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Association headsdetail 2018 challenges

“Oh to be in England...”via much-improved Gatwick

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018ISSUE 274

THE MAGAZINE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS.

Win Deltaflights tothe USA!

PCI DSSdeadline looms

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P e r f e c t i n g i s l a n d h o l i d a y s f o r m o r e t h a n 6 5 ye a r s

F r e e C a l l 0 8 0 0 5 0 0 8 0 0g e n @ b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a w w w. b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a

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TIR Feb/Mar 2018 1/29/18 3:38 PM Page 1

f there is one comment I would like to be remembered for in our dynamic industry, and one that should be appreciated by everybody involved, in order to underline their responsibility and value to the consumer, it is that the experiences of travel are so much more rewarding than the acquisition of things.

So it should be a great source of satisfaction to advise, arrange and provide theexperiences which customers will remember for life and which can never be taken

from them. While that obviously applies to leisure travel, it is no less relevant for business travel.

In the newly-designed and refocused concept of TIR, we want to provide more opportunity for suppliers to expose their products to the counsellors, who sell those experiences, and the ex-perts, who create the enabling technology, training and insight to make the role of advising and facilitating the sale of travel easier and most effective.

So TIR will evolve over time to adapt to our constantly changing industry and we welcome input andcontributions from everybody in the industry to help create an increasingly informative and entertaining read.

We are committed to supporting the retailers of travel and their indispensable role in contributing to thesuccess of the suppliers in the South African outbound and domestic markets, who value them and theprofessional role they play.

Publisher’s Notebook

I

comment

EUROPEFly from Cape Town to Europe‘s most beautiful destinations via Cologne/Bonn.

BookBookBookBookBookBooknow!now!now!

1302EW_TIR Magazin_Cape_Town_ANZ_213x152mm_RZ01.indd 1 09.01.2018 12:44:24

INSIDE

Editorial Director | John [email protected]

Managing Editor | Sarah [email protected]

General Manager/Ad Director| Dominic [email protected]

ContributorsRichard HolmesKate ElsShannon Latimer

Accounts | Brenda [email protected]

Administration | Nerina Nicholson

Head Office9 Ruby TerraceNoordhoek 7979, Cape TownPO Box 745 Noordhoek 7979Tel: +2721 789 0053

Printing | Formeset Printersc TTG Southern Africa 2018

Publisher | TTG Southern Africa CCReg no: 1995/030913/23

www.tir.co.za@TIR_SA

Associations untangle the future direction

of travel.

Club Travel outlinesthe group’s growth strategy.

Gatwick is no longer the poor relation of

Heathrow.

6

Thailand recognises the potential ofthe South Africanmarket.

16

26

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Cover image:Trat Rang Island ©TAT

The PCI DSS deadline is fast approaching

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Any IATA agent that accepts credit card transactions against its own merchant agreement or issues Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) card transactions will fall under the PCI DSS compliance obligations.

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The PCI DSS deadline is fast approaching

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Any IATA agent that accepts credit card transactions against its own merchant agreement or issues Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) card transactions will fall under the PCI DSS compliance obligations.

Compliance requirements differ from agency to agency and are determined by several factors including the financial institution, card brand, size of the business and number of transactions.

Travelport is serious about data security, so to help facilitate your continued compliance we can assist you towards PCI DSS compliance from a GDS point of view, the agency is responsible for their own compliance in respect of their business processes.. Should you require assistance with the overall process we have partnered with SecurityMetrics a leading provider and innovator in data security and compliance for organizations worldwide.

