DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017

provides a global perspective

B&Bs shed their risky image

Where to get bang for your buck

IncentIves

Avoid the multi-day

conference rut

of the best MICE resorts

G4S's Duncan Edwards

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December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 1

Brought to you by Now Media, Travel Buyer + Meet is a professional travel publication aimed at South African travel procurement decision-makers in travel-buying companies. This publication aims to reflect an unbiased perspective of the corporate travel industry offering insight and tools encouraging readers to manage their travel spend better. Travel Buyer is the media partner of ABTA, ACTE and the GBTA

PUBLISHER Kate Nathan GROUP PUBLISHER David Marsh DEPUTY PUBLISHER Natasha Schmidt CONSULTING EDITOR Sue van Winsen EDITORIaL CONTRIBUTORS Linda van der Pol, Liesl Venter, Michelle Colman, Debbie Badham, Taryn Nightingale DESIGN & LaYOUT Tanya Lowery PHOTOGRaPHER Shannon Van Zyl SaLES katen@nowmedia.co.za aDVERTISING CO-ORDINaTOR Anthea Lucas CIRCULaTIONS subs@nowmedia.co.za PRINTED BY Juka Printing (Pty) Ltd PUBLISHED BY Travel & Trade Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Now Media Centre, 32 Fricker Rd, Illovo Boulevard, Illovo, Johannesburg, PO Box 55251, Northlands, 2116, South Africa. Tel: +27 11 327 4062, Fax: +27 11 327 4094, e-mail: travelbuyer@nowmedia.co.za, web: www.travelbuyer.co.za

Editor's note COVER Duncan Edwards of G4S provides a global perspective and tells us how a huge company has managed to completely revolutionise its travel procurement processes and systems. Cover photograph by Shannon Van Zyl.

News 2• Saaci ceo says farewell• Government seeks investor for SAA• Flight Centre unveils new offering

GBTA Conference report back 7• GBTA Conference 2016 strikes the right balance Profile 8• Duncan Edwards of G4S On the radar - Groups & Incentives 10• Reinvent experiences for repeat visits On the radar - Travel into Africa 16• Single aviation market gains momentum On the radar - Alternative Accommodation 18• Alternative accommodation sheds its ‘risky’ image Meetings 20• Event food gets interactive• KZN: North Coast vs South Coast• How to avoid the multi-day conference rut Deal Detective 24• Travelinfo’s latest top travel deals

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Over 1 000 a day can be reached online when you advertise in

www.tam.co.za

I S T H E CO R P O R AT E EVENT PLANNERIMPORTANT TO YOU?

S ometimes, down at the bottom tip of Africa, we fall into the habit of thinking that we’re a little out of

touch, or perhaps even behind the rest of the modern world. But, I think we should be giving South Africa’s corporate travel industry a lot more credit.

When interviewing Duncan Edwards for the profile that appears in this issue, I was fascinated to learn that he believes that South Africa is one of the world’s trailblazers when it comes to corporate travel technology. And this comes from a man who is tasked with procurement for a truly global heavyweight company – G4S, one of the world’s largest private-sector employers with a presence in some 100 countries.

Indeed, every month as we shine the spotlight on technology and innovation – it becomes clear that we’re really on par with, if not exceeding, our counterparts in Europe and North America.

Of course, it’s also important to remember that South Africa doesn’t sit in isolation and is part of a continent that is, to a large degree, still struggling with major challenges in terms of infrastructure, particularly when it comes to telecommunications and banking. But there are also many great African stories to tell, and this month in our Travel into

Africa feature, we’re looking at the positive developments that are happening in the aviation space.

In a dedicated feature, we’re looking at some of the ways you can make group travel and incentives exciting, even when sending participants to the same destination time and time again. We also detail all the destinations where corporates can get the most bang for their buck, whether it be regionally or internationally.

Alternative accommodation options like B&Bs, guesthouses, apartment hotels and Airbnb continue to play a huge role when it comes to corporate travel, particularly as many business travellers need to head to parts of the country where there are limited to no hotel options available. It seems, though, that this segment of the accommodation industry is taking great strides when it comes to improving their security systems and introducing booking technology that makes them a much easier fit into a managed travel programme. Read our feature to find out more about the developments in this regard.

I hope you enjoy the issue!

Keep reading!Sue van Winsen(suev@nowmedia.co.za)

2 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

News

THE four-star Protea by Marriott Entebbe, located on the shores of Lake

Victoria and one kilometre from the airport, has undergone a refurbishment and expansion.

“Having good occupancy levels at the hotel in the past, we decided to add 13 rooms, including one suite, to meet the demand. We will also refurbish all the existing bedrooms and corridors, with new-look bathrooms, new air-conditioning, beds and carpets,” said Stuart Cook, md of Protea Hotels Uganda.

Protea expands East African property

DELTA Air Lines now offers WiFi on all its international flights, including its daily

non-stop service between Johannesburg and Atlanta.

Delta’s sales director for Africa, the Middle East and India, Jimmy Eichelgruen, says the service is accessible across all cabins.

Laptop WiFi passes start at $6,95 (R99) for one hour of access or passengers can opt for a global day pass purchased in advance for $28 (R400).

Passengers also enjoy free access to the airline’s on-demand entertainment system, Delta Studio, which includes in-flight streaming to view movies and TV shows on mobile devices.

“We know that WiFi is an important part of the travel experience, especially for those flying on business,” says Eichelgruen, adding that passengers can now stay in touch with events on the ground throughout their journey on Delta.

Delta keeps you connected

A LOOMING global and local pilot shortage could see local airlines being forced to scrap routes and frequencies

in the long term, aviation experts say.

According to Captain Jimmy Conroy, chairman of the SAA Pilots Association, approximately 60 pilots from several SA carriers have left, mostly for the Middle East over the past year. “Under normal circumstances, we’d expect to lose maybe 20 pilots a year,” he says.

Conroy says airline markets in the Middle East and Asia are opening their doors to pilots. These regions have reduced regulations and are offering more attractive salaries.

But, it is not only Middle Eastern airlines that are drawing pilots from SA. There is a new threat from the East. Previously China did not recognise SA pilot licenses, but in the last six months this has changed. “China has a requirement

for 100 pilots a week for the next 20 years to satisfy the current and suggested demand,” says Rodger Foster, ceo and md of Airlink.

In the near future, recruiters for Chinese airlines will be in SA to source pilots and they are specifically looking for those that can fly Airbus aircraft, said Conroy. “There’s only one airline that operates Airbus (aircraft) in SA, and that’s SAA.”

SAA’s spokesperson, Tlali Tlali, says the airline’s pilot turnover currently sits at 2%. “This does not necessarily present a concern.”

“We are extremely concerned and we think the rest of the industry also needs to be concerned,” says Foster.

He says route cuts and frequency reductions due to a lack of pilots is definitely a concern in the long term. “I know some airlines are starting to struggle to find suitably qualified pilots,” says Conroy.

Conroy says SAA used to run a Cadet Training Programme, but this was closed due to the high cost of training pilots. But, Tlali said the airline is engaging with stakeholders to get the programme up and running again.

Pilot shortage to hit SA

Rodger Foster, ceo & md, Airlink

V ISAS between Uganda and South Africa could be scrapped in the near future with both

South African and Ugandan authorities currently working on the issue, according to Prof Lekoa Solly Molly, South Africa’s high commissioner to Uganda.

There is a need to ease travel restrictions as the number of South Africans travelling to Uganda for trade, business, education and tourism is currently surging, the commissioner told Uganda-based newspaper, The Observer. “Trade relations between the two countries have increased with over 70 South African companies working in Uganda.”

Travel agents in South Africa confirm that corporate travel to Uganda has been growing steadily over the past few years. “We have seen a definite increase in demand for corporate travel to Uganda in recent months,”

says Ben Langner, md of Carlson Wagonlit Travel in South Africa. According to Langner, visa requirements are always a deterrent to travel.

Even though the Ugandan government recently slashed visa fees in an attempt to attract more travellers, Tracey van den Berg, corporate communications and events manager of Tourvest Travel Services, says the visas to Uganda remain quite costly at R1 000 for single-entry visas and R2 000 for multiple-entry visas. “Should the visa fees be removed, it may encourage further travel to Uganda.”

MICE travel is expected to benefit if the visas are scrapped, according to Inge Beadle, manager of Corporate Travel Services. “Without visa requirements, one could offer Kampala as an interesting MICE destination for seminars, workshops and AGMs.”

Ugandan visas may be scrapped

(From left) Nellita Scholtz, sales executive and Shareen Akoodie, regional sales and marketing manager of Delta Air Lines.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 3

Saaci ceo says farewell

ADRIAAN Liebetrau, ceo of Saaci, has tendered his resignation and will

take up his role as Tsogo Sun’s sales and marketing manager for the Sandton Convention Centre, Sandton Sun, InterContinental Sandton and Garden Court Sandton City early next year.

Liebetrau joined Saaci in May 2014 and ensured the successful roll-out of the Saaci strategy that launched three years ago. He will remain on the Saaci board as a co-opted member. Saaci thanked Liebetrau for his dedication and wished him all the best with future endeavours.

OR Tambo launches smart security

In celebration of Comair’s 20th anniversary of its franchise agreement with BA; bakery, Cake Extreme baked and built

what the two airlines say is South Africa’s largest cake: a four-metre replica of a Boeing 737-800. Pictured here slicing the

cake are, from left, Erik Venter, ceo of Comair, and Sue Petrie, commercial manager of BA Southern Africa.

Have your cake…

SAA, SAX and Mango could soon see the introduction of a private equity partner owning up to a 25% stake

in the three airlines, Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown announced during the Airline Associations of Africa (Aasa) AGM in Swakopmund.

