax Group drives several impactful initiatives under its CSR banner 'Sparsh.' The program focuses on key social priorities such as environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, women's safety, and education. In 2024 alone, the group planted over 1,200 saplings as part of its green initiative. The 'I Stand Against Drugs' campaign reached thousands of students across various regions, promoting awareness and prevention. The 'Bindhiya Mission' advocates for women's safety and empowerment, while the annual 'Vidya Jyothi Awards' celebrate academic excellence by honoring outstanding student achievers.
With the UAE launch as a pivotal milestone, Richmax Group is poised to become a significant player across the GCC, driven by innovation, vision, and a strong community-first philosophy.
-Ends-
About Richmax Group
Founded in 2020, Richmax Group is a diversified business conglomerate headquartered in India with interests spanning financial services, travel and tourism, jewelry retail, and strategic consulting. With a vision to become a Small Finance Bank by 2040, the group operates under key verticals such as Richmax Finvest, Richmax Tours & Travels, Valath Jewellers, and Richmax Marketing & Consultancy. Known for its rapid growth and strong community-first philosophy, the group is also committed to impactful CSR initiatives through its 'Sparsh' program. Richmax has now embarked on its international journey, with its UAE operations marking the first step toward a wider GCC and global presence.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Sajish Gopalan
Regional Head – Richmax Group
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
RTA announces expansion of Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Metro Station
Dubai's RTA announced it would be expanding the Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Metro Station to accommodate growing number of users, particularly during New Year celebrations, holidays, and major events. The Roads and Transport authority made the announcement in cooperation with Emaar Properties on Sunday, June 22. The station's area will increase from 6,700 square meters to 8,500 square meters, while its hourly capacity will rise from 7,250 passengers to 12,320 — an increase of 65 per cent. Once the expansion is complete, the station will be able to accommodate up to 220,000 passengers per day. The expansion project aims to accommodate ongoing growth in passenger numbers, which is expected to continue through 2040. During New Year celebrations alone, the station receives more than 110,000 passengers. Over the past five years, the station has recorded an average annual growth of 7.5 per cent in the number of users. Matar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at the RTA, stated: 'The Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Metro Station is one of the most important stations in the Dubai Metro network due to its strategic location near Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Downtown Dubai. The station is the most convenient choice for residents and visitors heading to these key destinations, especially during New Year celebrations and national events."


Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Iran-Israel war: UAE overflights stable, Saudi doubles after conflict
[Editor's Note: Follow our live blog for real-time updates on the latest developments in the Israel-Iran conflict.] The UAE's air traffic has stayed normal since the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran on June 13, but Saudi air traffic has more than doubled. 'With the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace since June 13, flights that normally pass through either of those countries need new routes. As a consequence, overflights of Saudi Arabia have doubled over the past week while the number of flights over Afghanistan has increased by nearly 500 per cent. Overflights — aircraft not departing or landing in a given country — have risen above Saudi Arabia from an average of 700 flights per day in mid-May to 1,400 flights per day since the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace on 13 June,' according to Flightradar24. In a statement to Khaleej Times, the Sweden-based real-time aircraft flight-taking firm said it 'measured no appreciable difference in air traffic to, from, or through the UAE since most recent hostilities began last week". Many UAE and other Gulf carriers have also re-routed and cancelled their flights to different destinations due to the regional war. 'It should come as no surprise that the two airlines most affected by the closure of airspace in Iran and Iraq are the two largest airlines in the Middle East. A vast majority of Qatar's flights to Europe and North America usually pass over Iraq, while Emirates maintains a more equal distribution between Iraq and Iran. Flydubai's loss of access to Iranian airspace has increased flight times for the airline as it must now route further east through Pakistan and Afghanistan to reach destinations north of Dubai. For example, the airline's flights from Dubai to Moscow increased from about five hours to nearly seven,' said Flightradar24. It added that there have been changes to how aircraft enter the airspace — an increase in flights transiting via Saudi Arabia — but overall the number of flights has remained consistent. 'For comparison, the number of flights in UAE airspace averaged 2,838 per day, while this week the number is 2,725 flights per day.' Overflights of Afghanistan have risen from an average of 50 per day in May to 280 per day since June 13.' Even before the recent closure of Iran and Iraq air space, airlines have had limited options to fly between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. 