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6 Travel Industry Review | February/March 2018

ASSOCIATIONS

Going beyond business as usualBy Otto de Vries, Association of Southern African Travel Agents CEO

THAT old adage “if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve got” no longer seems to ring true in the dynamic world of travel. Disruptors like Airbnb, Uber, OTAs, etc., are no longer disruptors. They are the norm. And it is likely that other bold innovators will follow in their footsteps and try to woo our customers away from us. Expect more of the norm to im-pact your business in future. So, do we continue with business as usual? Or do we join the foray and reinvent ourselves, not only to remain relevant in the eyes of our customers, but to surprise, delight and even expand our customer base? We saw one retailer do just that recently when it announced a strategic alliance with Expedia, which saw the OTA become the preferred provider of hotels for UK-based Thomas Cook’s city and domestic holiday business. The benefit to Thomas Cook? Apparently significantly reducing the cost and complexity of its city breaks and ho-tel-only business, with Thomas Cook customers now benefiting from over 60,000 additional hotels in their inventory mix and cutting-edge online technology. Thomas Cook can also offer its sun and beach package holidays on Expedia sites globally, expanding its distribution. It appears in its efforts to remain relevant, Thomas Cook has looked at its core business and ascertained what it wants to focus on – its sun and beach holidays, outsourcing peripheral business to a partner that can do it better and turning their competitor into a friend.

What is Expedia up to?This is the latest in a long string of partnerships that Expedia has formed in a bid to reposition itself as the travel industry’s technology partner. In the wake of the drive for direct bookings and growing

SATSA working forthe tourism industryBy David Frost,Southern Africa Tourism Services Association CEO2017 showed continued growth in arrival statistics and its fair share of challenges for the industry. One of my personal adages is that the best things in life are forged, not crafted. This was borne out in SATSA’s evolution in 2017. We emerged, at the end of year, stronger and more unified as an industry body. An enormous amount of time was invested in streamlining SATSA’s policies, processes, finances and operations. We are now in a strong position to drive the association’s objectives and aims this year. Major headway achieved in 2017 included:– SATSA membership growing by leaps and bounds with 127 new members ranging from accommodation to airlines and a broadening of our footprint by establishing the Garden Route chapter;– Highlighting transformation issues by making this the 2017

competition globally, Expedia appears to be trans-forming itself, growing its services to support the

travel industry. The online operator appears to be in a unique position to leverage its technical exper-tise to “enhance its position at the centre of travel distribution” and offer a “full spectrum

of travel products that are personalised for con-sumers”, according to EyeforTravel.

By forming industry partnerships and supply-ing partners with travel technology, Expedia hopes to

counter disruption from competitors and influence more of the distribution channel, which is something travel agents should also be thinking about in this shifting distribution landscape. The dynamic environment is an opportunity for travel agents. The key is to look beyond business as usual and focus our attention on what the end customer wants and needs, and how they expect their travel services to be delivered. If anything, the role of the travel agent is expanding as travellers become overwhelmed by the number of possibilities available to them. An expert who can de-liver all these choices and filter them meaningfully, so that the consumer makes the right choice, will remain relevant in this ever-changing environment. It is crucial for travel agents to innovate and decide what they can do to go beyond business as usual.

“In the wake of the drive for direct bookings and growing competition globally, Expedia appears to be transformingitself, growing its services to support the travel industry.”Otto de Vries

Travel Industry Review | February/March 2018 7

ASSOCIATIONS

Getting our aviation priorities rightBy Chris Zweigenthal, Airlines Association of Southern Africa Chief Executive

AFRICAN Airlines with some exceptions, continue to struggle to compete effectively with their international competitors. Focus on their internal issues and the need to achieve sustained profitability, with operating costs still at high levels in Africa, make it difficult to implement initiatives to increase market share and drive increases in yields and revenue. Other challenges include dealing with matters considered beyond the control of the airline. For example, the airline industry in South Africa continues to be affected by slow economic growth of around one percent per annum, with the rest of the region expected to grow at just over three percent this year. Hopefully, business confidence will now rise as expected, and the negative influences on do-mestic passenger growth of around three percent per annum will dissipate. International tourism growth of six percent to South Africa is being buoyed through significant marketing initiatives, but if the external factors, including a resolution of

restrictive immigration regulations, could be success-fully addressed in 2018, and progress could be made towards a visa free regime in Africa, more could be achieved. The Single African Aviation Market has now been formally launched. This effectively implements the Yamoussoukro Decision on liberalization for Africa

between the current 23 states which have com-mitted to SAAM. However, much work on imple-

mentation of this initiative is required, and countries will need to ensure full reciprocity on rights is achieved to enable airlines to boost value on all routes. The proposed implementation of carbon taxes in South Africa through a new draft Carbon Tax Bill, which is currently intended to im-pact domestic aviation, will receive extensive attention during 2018. Other priorities include working with government depart-ments impacting aviation, as well as a continued focus on aviation safety, and developing new customer service initiatives to make the travel experience more attractive. AASA is working on initiatives to make all of this a reality within the Southern African region.