“It will be the first time we are looking at finding a private shareholder for all three state-owned airlines,” the Minister said. To find a shareholder for the three companies, government will need to have the airlines work closer together. Although details on how the airlines would be combined have not been finalised yet, the Minister said it could either be through a merger or through a common holding company.

“We need to force them to work together and, for the moment, that isn’t so.” She said that currently Mango was heavily reliant on SAA for its overheads. “SAA actually carries Mango without Mango paying benefits to SAA.”

Greater private-sector participation within the state-owned airlines would also mean bringing in managerial, technical and other support, said the Minister. Eventually, this could mean the state-owned airlines would become economically and financially stable and start paying dividends to government – the airlines’ largest shareholder,” she said.

Brown said the focus for an investor was currently on a medium-haul airline.

Ethiopian Airlines would be an obvious choice, according to industry players, as it has expressed interest in investing into

other airlines on the continent. However, one industry player, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “The three carriers combined have a net debt north of R20bn. Why would Ethiopian Airlines want to invest in that? Especially when considering the airlines have no track record of profitability.”

“Besides the obvious financial

benefit of a 25% stakeholder, SAA, SAX and Mango could also greatly benefit from the expertise of an international airline,” said June Crawford, Barsa ceo.

Closer collaboration between the three airlines is bound to be beneficial, according to Chris Zweigenthal, Aasa ceo, as it will rationalise their operations.

However, in terms of competition, a merger could be ‘interesting’, says Kirby Gordon, FlySafair vp of sales and distribution. “Mango has previously had the mandate to operate competitively as a stand-alone entity without an unfair advantage with regard to state subsidisation. The integrity of this has never really been confirmed. Mango has never published financial statements and the statement issued by SAA earlier this year about SAA subsiding leases on its aircraft, and later retracted, is now the subject of an investigation by the Competition Commission. The concern here is that a merger could further blur those lines.” Gordon says the onus will be on the state and the relevant watchdogs to ensure that a level playing field remains for all.

Government seeks investor for SAA

SAA actually carries Mango without Mango paying

benefits to SAA.

O R TAMBO International Airport (ORTIA) is the first African airport to implement a Smart

Security checkpoint, which includes features that will speed up passenger progress through security.

The pilot implementation of the Smart Security system went live in early November at the international departures security point and allows for up to seven passengers to be processed at one time.

Some of the system’s features include a diverter for empty trays and a full body scanner.

“Passengers will find that with the new system there will almost be no need for physical pat-downs,” said Bongiwe Pityi, gm of ORTIA. There will also be less frequent requirements for laptops to be removed from bags and switched on.

4 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

News

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The luxury SeaDream Yacht Club is exploring new waters and hopes to enter the expedition travel market in 2019 with the introduction of larger boats carrying more than double its current capacity (112 passengers). SeaDream Yacht Club is one of

Cruises International’s luxury brands and offers itineraries in the Mediterranean, transatlantic and Caribbean. Pictured here, from left, are Thomas G. Harrison, sales director of SeaDream Yacht Club and George Argyropoulos, md of Cruises International.

Let’s get luxurious

P REMIER Hotel Sani Pass is undergoing a R75m refurbishment to be completed by

February 1, 2017. The renovations will upgrade the hotel from a three-star to four-star property and

will include the addition of 120 new rooms and a conference room which will seat 300 delegates. Other features include a wellness centre, gym, spa, cinema and WiFi (available throughout the hotel and garden rooms).

Premier Sani Pass upgrades

STAGE and Screen South Africa, Flight Centre Travel Group’s newest addition, has launched to provide

the sporting and entertainment industry with a dedicated set of services for travel arrangements. Following a year of testing the market, the new company officially launched in November.

It is aimed at bands, artists, sports teams, TV and film crews and other creative industries that often require group bookings and larger baggage allowances for equipment. “Sports teams have large amounts of luggage, from their uniforms to their equipment. And they often comprise a large number of business-class travellers requiring group treatment,” says

Robyn van Staden, gm of Stage and Screen South Africa.

She says Stage and Screen can negotiate special extra luggage rates with travel providers. “With sports teams, we’ve had to negotiate with airlines to book out the entire business-class section on an aircraft so that the teams are not split.”

As well as offering travel arrangements for large groups and their excess baggage, Stage and Screen also aims to provide VIP travel services, including secure transfers, private hotel entrances, entire hotel floor bookings and late night check-ins. A dedicated travel managements team will also be available to clients 24/7.

Flight Centre unveils new offering

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 5TB2140SD

D EMAND for travel to West Africa is dwindling following weakening local

currencies, issues with forex and a reduction of flights to Nigeria.

International airlines have been reducing frequencies or cutting flights altogether to Nigeria as the crisis with the country’s currency, the Naira, worsens. The low value of the local currency, combined with an unfavourable forex policy and a national recession, has resulted in both Kenya Airways and Emirates suspending flights to Abuja.

Although flight capacity from South Africa to Nigeria has not been affected, with both SAA and Arik Air still offering regular services, the economic recession in West

Africa has negatively impacted business confidence and there has been a significant drop in demand to Nigeria and Angola, says Jose Cruz, national executive client services manager for HRG Rennies Travel.

Rachael Penaluna, business unit manager for Sure Maritime Travel, has also seen a drop. Although Penaluna says clients are still travelling to Angola, the destination is not without problems. “No tickets can be issued on BSP in Angola. Airlines have suspended BSP in Angola because the government will not allow credit card payments or the release of funds for services within Angola. This is a direct result of the low oil price and the lack of currency in the country.”

West African woes slash travel demandN AMIBIA’s plans to

streamline multiple-entry business visas for South African travellers will do

little to improve trade between the countries should it fail to clear up major confusion surrounding its existing regulations.

South African business travellers will soon be able to acquire multiple-entry visas on arrival at the airport with minimal hassle, Namibian President, Hage Geingob, reportedly told attendees at the recent Invest in Namibia International Conference, which was held in Johannesburg.

He said, ultimately, the aim was for the visa requirement to be abolished.

But travel professionals say Namibia is not clear about what is considered travel for business purposes and when travellers should apply for a visa accordingly, says Inge Beadle, manager of Corporate Travel Services.

Beadle says government needs to send out a communication specifying what constitutes business, adding that this not only needs to be sent to travellers but to the immigration officials at the airport too.

Significant confusion exists with business meetings specifically. If travellers are attending business meetings for two days they can obtain a visa on arrival. However, if they are conducting meetings for longer than two days, they require a work permit.

However, further challenges arise when travellers want a longer term visa than what is normally available. In such cases, the traveller would need to present a motivational letter along with their application. The visa is not quickly approved and neither is it clear on what grounds it would be approved. “This is where we see the majority of blockages,” says Margaret De Gois, manager of Air Namibia Cape Town.

Namibian visa rules confuse

6 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

News

AT a time when many South Africans are keenly feeling doom and gloom as a result of the political

and economic situation in the country, it is refreshing to hear how optimistic Garth Wolff is about the future of South Africa.

Speaking at an awards dinner at the recent eTravel forum, the ITC brand’s annual conference, Wolff, ceo of eTravel (the pioneer of the idea of the ITC model in South Africa) said at first glance many factors in the economy looked bleak, but South Africans should not be daunted. Wolff says he was as positive about the future of eTravel as he was about that of the country.

And for eTravel, that future does look bright. Wolff has just taken the company to the milestone R1bn in turnover. Over the past three-year period, acknowledged to have been a

difficult time in business in SA. Wolff has led eTravel from an R891m turnover, with 151 ITCs in 2014, to R1bn turnover, with

161 ITCs in 2016. What’s more, he projects still more growth in 2017, predicting turnover of well over a billion rands. g

eTravel boss is upbeat on SA

The eTravel team at the Gangsters and Molls themed gala dinner. Pictured (from left) are Avril-Leigh Shackleton, travel manager inland; Tammy Hunt, operations director; Garth Wolff, ceo; and Truda Louw, travel manager coastal.

As 2016 draws to a close, what were some of the year’s business highlights? The business highlight for 2016 was being awarded Best Brand Web Contribution for 2015 at RevGen Forum 2016 and receiving the Green Lead Eco Standard Accredited Verification for 2016.

How does Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Newlands differentiate itself from its competitors? The hotel differentiates itself by offering a Yes I Can! service in a fun, colourful and vibrant atmosphere with its Next Generation concept. The hotel is tailored for all types of travellers from all walks of life. Having worked closely with DeafSA while the hotel was being developed, we recognised a unique opportunity to welcome

deaf staff into the hotel. Not only would this be a first in our company, but it would be a first in the hospitality industry in South Africa to employ deaf staff on this scale. We embrace and celebrate our individuality and diversity and encourage our team to be unique, collaborate and have fun.

What do you think the big challenges for 2017 will be? We are expecting a decrease in travel spend, however with the increasing demand for meetings in Cape Town, we will be top of mind as Park Inn by Radisson Newlands can accommodate guests at a lower rate, with just a 10km drive from town.

What do you expect the big opportunities for 2017 to be? Making memorable moments for our guests by putting them

centre stage and placing high importance on their experiences shared with us. This will be achieved by continuing to offer a Yes I Can standard of service, quality rooms and conference venues at affordable prices.

Does the property have any exciting plans in the pipeline for the coming year? With the newly renovated Live-Inn Restaurant at Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Newlands, the new year will see a new concept of breakfast buffet, a brand new cocktail menu and interesting and quirky all-day dining menu options. The general manager, Clinton Thom, believes in empowering and coaching the next wave of leaders in the hospitality industry.

In the spotlightMarcel Van Der Linde, sales and marketing coordinator for Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Newlands discusses some of the property’s plans for 2017.

