In a move aimed at solidifying its position as the Arab World’s leading Internet portal and online community, Maktoob.com has acquired Saudi-based AlFrasha.com, one of the region’s most popular women’s websites.

The acquisition of AlFrasha.com, combined with a series of other recent acquisitions and the rollout of an array of innovative services and content especially geared to Arab women makes Maktoob the undisputed number one source of online information and communications services for women in the Arab world.

“With our newly acquired website, AlFrasha.com, Maktoob now has the largest women’s audience of any online media in the Arab world, with access to over 1 million Arab female visitors actively participating in our women’s community forums and accessing an unmatched array of constantly updated information geared to the special interests of Arab women,” said Ahmed Nassef, General Manager of Maktoob.com.

“This will create unique and highly valuable opportunities for marketers and advertisers to communicate with women consumers and create one-to-one relationships that will strengthen their brands," added Nassef.

Maktoob’s expanded female audience will benefit from the vast amount of up-to-date Arabic content and special tools offered by Helwa, Maktoob’s women’s channel. Some of the regular topics covered by Helwa include health, beauty, parenting, social issues, and home management. Arab women will also benefit from special for-women-only communication tools like women’s blogs, forums, and chatrooms