conference theme and implementing a national market access project with South African Tourism, which saw 311 SMEs trained and 90 selected and introduced to the trade;– The Tourism Conservation Fund established with SATSA and Peace Parks as founding members and contributions to the fund already exceeding R100,000;– The development of a partnership with a major auditing firm to assist with the VAT in Inbound challenges;– Assistance to SATSA members with operating licence applica-tions and lobbying with the NPTR;– Establishment of an Animal Interaction Sub-Committee to

assist the industry in setting standards for responsible tourism; – Setting up of the SATSA Golf Council which will focus on marketing this niche sector. Key objectives for 2018 include: extracting greater value from the SATSA brand by formalising tie-ups with outbound associa-tions in key source markets; extending the SATSA footprint and brand into the SADC region; continuing our commitment to transformation through the Limpopo High Flyers programme, which will see a Limpopo SME route being developed and marketed and seriously getting to grips with the tourism safety issues facing South Africa through the establishment of a joint operations centre and mobile app.

“… consider the potential if the external factors, includ-

ing a resolution of restric-tive immigration regulations

could be successfullyaddressed in 2018…”

Chris Zweigenthal

international asSOCIATIONS

GTMC benefits from widespreadindustry participationBy Adrian Parkes, Guild of Travel Management Companies CEOHELLO, South Africa, from a chilly and overcast London. It’s nice to spend a little time thinking about my lucky travel colleagues working in South Africa! And thank you to the folks at Travel Industry Review for the chance to explain more about the role and operations of the Guild of Travel Management Companies. It is a member organisation established in 1967 to represent the interests of the UK’s travel management companies – oth-erwise known as business travel agents. We have members of all sizes, from specialists with just one office and a few staff to large multinational concerns with offices around the globe, including South Africa and across the continent. Over the past decade the GTMC has worked hard to be more than just a trade association, becoming a thought-leader and lobbying organisation. Our members account for more than 93 percent of all the business travel booked in the UK, which gives us a unique position to comment on all sorts of issues across the national news agenda. For example, we have contributed to key debates over major infrastructure projects, such as increased airport capacity near London; investment in the HS2 high-speed rail project to the UK’s northern cities; and the need to deliver a stronger trans-port network regionally to support economic growth beyond

London and the south east. Additionally, we carry out ongoing research among the UK’s business travel community to better understand their demands and identify key trends to help inform and direct our lobbying work with the UK Government and European parliament. These are certainly interesting, and turbulent, times for the UK. With Brexit edging closer, many eyes are on how British companies can expand their customer base overseas, not least in South Africa. With that in mind, your country’s travel management sector is likely to flourish too, which is good news for South Afri-can TMCs. I expect we’ll see more GTMC members opening regional offices there in years to come, along with more signing partnership deals to tap in to the local expertise. With that in mind, I hope we’ll speak again soon.

According to the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, more than 70 percent of Australian depar-tures book at least one part of their trip through a travel agent.

A recent survey shows retail leisure travel agen-cies make up 72 percent of all AFTA members. AFTA produces employment and industry profiles on a yearly basis and has a travel trends report for both inbound and outbound markets.www.afta.com.au.

THE ASSOCIATION of British Travel Agents has launched a Travel With Confidence consumer campaign to encourage people to book with an ABTA member. The campaign strapline, ‘we’re with you every step of the way’, highlights the benefits of booking with an ABTA member, including the association’s code of conduct. There is a #beABTAsmart social media campaign and print advertising was being used to reach the over 55s market and also targeting frequently business travellers. “The underlying demand for holidays remains very strong, and more British people are taking more holidays than at any time since 2011,” said ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer. “New destinations are emerging as people look for more authentic experiences, and niche trends are becoming mainstream.”