T HE Seychelles is set to build a new international airport to meet the growing tourist demand.

Seychelles foreign affairs and transport minister, Joel Morgan, signed an agreement with Ali Majed Al Mansoori, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Airports Company, to construct the new airport.

It will lie to the north of the existing airport and is expected to be completed by 2019 or 2020 at an estimated cost of $150m (R2bn).

The current airport is becoming too small to handle the increasing tourist numbers. Last year, visitor arrivals to the Seychelles reached 280 000. David Germain, director Africa and America, Seychelles Tourism Board, says the new airport will provide a significant improvement in the handling of passengers.

Seychelles to get new airport

E TIHAD welcomed the arrival of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Johannesburg at the

beginning of November. The aircraft has been deployed on the airline’s daily Johannesburg-Abu Dhabi route.

The new aircraft features two cabin classes, with 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart seats. The Business Studios offer direct aisle access; a fully-flat bed; a 45,7cm touch-screen TV; and noise-cancelling headphones. The Economy Smart seats offers passengers adjustable lumbar support and a 28,2cm TV. All seats across both classes have WiFi and power points.

Speaking at the launch function at OR Tambo International Airport, Calum Laming, Etihad’s vp of guest experience, said SA is an incredibly important and growing market for Etihad and the use of this new aircraft on the route (one of the first to receive the B787) not only provides more seats every day, but also demonstrates Etihad’s commitment to the route.

Etihad’s new bird lands in JNB

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 7

GBTA Conference

When using third party services for visas and insurance, finding the right company can be a struggle.

Nicole Fonzari, travel manager of Cummins, says her company relies heavily on TMCs and visa suppliers, but often TMCs don't ask the right questions about what passport the traveller is using.

In order to stay up to date with any visa changes, Fonzari says she works with various visa companies. g

RepoRT BACk: GBTA Conference 2016 strikes the right balance

GBTA Southern Africa held its annual conference on October 14 and 15. Hosted at the Hilton Sandton, delegates discussed industry trends and opportunities.

Leigh Hermon and Sue van Winsen report.

What does the travel programme of the future look like?

WE are entering into an era of unprecedented change in the business travel sector, with both

forces working to retain legacy systems and rules, and innovation tearing at the fabric on which we work. This was the view of Paul Tilstone, keynote speaker at the conference and managing partner of Festive Road, who gave a presentation on what successful travel programmes of the future will look like.

Data and intelligence systemsTilstone said that data is having a huge effect on the corporate travel industry and this was only likely to be amplified and accelerated in the coming years. “Just think about the amount of data we already have on our travellers and corporate clients, but that we don’t use effectively at this present moment.” Tilstone said millennials tend to not be too concerned about sharing personal data, providing it results in better services that support them in their every need.

He pointed out that large corporates should be thinking about creating digital travel platforms that allow them to leverage the data they have, while smaller companies that may not have the investment capability to do so, should be using the services of TMCs and GDSs that are able to provide these platforms.

Airline distributionTilstone believes that air is the anchor that determines

most processes within travel programmes.

“What we are seeing is that airlines and hotels are adopting a number of channel distribution strategies that will culminate in two pathways. The first is the omnichannel strategy, which means that all content will be provided across all channels. The other is optichannel, a focus by a supplier on a particular channel,” explains Tilstone. He says this will have major implications for travel buyers, particularly when data is combined with distribution, as it can allow for a more dynamic approach to discounting and potentially even the “death of the RFP”.

Communication and engagementIt’s only recently that major companies began investing in engagement programmes – for example, he said, with over

60 000 travellers, Microsoft only recently tasked their global travel management team with traveller engagement. Suppliers are also now getting on board and investing in much deeper engagement and richer dialogue with corporate travel buyers,

ROI

“Linking travel to a higher corporate strategy is absolutely key to the future of our industry,” said Tilstone. He added that the Guild of Travel Management Companies in the UK linked business travel directly to business revenues. “But statistics like this oversimply the link between business travel and revenues - it takes many forms and doesn’t always have to be for revenue generation. However, understanding when business travel results in revenue and when it doesn’t is absolutely key to understanding the travel management game.”

Travel experts highlighted some of the exciting developments in travel payment solutions and agreed that virtual cards will help to revolutionise payment processes.

The major benefit of a virtual card is its potential to eliminate fraud extensively, says Riaan van Niekerk, head: commercial credit and pre-paid issuing for Absa.

Consumer mobile technologies and opportunities to move these capabilities into the corporate space was also a hot topic of discussion, and Tshipi Alexander, head of corporate issuing and merchant sales and service for Nedbank, says mobile booking and instant payments are two of the key focus areas for the coming year.

Virtual cards are the future

Challenges to third-party solutions

Pictured (from left) Christina Tsakos, Travelport Southern Africa business support manager; Robyn Christie, Travelport Southern Africa gm; Mohsin passat, Travelport Southern Africa regional sales director; and Sharon Richards-Lund, GBTA SA regional account manager.

8 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Profile

W ITH a presence in more than 100 countries, around 610 000 employees and a

multi-million pound global travel spend, G4S is a leading global integrated security company, specialising in the provision of security products, services and solutions.

“G4S is the second largest private sector employer in the world,” explains Duncan Edwards, global category leader and regional procurement director (Africa); and the largest security company in Africa, with operations in more than 26 African countries and more than 124 000 employees on the continent. “Our size and scale are huge and we touch every area of security,” he adds.

In 2014, G4S realised that there was an opportunity to make major improvements in terms of its procurement processes, and it was decided that greater emphasis should be placed on building up this aspect of the business. Shaun Carroll joined in May 2014 as chief procurement officer, and began building a new global team, which included Edwards being hired as a global category leader in December 2014, before taking on the additional role of regional procurement director for Africa in June 2015.

A background in procurement“I’ve always been in procurement,” explains Edwards. Starting back in 1996 as an assistant buyer with Britannia Airways, which was the UK’s largest holiday airline and part of Thomson Travel Group. During this period, Thomson Travel Group became part of TUI AG, the world’s largest holiday company. Edwards left TUI in 2007 as purchasing manager responsible for aviation fuel, ground handling and inflight catering for seven international airlines, to join

FujiFilm as European head of strategic purchasing, and was there until four years ago, when he reentered the aviation industry and began consulting for EasyJet. “And then a great opportunity came up for me to join G4S,” he adds.

Edwards was particularly keen to take on the challenge due to G4S’s size. “One key category of spend within my area of responsibility included business travel,” he said. It was immediately clear to Edwards that there was no real visibility in terms of what the company’s travel spend actually was, and as a result, embarked on a major programme to completely change the way the business handled procurement at all levels.

The first steps “The first question we needed to answer was how much the company spends on business travel, and where,” says Edwards. “We had two options in terms of getting a handle on total spend. Spend the next six to eight months gathering as much micro-level data as we could from the companies as to what they were booking, where they were booking and who they were booking through, and with this data conduct a full tender process which itself would take at least another three months before implementation would take place,” says Edwards.

However, within each region

(UK, Europe, Asia Middle East, Latam, North America, and Africa), each G4S company and sometimes division within each company, followed its own processes. “Some may use a recognised travel agent, others would book direct online, and everything in between.” Added to this was that once gathered, the data wouldn’t be particularly useful, as it would be based on historic travel data which would not be reflective of travel patterns for the following periods.

With this in mind, the recommendation was made to the global board in February 2016 that given American Express Global Business Travel (Amex) was the incumbent TMC for the UK, European Head Office, and a number of divisions across North America and Africa, it would become its preferred global TMC partner. “Amex is the world’s largest global TMC, and has some of the richest content in terms of hotel inventory and we have an active relationship with them,” says Edwards.

A global solution

He explains that, “the reality is that having such a global presence comes with a number of challenges and one of those is that there isn’t one TMC that has a presence everywhere in the world, so we realised that whoever we went with would need to have partners in place. Minimising the number of third-party partners was therefore key.”

The first step taken was in the UK, where American Express Global Business Travel operated an implant team on behalf of G4S UK, providing two staff to manage a travel desk, making all bookings on behalf of employees. This solution was replaced with a cloud-based online booking tool and remote dedicated American Express Global Business Travel team to handle complex or VIP travel.

A globAl perspectiveSue van Winsen sat down with Duncan Edwards, the UK-based global category

leader & regional procurement director (Africa) for G4S to find out more about how a true multinational company is getting more control over its travel spend.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 9

This new system went live in October 2015 and was rapidly deployed and used as the example to sell the concept to the global board in February of this year. Edwards explains that the intention was to reduce and better control spend by gaining better visibility.

“The global vision was to implement country and market relevant cloud-based online booking tools, through which the business would book all future travel requirements, and set up remote dedicated American Express Global Business Travel hubs to support manual bookings which required (complex multiple point trips), and ancillary services. This in turn would result in; lower and transparent booking fees through using an online booking tool; lower travel costs with existing country and regional agreements with airlines and hotel agreements becoming accessible for all; lower travel costs through improved booking behaviour with travellers having access to all airline and hotel options; and line managers having visibility of frequent travellers and travel requests,” he says.

“Enhanced duty-of-care processes is also a natural by-product of the online booking tool due to improved traveller tracking – a tremendously relevant feature for a security company which places a key focus on the safety of its employees.”

Finally, says Edwards, the big selling point of the new system is spend visibility, through robust and dynamic reporting. “From this, we will be able to provide market intelligence at a granular level to all businesses highlighting actionable data including; who are the frequent travellers; are we booking travel in policy; what are the exceptions and what are the reasons for those? This in turn will lead to increased accountability within this area of spend, putting business travel on the agenda as a line item cost,” he adds.

