Ellanie Villena is the owner of Angel Wings International Tourism. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

It was a distress call from her Filipino flatmate that pushed Ellanie Villena’s business idea to take flight: to open her own travel agency in Dubai. “He paid a freelance travel agent a big amount of money to bring his sister here, and it turned out he was scammed,” Ellanie, owner of Angel Wings International Tourism, tells Expatmedia.net. Ellanie was new in Dubai at the time and working at the Pakistan Business Council. “I saw his excitement of being reunited with his sister turn into a moment of despair. He saved all that money just to end up being scammed,” she recalls. “I reached out to a member of the Pakistan Business Council who owns a big travel agency, and asked if they can help him get a visa for his sister. It was very quick, and he was able to bring his sister here,” she says. Since she was sharing an apartment with other Filipinos, word quickly spread about her intervention. “People started coming to me for help with visa and travel, which helped me build my network,” she says. It became her side hustle, until she eventually opened Angel Wings International Tourism in Conrad Hotel in Dubai. “I started this business not mainly for the money, but to be able to help people,” she says. Ellanie has diversified her portfolio to include a business set-up company and an events management firm in Dubai. She is also the Vice-President of the Filipino Social Club. Ellanie still works with the Pakistan Business Council as office manager, saying it is her way of showing loyalty to the group that helped her grow in Dubai. She is the only Filipina to work with the council of Pakistani business owners. She has worked under eight presidents so far. Her secret? “My integrity,” she says. Ellanie has become invaluable to the group, connecting business owners while helping them execute projects and events. “They are millionaires and billionaires with big connections, but they respect people,” she says. They taught her to grab opportunities quickly. “When I have an idea, I want to work on it right away,” she says.

Her story

“My mother always reminds me to be humble and to be grateful,” Ellanie says. Raised in Batangas in the Philippines, she and her five siblings had to work to support their college education since their father died young, leaving their mother to care for the family. Ellanie was an elementary school teacher before leaving for the UAE to join her older sister here. “I didn’t have the heart to scold children,” she says with a smile. “Dubai is a land of opportunity, and I am grateful to have found mine here,” she says. The success in her business endeavours has paved the way for all her siblings to relocate to the UAE. The family became instant celebrities when a Filipino news network picked up news of their surprise homecoming. “Our mother was left alone in our Batangas home when she lost her cat that was like a baby to her. A relative sent us a video of her crying about it. I’ve never seen her so sad. I told my siblings we must go home and surprise her. So we all went home, and she was so shocked the minute she saw us. It was a huge commotion. Relatives and neighbours got it all on video, which went viral,” she recalls. Ellanie says in her strong sense of family is one of the guiding forces of her business. “I treat my staff like family, and my customers like family,” she says.

Rapid fire questions

Three words to describe yourself Lovable, emphatic, positive. Hidden talent Singing. Superpower you would like to have Teleportation. The way to your heart is… Helping others. Favourite destination Europe. Top three places to visit Dubai Mall, Palm Jumeirah, desert safari. Travel solo or travel with someone With someone. Backpack travel or travel in style Backpack travel. Follow a schedule or go with the flow? Go with the flow. Travel is… A memory that will last forever. Book you are currently reading Bible. Favourite food Asian food. Visit Angel Wings in 19th floor, Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition Magazine
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