ABTA campaign urgesconsumers to travelwith confidence


At the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, we give graded establishments access to a

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For more information on GTMC:www.gtmc.org / call 0203 657 7010 / e-mail [email protected]

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Basket of Benefi ts, including legal advice, training, recruitment, product promotion

and 24/7 professional support at no additional cost. With access to these, you can focus on

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Why the BTA lodge card solution works

Control and security

Reconciliation

Consolidated view of all spend

Improved supplier management

It limits spend to departmental budget.

Spend is restricted to travel-related transactions.

Preferred TMCs/SBTs are used.

It provides monthly/weekly views of transactions.

Matching of invoices to statement is facilitated by the TMC.

It helps identify irregular spend.

All suppliers are paid within 30 days.

It helps drive the development agenda for small to medium enterprise.

Vendor negotiations are improved.

Reduce cost to serve.

Improve compliance with Public Finance Management Act controls.

Unique business model

Create insight; develop best practice.

It provides a view of all spend by category.

It provides a consolidated view of any late payment.

Fruitless and wasteful expenditure can be tracked.

It enables management of travel policy.

American Express® Business Travel Account

For more information please contact Silas Phoshoko on +27 (0)11 294 9629 or at [email protected].

American Express® is a registered trademark of American Express. American Express Cards is operated under licence in South Africa by Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06, authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

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Current challenges for the public sector

Current conditions under which the public sector operates are characterised by the country’s low economic growth, falling revenues and a rising budget deficit.

‘These challenges should also be seen as opportunities for public sector enterprises, together with their card providers, to drive change and accountability for all aspects of managing business travel expenses, find savings in long-term value, simplify processes and reduce operating costs,’

says Silas Phoshoko, National Business Development Manager at American Express® Card.

The American Express Business Travel Account solution

The Business Travel Account (BTA) Card is lodged with the government department’s dedicated travel management company (TMC). The BTA Card can also be used for payment when a self-booking is made inhouse on the online booking tool (SBT).

The team’s main responsibility is driving business development across different spheres of government and state-owned enterprises. The team helps government departments manage their travel-related expenses efficiently, while identifying and understanding challenges within the public sector and finding solutions that fit the need.

About the team

Silas Phoshoko has over 12 years’ experience in the financial services industry. His card career includes significant experience in card issuing and he has specific expertise in leveraging the benefits of card programmes, government payment solutions and payment solutions for travel, entertainment and procurement in corporate markets.

Delivering travel solutions, bringing value to the public sector Testimonials

Industrial Development Corporation

Before the implementation of the Business Travel Account (BTA) the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) used to manage 360 individual corporate cards (for frequent travellers), with the large number of cards in circulation creating administrative and reconciliation challenges.

Since the implementation of the BTA lodge card, managing and consolidating our travel spend has never been easier. The BTA lodge card has provided us with a simplified method for paying all our business-travel-related expenses. It is basically another form of a 30-day account, except that it comes with several benefits to IDC.

The BTA lodge card is held by our travel office, which debits it, by arrangement, for the costs of corporate travel transactions (such as airline tickets, accommodation and car hire). The card offers a simplified, flexible solution for day-to-day business travel payments and advanced reporting solutions.

Department of Environmental Affairs

Prior to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) utilising the Business Travel Account (BTA) we would issue government orders to all suppliers, including SAA, for travel requests. This resulted in difficulties when determining overall travel spend, as well as challenges around cost control and visibility of travel expenditure.

Since the implementation of the BTA lodge card, relationships with suppliers have improved significantly as they are now receiving payments within the 30 days in line with policy. Furthermore, we now have access to an Amex statement that measures all travel expenditure – making it easier to reconcile this expenditure and enhancing control.