Rapid deployment“So the decision was taken to rapidly deploy American Express Global Business Travel as our preferred global TMC,” says Edwards. Phase one saw the roll-out to all the regional offices recognising that this is where the bulk of international traffic and most of the spend is going to be generated. “By May 2016, each of the regional head offices went live,” he explains.

Edwards says that by year end, within 10 months of going live, more than 80% of the company’s spend will be under control. “What this means is having full visibility of business travel spend that has been chanelled through approved booking processes.”

Challenges“Change can be very difficult to manage, so you have to invest time in the implementation process. American Express Global Business Travel has been excellent in terms of training, and selling the concept locally. As a result, company managing directors and financial directors are beginning to see the cost improvements come through, and travellers have bought into moving from a 24 hour-plus manual booking process to an online ‘click-and-buy’ experience,” he adds.

“A challenge we had in a number of countries is with existing agents claiming they do not have booking fees, which in turn means they are earning their revenue from commissions,” says Edwards. The way he gets around this is by conducting ‘mini-business case studies’ asking the agent to book the hotel, see what the cost is and then asking American Express Global Business Travel to do the same and see the cost difference. “With Amex, we have a transparent fee visible to everybody, ” he says.

The next phaseThe second stage of the implementation will be using the data gathered to enter into negotiations with suppliers, which will be led by American Express Global Business Travel. “Then we’ll really start seeing the benefits of our scalable volume,” he explains. “I did a data snapshot in 2015 that showed that between the UK and North America offices we were booking in excess of 700 000 room nights, but the majority of the rates we were getting were generally Best Available Rates. Where preferential rates did exist, these were based on isolated volumes being driven from a specific office/division.”

It is clear that a company of G4S’s scale should be benefitting more from volume-based discounts, but this may challenge suppliers, as they usually have regional strategies with different pricing for different markets. As G4S is a global customer with real scale, suppliers will have to look at negotiating on a global level and not just at a regional level.

The next step“This isn’t the end of the story,” says Edwards. “This part of the process was just to get us into the 21st Century, but next we’ll be having ongoing, quarterly strategic reviews with our TMC to determine how we continue to move forward and improve.” Mobile technologies and the like are definitely interest, but Edwards emphasises that it’s crucial the company first focuses on getting control of its spend, compliance to new processes, and realises the benefits of its volume before pursuing any new changes. “It’s about taking small pragmatic steps, controlling the bookings of hundreds of thousands of employees – then we can see how to continue to move the business forward,” he concludes. g

C laude Vankeirsbilck, chief sales and marketing officer for Tourvest Travel Services,

which includes American Express Global Business Travel, says there is a lot that local corporates can learn from G4S’s approach. He stresses the importance of testing TMCs’ claims rather than just taking them at face value. “Ask them to show you what their online booking tool can do in a real live environment, like G4S did. One or two corporates have done this in South Africa and have been surprised by what they have picked up through that process.”

Another inspiring aspect is G4S’s recognition that there is no such thing as a single piece of technology that is fit-for-purpose in every market. G4S ringfencing North America and letting them stay with their current TMC, provided that data was pulled through to the global American Express Global Business Travel system, made sense within that market. “It’s not simple to transfer data, but it can be done if you’re committed to making it work.”

The TMC perspective

Claude Vankeirsbilck, chief sales & marketing officer, Tourvest Travel Services

10 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Groups & Incentives

Reinvent experiences for repeat visitsCan incentives to repeat destinations still retain their ‘wow’ factor? Debbie Badham reports.

COMPANIES tend to rely significantly on a strategic selection of value-for-money destinations when it comes

to their incentive programmes, which can make it challenging to create wow experiences for an incentive group that may be visiting a destination for a second time.

According to Cathie Bester, national sales manager for World Leisure Holidays, the motivational value of an incentive will not change simply because it is held in a repeat destination.

“You could even go to the same hotel with the same group and have a completely different experience.”

In fact, Beachcomber says it has a large percentage of repeat groups from South Africa. “Sometimes the company will actually extend the vote to the employees and many times they ask for Mauritius once again,” says Enid Maullin, Beachcomber Tours group sales executive.

She says it’s about what the hotel can offer, its facilities and, ultimately, client satisfaction. “That’s what keeps them returning.”

The experience must be sold correctly though, says Alexis Bekker, head of sales and

marketing – South Africa and Africa of LUX* Resorts & Hotels.

“When agents introduce their clients to new resorts and hotels and highlight what they can offer that the clients may not have experienced elsewhere before, then the interest is very much there. It is no secret that you can revisit the same destination repeatedly and still have new and different experiences each time.”

Maullin says Mauritius, in particular, still has a lot to offer corporates. “We have had a fantastic 2016 when it comes to groups and incentives.”

She says when corporates compare Mauritius with other destinations that don’t offer all-inclusive, value-for-money options, they tend to choose Mauritius. “The primary request for groups from South Africa is always all-inclusive,” Maullin says, adding that, together with Beachcomber’s programmes on and off site, the experience is still “wow and exciting”.

The difference is in the detailsKey to making repeat visits exciting, is ensuring that the guest experience of the destination

remains unique, says Bekker. “Ask the end client what they have previously been offered and ensure that you put forward new and innovative touches to the overall programme. This would entail hotel selection, how you transfer the guests, the activities on offer and the dining experiences guests are offered while visiting.”

Bekker points out that LUX* offers a number of unique and innovative touches for guests. “It could be a ‘message in a bottle’, which the gm puts out daily.

Each bottle holds a ‘message’ to the recipient which could be a complimentary massage, a private dinner for two or a discount in the hotel boutique,” she says.

LUX* also offers a ‘tree of wishes’, where guests are encouraged to write a wish on a piece of paper and tie it to a special tree. “Each year the gm selects one wish and the recipient receives a complimentary return stay at the selected resort or hotel where they placed their wish. We believe that these small touches are the details that create lasting memories for our guests.”

Lezane Willemse, travel agent at XL Bay Travel, says that including special events in an itinerary can also help add a different spin to an incentive and give it that wow factor. Examples, she says, include the Halfmoon Festival in Thailand or Carnival in Rio.

“Events like these enable travellers to truly experience the vibe and culture of a place.”

Branded items are another way to make an incentive more special, suggests Willemse. She says organising small details such as branded backpacks not only helps make travellers feel special but enables them to serve as a walking advert for the company.

Cathie Bester, national sales manager, World Leisure Holidays

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12 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Groups & Incentives

Value-for-money in Africa

CORPORATES looking to enhance group itineraries, while at the same time searching for value for

money, have some new and exciting options to consider.

Alexis Bekker of LUX* Resorts & Hotels says the group has experienced an increase in sales at Hotel Le Recif and LUX* Saint Gilles on Réunion Island over the past 18 months.

“Many travellers are yet to experience Réunion. This makes it an appealing destination for those who have ‘been everywhere and done everything’ and are looking for that hidden gem.” She says while there is a perception that the destination is expensive, being based in euros, LUX* resorts are actually excellent value for money.

“Zanzibar is also exceptionally good value-for-money for the price-sensitive corporate client,” says Cathie Bester, of World Leisure Holidays. She advises that its makes sense to work with specialist MICE wholesale consultants. “The MICE team at World Leisure Holidays has visited all the destinations that we specialise in and are able to give

very clear guidance.”For higher-end experiences,

the Seychelles can offer good value for money when packaged correctly. “Variety Cruises has a well-priced seven-day yachting experience in the Seychelles, which can also be segmented into either a three- or four-night option with pre and post accommodation,” says director of Discover the World, Sabrina Allcock. She says the advantage of yachting is that groups can charter the destination to destinations that are not too far from South Africa.

Exotic adventure on a budgetStill a relatively affordable destination for South African travellers, Zanzibar makes a great deal of sense as a choice for group travel.

Mango spokesperson, Hein Kaiser, says one of the biggest advantages is that it offers a wide range of accommodation, from bungalows to seven-star hotels, making it easy for groups to find

options to suit their budget. “Zanzibar also isn’t as

overtraded as other destinations.” Kaiser adds that its rich cultural heritage gives it an edge for travellers who are looking for something a bit different.

He says Zanzibar is a truly special place that repeat travellers enjoy visiting again and again. In terms of an itinerary, he highly recommends Stone Town, which is an extremely emotional experience because of its history and close connection with the

slave trade. A visit to the night market in Stone Town, according to Kaiser, is also a must. A popular beach destination, Zanzibar has great water sports, ideal for group activities and is also worth a visit from a wildlife perspective, says Kaiser, noting that it is the only place in the world where one can see the Red Colobus monkey.

Mango offers great deals for corporates sending large groups to Zanzibar. Kaiser says each group is dealt with on a case-by-case scenario.

FURTHER afield, up-and-coming destinations are Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. “We are

experiencing an increase in groups heading to these countries,” says Sally George, market development manager of Singapore Airlines. She says Thailand is also a good value-for-money destination.

Alexis Bekker says the LUX* portfolio is growing and will see the group including LUX* Phu Quoc in Vietnam as well as LUX* Al Zorah in the UAE and LUX* Bodrum in Turkey. “These destinations are already attracting significant interest from both the FIT and the MICE markets, specifically where corporates are looking for alternatives, and fresh and exciting adventures. These properties are set to open late 2017 and already we are seeing

the demand grow.” XL Bay Travel’s Lezane

Willemse, says agents can often find packages to India for half the price of similar packages to Europe. She says the country is incredibly diverse, offering everything from beaches to lakes and mountains. “India is so much more than just the Taj Mahal.”

Incentive options that work well for this destination include luxury train trips, spiritual retreats and health travel, suggests Willemse.