'The great circle route (or shortest path on the globe) between Europe and Asia generally routes through either Ukraine or Russia, airspace that is currently unavailable to all airlines. This has squeezed most traffic into limited space over the Black Sea to the north and through Saudia Arabia to the south. Should the conflict between Iran and Israel expand and additional air routes close, the effects on commercial aviation could be profound.' Rising cost for Gulf carriers According to Flightradar24, Emirates — the biggest international carrier — operated highest number of weekly flights during May 11-17 at 1,354, followed by Qatar Airways (1,225), flydubai (841), Turkish Airlines (584), Etihad Airways (542), Air Arabia (395), Air India (331), Singapore Airlines (255), British Airways (212), PIA (197), Kuwait Airways (191), Wizz Air Abu Dhabi (156), Lufthansa (145), Gulf Air (137) and Pegasus (105). Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, at the moment, most European flights are transiting westwards through Saudi and Egyptian airspace rather than the more direct Iraq-Iran airspace, while US-bound flights are tracking more eastwards through Pakistan before heading towards the North Pole before reaching points like Seattle and Los Angeles. 'Flight times are slightly increased but this will depend on a multitude of factors including airplane type, weather, winds, payload, cargo and the number of passengers on board.' He added that the war could have resulted in higher fuel costs for the airlines as they take longer routes to their destinations amidst closed air space of Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Israel. 'With oil prices rising too, it's not entirely out of the realm that fuel surcharges kick in and we see hike fares — and again, that has the propensity to hit demand,' he said. While oil prices have broadly stabilised in this first week of war, over the last month, it's already shot up from $60 a barrel to $74 a barrel. 'If the war drags on, it will then hit a $100 a barrel and will definitely hit airfares.'


Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Richmax begins international journey with Dubai debut
Dubai: Richmax Group has announced the official launch of its Travel & Tourism Division in Dubai, marking the company's foray into the Gulf market and signaling the beginning of its international expansion strategy. Operations are set to commence in July 2024, positioning Dubai as the gateway for Richmax's broader GCC ambitions. "This strategic move comes after a comprehensive market evaluation across the UAE and other Gulf nations," said Adv. George John Valath, Chairman of Richmax Group. 'It is the first step in a long-term global vision.' Founded in 2020 amidst the pandemic, Richmax Finvest, the group's flagship financial services arm, has grown rapidly from its roots in Kalamassery, Kerala, expanding across South India, Odisha, Delhi, and West Bengal. The group now aims to establish 1,000 branches by 2030 and transition into a Small Finance Bank by 2040, reflecting its long-term growth ambitions. Launched in 2024, Richmax Tours & Travels has quickly gained traction with its curated international travel packages and growing customer base. After opening its second branch in Aluva in 2025, the company is now ready to go global with its Dubai outlet. As part of its expansion roadmap, Richmax plans to establish a presence in all Emirates of the UAE by the end of 2027, and across all GCC countries by 2030. Another key vertical, Valath Jewellers, also continues its upward growth under the Richmax umbrella. With established showrooms in Kalamassery, Aluva Road, and Kanjur, the brand is expanding further into Central Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A Dubai showroom is also in the pipeline, as part of a wider goal to make Valath Jewellers a publicly listed company by 2028. Further diversifying its portfolio, Richmax has launched Richmax Marketing & Consultancy, a strategic advisory arm that provides business consulting services to internal and external clients. As part of its strong commitment to community welfare, Richmax Group drives several impactful initiatives under its CSR banner 'Sparsh.' The program focuses on key social priorities such as environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, women's safety, and education. In 2024 alone, the group planted over 1,200 saplings as part of its green initiative. The 'I Stand Against Drugs' campaign reached thousands of students across various regions, promoting awareness and prevention. The 'Bindhiya Mission' advocates for women's safety and empowerment, while the annual 'Vidya Jyothi Awards' celebrate academic excellence by honoring outstanding student achievers. With the UAE launch as a pivotal milestone, Richmax Group is poised to become a significant player across the GCC, driven by innovation, vision, and a strong community-first philosophy. -Ends- About Richmax Group Founded in 2020, Richmax Group is a diversified business conglomerate headquartered in India with interests spanning financial services, travel and tourism, jewelry retail, and strategic consulting. With a vision to become a Small Finance Bank by 2040, the group operates under key verticals such as Richmax Finvest, Richmax Tours & Travels, Valath Jewellers, and Richmax Marketing & Consultancy. Known for its rapid growth and strong community-first philosophy, the group is also committed to impactful CSR initiatives through its 'Sparsh' program. Richmax has now embarked on its international journey, with its UAE operations marking the first step toward a wider GCC and global presence. For media inquiries, please contact: Sajish Gopalan Regional Head – Richmax Group