Given the successful relationship with American Express Card and the utilisation of the BTA lodge card over the past 15 years, DEA would recommend the BTA lodge card for corporate travel within government.

Mrs Busisiwe Khumalo

Head: Facilities Management Department

Industrial Development Corporation of SA Limited

Mr Vinesh Naidoo

Director: Security, Vetting and Travel Services

Department Of Environmental Affairs

Challenge BTA Comment

Budget deficit 3 Can assist in monitoring actual spend to budget.

Lack of institutional rates 3 Can help identify key categories for negotiation.

Reconciliation 3 Can streamline reconciliation of all travel expenses.

Unauthorised expenditure 3 Can help government departments to have transparency of their spend.

Irregular expenditure 3 Can help ensure that only travel-related expenses occur.

Not paying within 30 days 3 All suppliers are paid within 30 days.


NEWS

Travel Practitioner programme launchesParticipation will contribute to professionalism of the industry says ASATA

INDEPENDENT travel consultants and non-IATA agencies will have the same opportunity as salaried employees to gain qual-ified professional status, with registration for the new formal qualification, Travel Practitioner, due to start this month. The Association of Southern African Travel Agents has been accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority to grant the new designation (‘Professional qualification introduced for travel agents’ – TIR October 2017). ASATA said applicants must accumulate the required num-ber of Continuous Professional Development points, which will be verified. Association members will pay R340 plus an annual registra-tion fee of R175; non-members will pay R590 and a R295 yearly registration. The process will be managed online. The development is years in the making and will be a major boost for skills development, as participants continuously update skills, knowledge and competencies to achieve their designation. There are approximately 600 travel agency branches in South Africa, according to a 2017 market study by Grant Thorn-ton. However, the number of independent agents could be four times that, according to industry calculations. There are at least 1,200 Independent Travel Consultants and non-IATA affiliates connected to member agency groups, ASATA said. “It is a fragmented, unformulaic sector that continues to generate revenue through supplier deals,” said ASATA CEO Otto de Vries, who “may be playing quite a substantial role but not all are qualified or trained travel agents”. The association wants umbrella consortia to keep actively encouraging their ITC and ITA networks to get involved with the association but sees the TPrac designation as “a massive opportunity and one of the ways ITCs can try to differentiate or position themselves”. On the back of another high-profile ticketing scam involv-ing a rogue independent, Mr. De Vries said it could mean more protection for suppliers. “There are many high-level ITCs out there, competent… [who] have strong and good customer relations… and are adding immense value. As much as there may be many of those, I am concerned that there are some out there who shouldn’t be [trading]. We are expecting that our members will make a con-

certed effort in their own business environment to make sure a large number of their own workforce is registered. “Travel Practitioners is open to non-ASATA members. If you have the training and meet the criteria, you are welcome to sign up. You do not need to work for an ASATA member to do that.”

Prepare for more ITC growth this yearFlexible working patterns and seamless services and support has driven ITC and ITA membership in South Africa, while affiliate models have evolved. With 80 independents by the end of last year, Nigel King, XL Travel Strategic Development Manager, maintained: “There is

no doubt the trend of seeing more ITC’s emerge in our industry will continue.” (‘ITC sector expected to continue growth’ – Decem-ber TIR 2017) eTravel’s turnover has broken the R1-billion mark for two consecutive years, underlining the effectiveness of its 200-plus ITC members. Managing Director Tammy Hunt said the recruitment pro-cess was already strict. “We believe that it takes a certain type of individual to succeed… they must have a minimum five years experience in a travel agency working on the GDS for this full time; a minimum two years experience in a senior travel con-sulting position being exposed to international and RTW travel; a minimum two years experience in fares and ticketing – in our view, a tool that separates you from the rest. A client base is recommended or the means to support yourself for a six-month