All-inclusive often works well for groups in terms of value for money, and the introduction of Robinson Club to the South African market earlier this year presents clients with a whole new range of all-inclusive options. PureTours gm, Greg Taylor, says the new product range offers excellent value-for-money packages at Robinson

Club Masmavi in Antalya, Turkey; Robinson Club Agadir in Morocco and Robinson Club Quinta Dia Ria in Algarve, Portugal.

“These three properties are all-inclusive with a focus on outdoor activities – golf, beach, water sports – and, of course, a social setting all under one roof. There is also a wide selection of additional activities on offer such as sundown cruises, beach barbeques and more.”

Cruising is always another great all-inclusive incentive option and Sabrina Allcock of Discover the World, says Princess Cruises caters particularly well for groups. “The more popular destinations are the Med and Asia, with Japan becoming a sought-after cruising destination as well.”

On the yachting side, she says Variety Cruises offers options for the Med, Cuba, Croatia, Spain,

Portugal and more. Trafalgar’s CostSaver packages

are also a great way for agents to offer clients both variety and value. Trafalgar md, Theresa Szejwallo, says the CostSaver Europe brochure is full of great destinations at unbeatable prices.

For example, guests can travel to Italy for seven days, visiting Rome, Florence and Venice on Trafalgar’s ‘Jewels of Italy’ for R14 150 per person sharing.

“Alternatively, they can take a tour through Eastern Europe, starting and ending in Frankfurt, visiting Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna and Prague on our popular ‘Highlights of Bohemia’ option for just R22 200 per person sharing,” says Szejwallo.

She says Turkey is also still a fabulous destination for groups and incentives.

Good-value options overseas

A food market in Stone Town, Zanzibar.

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14 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Groups & Incentives

U NDERSTANDING a property’s unique offering and capabilities

is key to ensuring a good experience for conference attendees, says Helen de Chalain, marketing manager of the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre. She offers helpful tips for corporates booking group conferences.

1. A good relationship with your contact at the hotel is vital.

2. Get information from as many members of the group as possible to better understand their needs. The intention here is to match the group to hotel to manage expectations. Not knowing your group’s needs and expectations will result in dissatisfied guests.

3. Identify the constraints of the group in terms of budget, availability and size. Again, knowing what the hotel offers and how well suited the group is to the hotel will ensure a good experience all round.

4. Remain unbiased when helping the group through their selections. The itinerary should include activities because they are right for the group, not because you have ties with particular businesses.

5. Cheaper isn’t always better and standard options can often be better value for money.

6. Become area savvy. Researching travel routes, local attractions, hotel offering and the like ensure you are able to provide the best possible experience and in turn ensures that the hotel is right for your client. g

Understand your objectives

I T’S important to understand your company’s objectives before designing an incentive. “However, this is no easy task,”

says Jean Martins, South Africa country manager of the Tourism & Culture Authority Abu Dhabi.

Martins says incentives are generally to motivate employees to achieve targets. “This reward should be a unique experience that would generally not be available to the average traveller.”

Once targets have been decided, some corporates will even put several tiers in place, notes Beachcomber’s Enid Maullin. “For example, the gold team will go to one destination and the silver team to another destination.”

Alexis Bekker of LUX* says a typical ‘A’ incentive might include seven nights in an international

destination, a ‘B’ incentive four to five nights in a regional destination and a ‘C’ incentive two to three nights in a local hotel, lodge or resort. “This way all staff know exactly what they are aiming to achieve and their goals can be strived for and attained,” she says.

Ultimately, the goal of an incentive is always the same, points out Greg Taylor of PureTours. “To drive a certain type of behavior of a select group for a certain period of time.” He says it’s important to take your corporate culture into account and select a destination based on that culture.

Bekker agrees and says it’s also important to understand the nature of the incentive, the demographic of the people travelling and the personal preference of the guests. “This will ensure a tailor-made programme

that covers the needs of the entire group and the company hosting the incentive.”

Four days in Abu Dhabi

ABU Dhabi is an up-and-coming destination for South African MICE travellers. Jean Martins of

the Tourism & Culture Authority Abu Dhabi, says there are plenty of activities to fill an incentive itinerary. She suggests the following:

Day one: Arriving early morning, delegates can take a two-hour transfer to the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. This is not only a desert oasis resort, but a museum where authentic Arabian artefacts are on display. There they can take part in sand sports, dune bashing and traditional falconry. Afterwards, delegates can have cocktails on the Royal Pavilion under the stars and indulge in Arabian cuisine Bedouin style, yet in five-star luxury.

Day two:Groups can experience camel trekking at dawn and watch the sun rise over the Empty Quarter dunes. After breakfast, they can make their way back to the city where they will have the opportunity to take in the culture of Abu Dhabi by visiting the

Heritage Village, Date Market and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. “Then have dinner at Saadiyat Beach Club, an Ibiza-style private beach club.”

Day three: On day three, delegates can visit world-class theme parks, including Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Legoland, Legoland Water Park, Motiongate, Bollywood and Riverland. Alternatively, they can explore the history of the world at Louvre Abu Dhabi or relax on Yas Beach, one of Abu Dhabi’s most popular beaches. Groups can then have dinner at

the landmark Emirates Palace and round off the evening with a golf-leaf cappuccino featuring the company’s logo.

Day four: The tour can end with an experience on an Arabian Gulf cruise on the Belevari catamaran. “Guests can enjoy an on-board dinner and sundowners after frolicking in the warm Arabian waters,” says Martins. She adds that the Abu Dhabi skyline at night is a unique experience in itself, with magnificent views of the Presidential Palace and Emirates Palace.

Managing group expectations

Jean Martins, SA country manager, Tourism & Culture Authority Abu Dhabi

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16 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Travel into Africa

Is a less restrictive Africa on the cards for business travellers? We review some of the

latest developments.

Single aviation market gains momentum

T HERE is optimism that future travel on the African continent will be freed up by initiatives

such as the reaffirmation of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the launch of an electronic passport by the African Union.

But just how fast the wheels will turn is a valid question as good intentions encounter bureaucracy, autocracy and protectionism.

The recommitment by a number of African countries to the Yamoussoukro Decision, has brought new momentum to the decades-old Yamoussoukro Declaration, first signed in 1988. The aim of the original agreement was to liberalise the continent’s airways and open skies by 2002, bringing about more competition among carriers, wider networks, increased choices for travellers and more competitive airfares.

After the initial excitement, and the adoption of the Yamoussoukro Decision 10

years later, the initiative seemed to lose its way and 2002 came and went with no change. African airlines continued to operate in an environment strictly controlled by bilateral agreements, state-owned airlines dominated the landscape and private-sector entities battled for entry as governments raised obstacles to competition to protect their own.

In early 2015, at an African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, 11 countries (Benin, Cape Verde, Congo Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe) reaffirmed commitment to a single aviation market by 2017, signing the Declaration of

Solemn Commitment to the Yamoussoukro Decision.

According to Iata’s vice president for Africa, Raphael Kuuchi, the number of signatories had grown to 23

countries by mid-August. The implementation of continent-wide liberalisation now falls to the continental authority, the African Civil Aviation Commission.

Chris Zweigenthal, ce of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa

(Aasa), believes achieving the 2017 deadline could be too optimistic. He says many aspects of aviation need to be put in place, such as competition regulation, dispute resolution processes and implementation and management mechanisms.

Ownership and control issues must be sorted out, especially in the case of multinational carriers, and safety oversight established.

But, he says, there is movement on a regional level as those countries willing to participate in a single market are liberalising their binational agreements and sorting out reciprocity and fifth freedom right issues.

In August, Travel Buyer’s sister publication, Tourism Update Online, reported that Nigeria had implemented an open-skies policy and, a month later, that Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan were working on a multi-lateral air service agreement in anticipation of open skies in 2017. Once that agreement is reached, the four will remove travel restrictions to create one airspace. If fully implemented, an open-skies policy could have far-reaching effects on the stability of the continent’s flag carriers, many of which are in an uncertain state.

T HE global airline industry has never performed betters, says Chris Zweigenthal of Aasa. He

was speaking at the association’s 46th AGA in October. According to Aasa’s 2015/2016 report, it is predicted that African airlines will post a total profit of $300m (R4,2bn) in 2016, a massive increase from $100m (R1,4bn) in 2015.

Over the last year, Aasa has been involved in several projects to help improve travel in Southern Africa. Some of the items Zweigenthal listed in this year’s report include:

Hand baggage projectIn 2015, Aasa in partnership with Acsa, established new regulations for carry-on luggage. Passengers were restricted to one carry-on item weighing 7kg so that the amount of luggage taken into the cabin would be reduced. At first, under the watchful eyes of customer agents at security queues, the project was a success. The agents have since been removed and as a result, the amount of carry-on luggage has again started

to increase. Aasa and Acsa are working on a permanent solution.

Fast travelFast Travel is an Iata initiative that aims to provide a complete self-service travel experience for 80% of travellers by 2020. This includes self-tagging of luggage, which is being piloted at ORTIA by SAA.

A self-boarding pilot project is also under way at Cape Town International Airport, whereby passengers scan their boarding

passes to gain entry to the aircraft. A dedicated baggage reclaim service will also be implemented once kiosks have been installed.

Banned airlinesAll airlines in Angola (except for TAAG), the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique are on the EU banned list. These SADC countries and the International Civil Aviation Organisation are working on removing these airlines from the banned list.

African airlines flourish

Countries willing to participate in a single market are liberalising their binational agreements and

sorting out reciprocity and fifth freedom

right issues.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 17

SUB-SAHARAN Africa is said to have the fastest-growing middle class in the world. According to

the Forbes Business ranking, Africa claims six of the world’s top 10 fastest-growing countries.

Business-wise, Africa has developed its importance as an exporter of oil and gas, minerals and metals to become a location where services are increasingly important to meet a growing population.