Agents can once again register to use e-Watch, the industry anti-fraud platform, at a cost of R300 per user per month. Users can add and search for names of proven fraudsters on the e-Watch database and listings will be authenticated. A listing will only be removed after three years or by court order. e-Watch founder Christo Snyman urged businesses to subscribe: “Fraudsters are indiscriminate, targeting both small and large travel companies and often hopping from organisation to organisation unhindered… There must be consequences for unethical and dishonest behaviour and we appeal to all industry stakeholders to participate actively. The database will only be as good as the input we receive from participating employers.” To register: www.e-watch.co.za/Secure/Register.

continued on page 14

Travel consultants with the necessary skills, experience and knowledge can now apply for the title of Travel Practitioner (TPrac). “Travel Practitioners is open to non-ASATA members. If you have the training and meet the criteria, you are welcome to sign up. You do not need to work for an ASATA member to do that,” – Otto de Vries, ASATA


NEWS

Win flights for two in economy class to any city in the continental US that Delta operates to! Another lucky agent and their partner can have the holiday of a life-time, from a choice of destinations, such as San Fran-cisco, Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas… Details inside on page 4.

DELTA Air Lines, in conjunction with TIR, is pro-viding two confirmed return tickets to a city of your choice in the Continental US served by Delta to a lucky travel agent and their partner. Enter by answering three easy questions from the November 2017, December 2017 and February/March 2018 issues of TIR. The answers will come from a news story related to Delta in each issue. Entries can only be submitted online at www.tir.co.za between March 1 – March 30, 2018. All three answers will be required on the entry form, so make sure to keep a note of your answers from each issue – or use the issue archive at www.tir.co.za when entering. The winner will be announced in the April/May 2018 issue of TIR.Below is the final question…

*Competition only open to retail travel agency consultants and staff.

Q3 When did Delta’s first flightto Johannesburg land?

WIN with Delta & TIR!

THOMPSONS Holidays marked 40 years of operation in Feb-ruary and has a number of specials to celebrate. CEO Joanne Adolphe explained: “We are looking at deals up to 40 percent off. A What’s Hot will be published every Monday with deals for that week.” February specials will focus on Easter and June/July holiday departures. January sales were up on last year. “We are really seeing renewed interest… Inter-national outbound is huge for us at the moment, with a lot for Europe, Disney, Hong Kong, some skiing, people going to Grand Prix. That same confidence was not there last year.”

H Cunard International Account Manager EMEA Christina Hannon (left) with Shaun McCarthy, Whitestar Cruise and Travel GM and Sandy McCarthy, Sales and Sheridan Royal, Marketing (far right) were in Cape Town when Queen Mary 2 visited the city in January. Whitestar said Alaska and Northern Lights sailings from the 2018 and 2019 programmes would appeal to the South African market. Cunard reveals plans to grow its business in South Africa on page 32.

Thompsons turns 40

period.” Although the new TPrac designation could make inde-pendents more identifiable, Ms. Hunt said eTravel had a specific strategy that determined how suppliers engage with its ITC members. Club Travel is leveraging its ongoing investment into technology and support services to grow its ITC numbers this year. With around 450 ITAs and affiliates responsible for 60 – 65 percent of the Club Travel Group’s total R3-billion-plus turnover, Franchise Director Jo Fraser said the TPrac qual-ification and recently revived eWatch anti-fraud industry programme were both positive for the industry. “Anything that is recommended by ASATA, we will comply with,” Ms.

Travel Practitioner programme launchescontinued from page 12

Fraser said. Club Travel believes the size of the market is between 2,000 and 2,500, and has identified a trend towards inde-pendent travel consultants wanting to be true independent companies and no longer tying themselves to consortiums that want to regulate the way ITCs do business. Ms. Fraser said fraud was difficult to stamp out entirely but Club had a good track record and was continually look-ing for ways to improve security. Background checks are critical, she said and having the right procedures in place because agents “can make one huge mistake that costs them R60,000 in an ADM”. A new ITC concept is also planned for Club’s annual franchise indaba this year.

Win a diamond!For every Regent Seven Seas Cruises booking made by February 28, agents receive an entry into a draw to win a DIAMOND, courtesy of Encore Cruises and The Diamond Works Institute!

Bookings must be confirmed with a deposit or full pay-ment to qualify. The winner will be announced on March 5, and prize will be handed over at The Diamond Works in Cape Town with Champagne and canapés. Regent is cur-rently running new lower fares and complimentary valet laundry on select Med sailings.

Contact Encore Cruises:[email protected]


retail

Corporate travelthrivesWally Gaynor, Club Travel Managing Director,explains the group’s development and future strategy

THE CLUB Travel Group Corporate Tavel division has been awarded one of the biggest government travel accounts in South Africa, with a turnover around R700-mil-lion per annum. This has come on top of a huge growth spurt in 2017 and comes with a lot of challeng-es, larger premises, more staff and automating more processes to remain efficient and continue to grow. The franchise division also continues a strong growth curve with nearly 60 IATA agencies falling under the group banner and close to 400 independent travel con-sultants. ‘Club DNA’ is all about treating people correctly, be it

Destinations and product to watch in 2018? “Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka are really growing by leaps and bounds in our market; very, very afford-able, great food, great shopping and culture. To a lesser extent TAAG Angolan Airlines have started to open up South America again with their really affordable fares to São Paulo.” – Wally Gaynor

suppliers and/or partners and charging a fair price. Quite frankly, we don’t know how some competitors can contin-ue to justify charging 30/40 percent of every cent an ITC generates. We have lots of new offer-ings planned for 2018, which will really add value and put more money back in the pock-ets of our franchise partners. I identify with them and know how difficult the travel industry can be for small players; we want to do more. [And] the more franchise partners earn and grow the more we earn and grow… Technology has always been a strong focus for the group and 2017 saw us purchase Travellinck, the

corporate self-booking system used on many big corporate and government accounts. Our own travel technology company, On Board Technol-ogies, with development and programming skills, which will take, not only Travellinck, but our other technology-fo-cused business like Flightsite and Travel By Investec to another level. Travellinck is a stand-alone company with its own struc-ture and is TMC-agnostic and is, in fact, used by many of Club’s competitors. Club was traditionally a leisure company but, in order to adapt to changing trends, has changed over the last few years. With our own leisure oper-

ation being the smallest part of the business, this business has shifted to the ITCs and online to such entities as Pick ’n Pay Travel, Travel By Inves-tec and FlightSite Agent. Last year we started to en-hance the Club Travel leisure offering with online booking systems for a captive audience and we will create packages available for sale externally and across the group. Club is tremendously excit-ed about the year ahead. We know we will face lots of chal-lenges but we have one of the longest-serving management teams across all the division and are constantly looking for and adding new talent and ideas to continue with our growth aspirations.

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DESTINATIONS

Mauritius still a favouriteSA arrivals up another seven percent last yearARRIVALS to Mauritius climbed seven percent overall last year with South Africa rated as the second biggest source market for traffic in the world in December, behind France. Arrivals reached 112,129 last year, according to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, up from 104,834 in 2016. Just shy of 21,000 visitors from South Africa arrived in De-cember, a 6.3 percent increase and 13.4 percent of total tourist arrivals for the month. For the year, MTPA said South Africa represented an average 8.4 percent of total visitors and ranked fifth behind France, the UK, Réunion island and Germany for inbound business. The tourism board said the upturn in arrivals pointed to more growth from South Africa this year. The island was recently voted one of the ten Best in Travel 2018 by Lonely Planet, while Mauritius will celebrate 50 years of independence throughout 2018, with national events and activities added to the calendar.

kulula holidays has new pack-ages for Be Cosy, a three-star, duplex-style hotel with pool and rooftop restaurant, walking distance to Trou aux Biches. Upgrade to half board or b&b. Pay five, stay seven nights from R7,999 until end of February. Includes flights and transfers, valid for travel June 2 - Sept 15.

World Leisure Holidays has Easter booking specials for Sun resorts and will be running an Awaycations campaign from May to September, with value-adds such as a driver for a day and complimentary catamaran cruises.

The LUX* Grand Gaube has reopened in Mauritius after a US$32-million upgrade. The group has all-inclusive pack-ages, promotions for families, weddings, honeymooners or combination trips with affiliate resorts on the island.