Regulatory improvements have further enhanced the continent’s business climate. The World Bank’s latest ‘Doing Business’ survey, an annual ranking measuring ease of conducting business in 189 countries, reveals that 35 of 47 sub-Saharan economies implemented at least one reform in the past year, resulting in a less-restrictive business climate.

Reforms includes making it easier to start a business, to deal with construction permits, to get electricity, to register property, to trade across borders, get credit, to enforce contracts and more.

T HE African Union’s launch of an electronic, Common African passport at the AU Summit in Rwanda in

July, has further spurred talk of unrestricted movement across African national borders.

Initial roll-out of the e-passport is to AU heads of state, ministers, diplomates and AU officials.

The introduction of the

document is in line with the AU’s Agenda 2062, which calls for an African passport for use by all member states by 2063, along with the abolition of visa requirements for African travellers across the continent.

Those in the know believe there is still a vast amount of work to be done until the passports are ready for use by ordinary travellers.

“How soon the passports will be implemented will depend on each country and its preparation to distribute widely,” AU chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, was recently quoted as saying. Member states will be able to produce passports in their own country-specific designs in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese and Swahili.

UP-AND-COMING business destinations in Africa still pose a number of challenges when it comes

to managing corporate travel. According to Travelport’s

spokesperson, Douglas Jewson, emerging business destinations include Kenya, Nigeria, Angola, Uganda and Mozambique.

He pinpoints a series of challenges associated with emerging business destinations that travel industry stakeholders are likely to encounter. These include payment solutions, the management of hotel content, accessibility and bandwidth when it comes to mobile travel technology, as well as crime rate issues and political instability in some markets.

Risk of fraud, says Jewson, is a big payment concern, although the introduction of virtual account numbers (VANs) by providers of B2B travel payment solutions, is reducing risk.

Managing hotel content, he says, is a delicate interplay of direct selling by hotel providers, and their use of multi-channel marketing opportunities offered through GDS platforms and OTAs, amongst others. Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform has the advantage of combining search results from multiple sources, enabling hotels

to display their full range of rates and packages to a global travel agency audience, either via the desktop solution, Travelport

Smartpoint, or Travelport’s universal API.

“When it comes to political instability, as well as the threat of terrorism or health epidemics in the region, it’s vital

that governments develop strategies to maintain the interest of international business people, working alongside the stakeholders of the travel landscape to ensure these are implemented,” says Jewson.

RWANDAIR plans to extend its network to destinations throughout Africa and beyond into

Europe, Asia and the United States.

Themba Dladla, country manager of RwandAir South Africa said the airline was investigating the possibility of flying to Cape Town.

In the first quarter of next year, the airline hopes to introduce services from Kigali to London Gatwick and Mumbai. It has also set its sights on a Kigali-Washington DC service in 2018 and wants to add Guangzhou to its route network, although a launch date has not yet been set.

According to, Dladla both the London Gatwick and Mumbai services are in the final

stages of planning with the airline concluding the bilateral agreements.

The airline plans to fly to Gatwick and Mumbai four times a week. Both routes will be services by an A330-300 aircraft configured with 20 seats in business class, 21 in premium economy and 223 in economy.

At this stage, details of the Washington DC route are still being finalised.

Dladla says one of the airline’s competitive advantages lies in its entirely new and fuel-efficient fleet. “We will continue to add to the fleet in the coming years,” he says. Another major benefit is the location of Rwandair’s hub. “We’re right in the heart of Africa,” He says Rwanda’s relaxed visa regulations allows for easy

travel for most African countries, South Africa included, as travellers receive visas on arrival.

T HE Embassy of the Republic of Sudan has announced changes to the

multiple-entry visa for South African passport holders.

The fee for a six-month multiple-entry visa has increased drastically from R2 800 to R4 200. The two-month single-entry visa is unchanged at R700.

A three-month multiple-entry visa is no longer available to South African passport holders and a one-year multiple-entry visa has been introduced for South Africans, costing R8 400. g

Doing business is getting easier

Visa-free travel some way off

Emerging destinations still a challenge

RwandAir has big plans for Africa and beyond Changes to Sudan visa

Themba Dladla, country manager, RwandAir South Africa

It’s vital that governments

develop strategies to maintain the interest

of international business people.

18 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Alternative Accommodation

Alternative accommodation sheds its ‘risky’ imageNon-hotel accommodation is assuming a more prominent place in corporate travel policies, as business travellers grow wise to their advantages and owners reduce potential hazards, writes Michelle Colman.

NO doubt about it, alternative accommodation is increasingly in use by

the corporate traveller, as more guesthouses, B&Bs and executive apartment complexes reduce risk factors to meet duty-of-care standards, and tailor services to business travellers’ specific needs.

A spokesperson for the alternative accommodation sector, Lyndsay Jackson, gm of the Guest House Accommodation of SA (Ghasa), says the last decade has seen huge improvements in the competence of establishments in the category. “In the past, the guesthouse sector was viewed largely as a ‘cottage industry’, so there were almost no regulations or controls in place. However, due to the phenomenal growth of this sector and subsequent competition, owners have to operate more professionally if they wish to remain in business,” she says.

Ghasa, which represents a group of establishment owners, promotes the guesthouse industry and runs an online booking facility, will only accept professional, commercial establishments that operate on

a full-time basis, as members. “We also insist that all members have public liability insurance – to protect both themselves and their guests, and we constantly remind owners to check that their insurance is up to date,” comments Jackson.

Quality assuranceGrowing regulation in alternative accommodation – whether industry-imposed or by law, makes the sector more attractive to the corporate world. Grading systems do supply some form of control

and assessment of quality levels, but these vary from country to country as there is no universally accepted system. Satisfaction scores on reputational portals (such as

TripAdvisor) are another form of quality control.

In the serviced apartment arena, the International Serviced Apartment Accreditation Programme (ISAAP) was launched in January 2016, and some corporate buyers are insisting aparthotels used in their travel programmes carry

this accreditation. ISAAP is an extension of an accreditation scheme initiated by the UK’s Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP). It works on professional assessments and aims to offer consumers the confidence that wherever they choose to stay in a serviced apartment, they are booking a safe and secure facility which meets stringent standards, particularly in terms of duty of care and due diligence.

Mark Satterfield, chief operating officer: Africa, for Marriott International, which recently announced the construction of aparthotels in Johannesburg and Cape Town, said: “At Marriott International, security has always been one of our top priorities. Security procedures and risk assessments at our properties are reviewed often. Our staff is trained to assess and respond appropriately to threatening situations and our hotels work closely with local and international authorities. Because each property is unique, including configuration and location, individual security measures are tailored to each hotel.”

Howard Stephens, chairman of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in South Africa, says the body recognises the rising utilisation of alternative

accommodation by corporate travellers. “We would advise that travel managers and procurement officers engage with the establishment to determine the minimum level of health and safety required is offered. If this is done at the stage of on-boarding a supplier, there can be no doubt of the corporate’s requirements.”

Over and above duty of care compliance and security, Jackson says there are certain amenities the guesthouse should offer to remain in business. These include WiFi – preferably free, clean facilities and efficient service.

Howard Stephens, chairman, GBTA SA

Owners have to operate more

professionally if they wish to remain

in business.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 19

WORLDWIDE, the serviced apartment has thrived and proved one of the fastest growing

sectors of the hospitality sector. It continues to be adopted into corporate travel programmes, but according to this year’s Global Serviced Apartments Industry Report compiled by UK-based The Apartment Service, the rate of adoption has slowed.

Rather than read this as a drop in demand, industry commentators see it as a sign of maturation of the sector, and that established corporate accommodation programmes now routinely include serviced apartments.

However, there are obstacles to greater use – many of them discernible in South Africa – such as a shortage in key locations,

inconsistent services, a lack of recognised brands and lack of ease in booking.

Marriott, indeed a recognised brand and in fact the leading global supplier of service apartments with 1 001 locations and over 116 000 units, will remedy some of the supply issues when it opens new apartment options in Johannesburg and Cape Town in the near future. The Marriott Executive Apartments Johannesburg Melrose Arch will open in 2018, while in Cape Town, the 150-room Residence Inn by Marriott Cape Town Foreshore is on the cards.

On the matter of booking tools, the Global Service Apartments Industry Report identifies a key conflict between buyers and sellers – providers want the widest

possible number of channels to fill space, while bookers want access to as many facilities as possible, in the minimum number of channels. For those using TMCs the overriding channel is the global distribution system (GDS).

Travelport’s Niklas Andreen, senior vice president and md, hospitality commerce, says: “Alternative accommodation is available today within the GDS. Latest trends on apartment and specialist properties are that these are the fastest growing segment with regards to bookings inside Travelport Platform, but represent only a very small proportion of overall total bookings to date.” The GDS, he says, has an offering equal to those of aggregators and is considering how to further develop it.

A IRBnB, although increasingly strong in the leisure market, is yet to become a

mainstream option for South African business travellers.

“We are seeing an increase in usage by corporates of these ‘sharing economy’ suppliers,” says African Business Travel Association (Abta) founder Monique Swart. “It is not something you can really generalise on though - some corporates with very stringent risk policies steer away from the sharing economy providers as although they are improving their corporate offering, they are not there yet in being able to fully offer various risk mitigation measures that many buyers are after.

“However, this is very much based on company culture and we do see an increased number of companies with less stringent policies and more adventurous travellers making regular use of these providers.”

Howard Stephens of GBTA SA concurs on Airbnb: “I think that there is much more work to be done before it is accepted as a corporate initiative.”

But Airbnb has made its

intentions to court corporate travellers clear, and is reporting a tripling in its business from the sector in the past year.

Under its Airbnb for Business programme, it offers ‘business travel ready’ listings, where 24-hour check in, WiFi and laptop-friendly workspace, and sole usage is available, among other amenities like hair dryers and irons. Properties must also show a high percentage of favourable guest reviews.

The programme further offers travel management tools such as expense reporting,

and recently introduced an ability for employees to book business travel for co-workers, a convenience for travel managers and bookers. Currently an incentive of a coupon to the value of R674 is on offer for travellers checking in on their first Airbnb business trip.

In a podcasted interview entitled What Airbnb and hotels should learn from each other, published in november on the global travel industry news site, Skift.com, Airbnb’s global head of hospitality and strategy, Chip Conley, stated the sharing hospitality platform has become a trusted travel choice that had recorded 100 million guest arrivals since its inception in 2008.

One of the most noticeable areas of growth among Airbnb consumers was groups of travellers – be they attending conferences or meetings - reserving an entire facility for their stay, benefitting from living room, kitchen and other places to congregate.

Airbnb claims 50 000 companies have made use of the business programme, and 10% of its business now comprises corporate travel.

Airbnb courts corporate travel

Growing acceptance of apartments in travel policies

In Africa, where there is an under-supply of extended stay accommodation, the last 18 months

has seen encouraging growth. The Global Service Apartments Industry Report for 2015/2016 claimed 8 802 serviced apartments in 102 locations, while the current report states an increase to 9 477 apartments in 166 locations, up 7.6% and 62.7% respectively.

Operators that have established a footprint on the continent include Marriott and its brand Residence Inn, as well as Frasers Hospitality. Ascott Ltd and Adagio (Accor) also have designs on the sub-Saharan Africa.

In South Africa, the serviced apartment sector has been expanding since 2009. According to the report, it has a strong thread of privately-owned hybrid developments that combine apartments with either residential or hotel products. Two-bed apartments are most popular.

Some 74% of serviced apartments are graded, with most of them classified in the four- and five-star categories.

Africa catching up on aparthotels

A T the top of the list of priorities required by the corporate traveller utilising a

serviced apartment is, by far, free high-speed WiFi, states the Global Serviced Apartments Industry Report 2016/17. next up on the list is single occupancy, but somewhat inconsistently, it is named along with room to accommodate a family. In-house services, amenities and a manned reception come much further down on the list of required essentials. g

Guests can’t do without WiFi

Monique Swart, founder, Abta

20 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Each month Travel Buyer brings you highlights from Travel and Meetings Buyer, our daily publication for local corporate travel and meetings managers. See www.tam.co.za for the fully interactive website.

Meetings

TOP planners the world over agree that queuing for food at a corporate event is simply no longer the done

thing. “It is not boarding school,” says Karla Oettler of Absolute Events. “Most delegates do not find it a pleasant experience and often it is not worth the wait.”

She says food offers the ideal opportunity to offer delegates the experience that events now have to deliver. “Food plays a very important role at events. Delegates don’t remember the décor details but they remember what they ate and they remember how it was served or how long they had to queue for it. If one gets the food element right, one is already on the path to success.”

According to Oettler, food trends have dramatically changed in the past few years.

“Eight or 10 years ago, it was all about the buffet and it was absolutely fine if delegates stood in queues waiting for their meal and when the platters were empty, they simply waited for them to be refilled,” she says. “Now one mentions the word buffet and people want to run away. The serving of food has become far more informal and more relaxed, with food becoming a very real experience. The presentation of the food goes hand in hand with its taste. And, of course, interactive food experiences are a top trend.”

According to Oettler interactive chef stations are a good way to visually present food, while it also allows for a diversion and keeps guests entertained. “When it comes to food trends, South African planners are keeping up with the rest of the world,” she says. “In fact I would say that in some instances we are trend-

setters and are leading the way in delivering very real event experiences by way of food.”

Making an impactInteractive, however, does not necessarily just mean chef stations where food is prepared while guests watch, or even stations where delegates can get their hands dirty and make their own sushi.

“Bringing the buffet to the table is a very interactive way of presenting food and is very popular at the moment,” says Oettler. “It has a real festival vibe and involves no queuing at all. Large platters with an abundance and variety of food are brought to the table. Guests are forced to interact to share the platters around as not one platter has everything on it. We also tend to fill the platters with interesting food items that become topics of discussion at the table.”

Oettler says it is part and parcel of the planner’s job to get delegates to network and speak to each other. People are creatures of habit who tend to stick to those they know. “Interactive food experiences are an unobtrusive way of getting people to network

without being uncomfortable.”At the same time, the ideas

for making food experiences interactive are endless. From pairing unexpected food items, such as wine and toffee, and having tasting stations, to teaching delegates how to make their own cocktails or sushi, or building food displays that become talking points, food offers planners the ability to deliver the wow factor, says Oettler. “And the interactive food displays become

part of the décor.” She and her team recently did

this with much success, creating what they call a spoon installation. Having built a perspex wall, it was filled with canapés on spoons, but each spoon was a surprise. “No one knew what was inside so every mouthful was literally a surprise and an experience for the delegate,” she says.

The finer detailsThere are, however, some important elements to remember when it comes to interactive food experiences, warns Oettler. “It does have a cost implication. One has a chef working at a live station in front of delegates and that is labour, which is a direct cost.”

There is no doubt, she says, that these food experiences are more expensive than the standard buffet, but they are also far more memorable.

“Taking the budget into consideration is a must. It is also not just the cost of the chefs and the setting up of stations, but the fact that one uses far more serving gear than normally. So the rent for platters and plates and the likes increases exponentially.”

It is also not possible to create all the food at interactive stations for a large event, as it would

simply take too long. “So one must be prepped and have some of the items ready to be served from the kitchen at the same time as the station becomes active.

Also, remember not everyone wants to be actively involved. This also has a cost implication, but from a logistics standpoint one must be able to deliver this as well.”

Practically speaking, says Oettler, choosing stations has to be done very carefully, taking the venue in consideration. “It must be hygienic and you have to consider the smell, for instance. Of course delegates will be wowed walking into a venue filled with mouth-watering aromas of meals under construction, but they will just as easily be unimpressed with overwhelming food smells like hot oil or fish.”

She says planners also need to take cognisance of power points when doing interactive food stations as far more power is needed than when serving from a kitchen or single unit.

“And then, of course, consider the stations carefully. Make sure you are serving the right foods to the right audience. Also important is that you consider food that does not take too long, otherwise one is back to the queuing and waiting situation.”

Event food gets interactiveEvent planners have the arduous task of finding new ways of setting events apart every time a meal is served. But, says Karla Oettler of Absolute Events, this is what makes food so glorious, and interactive experiences are adding to the allure. Liesl Venter finds out more.

Interactive food experiences are an unobtrusive way of getting

people to network without being

uncomfortable.

There are many creative ways PCOs can make food more interactive and fun.

J UST north of Durban and a stone’s throw from the new King Shaka International Airport is the

Zulu Kingdom’s North Coast, also known as the Dolphin Coast. “Its proximity to the airport is probably its biggest benefit, says James Seymour, head of the Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau. “With an unspoilt natural environment, lush tropical coastline and warm waters, it is well-located with a range of upmarket conferencing and events venues.”

There is no doubt the North Coast can cater for large numbers of delegates in luxurious conditions. “It is an upmarket region,” says Seymour. “The facilities are geared towards delivering a more luxurious conferencing experience.”

Facilities range from five-star hotels to lodges and bespoke conferencing venues.

“The airport itself has a venue that is very accessible to business travellers flying in from anywhere in the world. Within

minutes of arriving in KZN, they are literally at

their venue.”

Down SouthOn the other hand, the KZN South Coast is known for its subtropical forests, blue lagoons, golden beaches and rocky coves. Arguably the most popular domestic tourism region in the country, the South Coast is fast becoming a serious contender for business events.

“It has a very specific allure,” says Seymour. “Offering a relaxed atmosphere, this coastline is a haven of unique and less-explored places, set amidst rolling hills and fringed by palm fronds and wild strelitzias. The outdoor pursuits range from golf to hiking, mountain biking, diving, whale watching and almost everything in between.”

Conferencing on the increase“The conference and overall MICE industry on the KZN South Coast is yet to be fully developed,” says South Coast Tourism ceo, Justin Mackrory. “In the past we have struggled with PCOs focusing on the smaller conferences and events, with most of them appearing

to be comfortable with the better-known

products.

However, after consistent effort over the past few years, and through recent site visits facilitated as a result of our relationships with Satsa and SA Tourism, who, with a contingency of over 20 key operators from around the country, visited the South Coast, and along with our allegiance with Saaci, more and more PCOs and tour operators are beginning to see the huge value that the South Coast has to offer.”

According to Mackrory the South Coast is on the up in terms of being recognised as a MICE destination.

“The South Coast offers a great beach experience and has a wide range of add-on activities that make it a very good value-for-money offering,” says Seymour.

With 120km of golden beaches from Umkomaas near Scottburgh - only 40 minutes south of Durban - to Port Edward, there are also some great hinterland offerings. The region also boasts 11 top golf courses, the Dezzi South Coast Raceway, two of the top 10 shark dive sites in the world – Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks, the longest (and fastest) zipline in Southern

Africa, the highest gorge swing in the world,

the smallest

desert in the world, longest water tubes in Southern Africa and the lowest coffee estate in the Southern hemisphere.

With daily flights between OR Tambo International Airport and Margate the South Coast has managed to increase its accessibility in recent years allowing the MICE industry at large to benefit.

More destination marketingAccording to Seymour, major effort is underway to boost the profile of both the North and South Coast of KZN. “As

a province we have to work really hard to attract business visitors. Durban is renowned for its ability to host mega international conferences and we are showcasing to the world that our coastal regions have

these very same abilities and are able to deliver world-class conferences and events,” he says.

“We are proud of the fact that we offer world-class services to visitors,” says Seymour. “The KZN coastline – be it north or south – offers experiences to conference goers. As a province we might have to work harder to attract and win business,

but we offer value unlike any other destination in the

country.”

North Coast vs South CoastConferencing and events along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline are on the increase, but does one head north or rather venture down south? Liesl Venter finds out.

KZN:

The KZN coastline – be it north or south – offers experiences to conference goers.

As a province we might have to work

harder to attract and win business.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 21

Each month Travel Buyer brings you highlights from Travel and Meetings Buyer, our daily publication for local corporate travel and meetings managers. See www.tam.co.za for the fully interactive website.

Meetings

22 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

I NFUSING variety into a multi-day conference can be daunting. Too much and delegates are

overwhelmed. Too little and you have boredom on your hands. But nothing spells disaster more quickly than bored delegates trudging through the same scenes day after day, sampling the same snacks and hanging out at the same coffee bar, no matter how exotic the venue.

Resort managers agree that the key benefit of their venues is that one has complete engagement with delegates as they become a captive audience. “There are no distractions that lure delegates away from their primary focus, which is the content and activities around the conference,” says Anton Meiring, gm of the African Pride Mount Grace Hotel & Spa. But, he immediately adds, introducing and ensuring variety for those delegates must be a top priority.

Add-on optionsResorts, by their very nature, are in a position to do this.

“Another benefit of a conference at a resort is that there are various additional options that can be offered to incorporate variety. This is in the form of different and creative

offerings, which can range from dressing up the venues, to doing more exciting events and activities in the open spaces that resorts typically have to offer. This can be done around pools, open gardens and

other outdoor venues, and bring in fixtures such as Bedouin tents and marquees and elements such as fire and drums,” he explains.

Keeping it freshArabella Hotel & Spa gm, Wayne Siepman, says often it is about doing something unusual with the usual.

“Delegates have to take refreshment breaks but instead of the standard coffee and tea during the break, introduce a quick wine tasting.

”It is all about pushing boundaries and creating experiences. It also does not mean that the same venue can’t be used.

“A good rotation of the offering in the same venues is also possible,” says Meiring. “A variety of freshly prepared healthy foods, with some elements of indulgence added in offers a change. It is about keeping things different and interesting.”

Resorts also pride themselves on having a host of activities available for guests, often carefully selected based on the location.

Incorporating variety

Explains Meiring: “A resort takes you away from the everyday, and puts you into an environment that has endless possibilities with lots of flexibility. All your modern necessities, such as high tech, switched-on conferencing, can be catered for, however once you’re done engaging with colleagues

from all over the world, you can jump onto a quad bike for some adventure in the outdoors.”

He says it is essential, however, that a resort should not be approached with the mind-set of “just another conference venue”. “It should rather be looked at as a playground where, if you can imagine it, it can be done. There are no limits and no restrictions. The more variety you incorporate, the better your results will be, and the more satisfied your delegates will leave,” adds Meiring.

HoW to Avoid the multi-day conference rut

Resorts offer some real benefits when it comes to conferencing, from ensuring delegates’ undivided attention to giving sponsors quality exposure. But how do you keep a multi-day

event fresh and interesting? Liesl Venter finds out more.

Anton Meiring, gm, African Pride Mount Grace Hotel & Spa

A resort takes you away from the

everyday, and puts you into an environment

that has endless possibilities with lots

of flexibility.

December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER 23

Top five resorts for conferencing in SAPCO, event planner and events co-ordinator Carla Rossouw of Vespasian Consulting, shares her top five conference resorts with Liesl Venter.

Often referred to as “the Winelands in Gauteng” this beautiful and tranquil spa resort is Carla Rossouw’s top resort. “It is conveniently close to Pretoria but still out in the country,” she says. “At the same time it offers a good balance between the size of conference venues and the number of rooms.” She says for her, it is the ideal venue for groups ranging between

100 and 150 delegates, although the facility can easily handle larger numbers. “They also offer a range of venues to add variety to any two- or three-day conference,” says Rossouw, while the immaculate and beautiful gardens only add to the allure of the venue. Kievits Kroon has 12 conference rooms and a fully equipped business centre.

“This is an extremely well run hotel with staff who very much have a ‘can do’ attitude,” says Rossouw. “Even when it is fully booked, one does not feel crowded. Due to the variety and size of venues available the property can manage many groups on a daily basis.” Situated in Fourways in Johannesburg, this resort is a good option for day conference groups as well as groups requiring accommodation.

The venue offers a real blend

of business-like convenience and efficiency, along with a relaxed and warm country hospitality atmosphere that welcomes delegates immediately on arrival. The hotel features an impressive selection of 24 air-conditioned venues that can accommodate up to 2 000 delegates, with banqueting facilities for up to 500 people. It also has a state-of-the-art 200-seat auditorium along with a business and travel co-ordination centre.

This resort in the beautiful Drakensberg in KwaZulu Natal has gone from strength to strength during the past decade, says Rossouw. “A beautiful setting with excellent facilities. It is also well located between Gauteng and Durban and works very well for groups wanting a

three-night or longer stay conference facility.” The resort has 16 conference venues and can easily handle, depending on configuration, up to 1 000 delegates at a time, while a host of mountain and sport activities are guaranteed to keep guests busy when not working.

Conveniently close to the King Shaka International Airport and the coastal town of Ballito, the Fairmont Zimbali remains one of the country’s most impressive resorts, with a variety of options to accommodate conference groups, both large

and small, says Rossouw. State-of-the-art conference facilities include two boardrooms, a 240-square-metre ballroom as well as a courtyard and pre-function space. These areas are perfect for accommodating a wide range of corporate functions.

“Undoubtedly the new kid on the block,” says Rossouw, “but one worthwhile picking.” The Century City Conference Centre and Hotel (CCC&H) in Cape Town offers state-of-the-art conference facilities, plenty of hassle-free parking and the option of 600-plus hotel rooms

within walking distance of the conference centre, with some lovely activities available to delegates in the immediate surrounding area.

At least 1 900 guests can be comfortably accommodated across 20 different venues at CCC&H. g

1. Kievits Kroon Country Estate

3. The Indaba Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre

2. The Fairmont Zimbali Resort

4. Champagne Sports Resort

5. Century City Conference Centre & Hotel

24 December 2016 / January 2017 • TRAVEL BUYER

Deal Detective

Linda van der Pol, Travelinfo’s editor, is our Deal Detective, bringing you great specials from Travelinfo, the online travel information system in daily use by travel agents all over SA. To get connected, e-mail lindav@nowmedia.co.za.

1. ReunionAir Austral. Fly to St Denis on this open-ended offer from R5 500pp, including taxes. No season restrictions apply.

2. SandtonThe Maslow Hotel. Rates from R3 022 for a double room. Offer includes one night’s accommodation with breakfast, dinner to the value of R600 in Lacuna Bistro (once per stay) and lunch to the value of R300 in either Lacuna Bistro or Bar. Valid from December 1 - February 5 (any day of the week) and from February 10 - March 31 (weekends only).

3. IndiaAys Travels. Delhi and Varanasi package from R9 457pp sharing. Offer includes transfers, domestic airfare and taxes, five nights’ accommodation with breakfast daily, sightseeing and guide, boat rides on the Ganges and Heritage Walking Tour. Offer excludes international flights. Valid until March 31, 2017.

4. VietnamDiscoveries Worldwide. Vietnam diving packages available from R8 800pp sharing. Offer includes return airport transfers, seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast daily and three diving excursions. Valid for travel until January 31, 2017.

5. FranceTopdeck Tours. I Love Paris Tour is available from R5 590pp. Offer includes three night's hotel accommodation, three breakfasts and one dinner, modern air-conditioned coach with free WiFi, trip leader and driver, a Paris city driving tour and a gourmet picnic beside the Eiffel Tower. Valid for travel from April 1 - May 31, 2017.

6. Floridakulula holidays. Stay at Disney All Star Resort from R11 399pp sharing. Offer includes return Magic Express airport transfers, five nights at one of the Disney All Star Resorts in a standard room, five-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket and unlimited use of the Disney transport system inside the resort. Valid for travel March 1 - 31, 2017.

7. RussiaICAN Holidays. Moscow and St Petersburg from R9 750pp sharing. Package includes four-star accommodation, transfers, two city tours and day train from Moscow to St Petersburg. Complimentary tour of Moscow Metro and a visit to Peter & Paul Fortress in St Petersburg will be included on all bookings made before March 1, 2017. Travel is for set departures in 2017.

8. TurkeyAzure Travel. Day Dream Tour of Turkey from R8 119pp sharing. Rate includes five nights’ accommodation with specific meals, domestic flights, transportation and guided tours. Tour visits Istanbul-Kusadasi-Ephesus-Pamukkale. Offer excludes international flights. Valid for travel until April 15, 2017.

10. KwaZulu-Natalaha. Summer special from R1 300 per room per night. Offer includes one night’s accommodation at the aha Gateway Umhlanga, breakfast and complimentary vouchers for two children to ‘Go Wild’ at the Wavehouse. Purchase a hamburger at the hotel for lunch or dinner and get a second one free. Minimum two-night stay applies. Stay for three nights or more and qualify for a 10% discount. Valid for travel from December 9, 2016 - January 31, 2017. g

Top 10 specials

9. IsraelEl Al Israel Airlines. Return flights from Johannesburg to Tel Aviv are available from R8 960. Rate is inclusive of approximate taxes and surcharges. Valid for departures until August 31, 2017.

DISCLAIMER: All specials are subject to availability, currency fluctuations and seasonal surcharges.

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