The new Mont Choisy Le Golf Course – among the best in Mauritius according to golf fanatic Beachcomber Tours MD Terry Munro. The operator has launched a new Victoria-for-2 adults wing at Victoria Beach-comber Resort. Details page 18.

industry view

Key to a growth year


Mutually-beneficial trade partnerships, more product development and SA’s new political landscape bodes well, writes Terry Munro, Beachcomber Tours Managing Director.

2017 was a tough year for the travel industry as a whole, however we were content with our results. December, being a huge month for us, finished strong, with great results and happy guests. We have an optimistic start in the new year and a mas-sive opportunity to grow our business with the very much stronger rand in 2018 (hope-fully it regains more value in the coming months). The traveling public is certainly price conscious but, at the same time, expect good value for their money, so lower pric-es should increase demand. The middle class is growing and this should enable more South Africans to travel. We need to capture this business this year and for the years ahead. We had a record year on our group & incentive busi-ness in 2017 and it looks like we will have another bumper year in 2018, as we already have a substantial volume of future bookings.

I am not certain with regard to the corporate side of business but I hear that companies’ budgets are getting tighter and tighter in our current economic crisis. Hopefully we can get some political clarity for the way forward and that state cap-ture is brought under control. Beachcomber Tours’ focus going forward is certainly to highlight the investments in our resorts. I visited Canonni-er Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa with our Top 10 achievers in December and everyone was blown away with how im-pressive this hotel is looking – it has positioned itself into another league with all the enhancements. Some of the leaders in the travel industry commented that they have not sold this hotel much in the past but now it is one of the most outstanding four star hotels on the island. Complementing Canonnier even more is that guests now have access to the unique 18-hole course in the north

of the island through our partnership with Mont Choisy Le Golf, which includes a per-sonalised welcome, advance booking of tee-off slots at preferential rates and a return shuttle service. I was so impressed with the very high condition that the greens and fairways are in already. Coupled with the recent-ly launched ‘Victoria for 2’ adults wing at Victoria Beachcomber Resort & Spa, is very exciting indeed. It is a unique experience for those wanting to disappear into a tranquil child-free world, yet still venture out to make the most of Victoria with all its restaurants, recreation and marine park. Guests can book swim-up rooms ,a first in Mauritius, which allows them to step straight from their room into the water. The wing also has its own restaurant, the Moris Beef steak house and poolside Nautilus Café. It all makes us stronger than we have ever been in the South African market.

Congratulations to Mike Digby from Air Holidays, who was spotted with his TIR in Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls and wins an American Tourister Soundbox 55cm Spinner valued at R2,299!

One look at American Tourister’s Soundbox range of luggage makes you feel like travelling around the world! Soundbox is the brand’s first expandable hardside zipped case, offering maximal space and comfort, offering a variety of special features to make your trip even more legendary: integrated TSA lock, expandable, and with cross ribbons on the top and bottom compartment. The fine matt texture offers more resistance against scratches, ensuring minimal stress and maximal fun. Your American Tourister Soundbox suitcase will be the eye-catcher of the luggage belt. Available from leading lug-gage stores nationwide or online fromwww.houseofsamsonite.co.za

With TIR

One of Beachcombers’ key business principles is to exceed expectation through our products and service and the substantial and on-going investments into resort devel-opment. We want to inspire a desire to return again and again and already have a high ratio of repeat guests and very low complaint rate, plus our dedication to our travel agent partnerships. We pledge to remain loyal to the trade as its partner, not its opposition, by working exclusively with retail travel agents and appreciate the spe-cial relationship and partner-ships we share. We also plan some exciting promotions this year to garner trade support. All told, we are forecasting another successful year, even in a difficult economic climate.

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F Beachcomber Tours hosted its Top 10 at Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa in 2017. Travel by Investec/Flight-Site took first place, Exotic Vacations was second, followed by Simply Travel; Beachtag; Pentravel Tygervalley; Webtours Getaways; Just Mauritius; Pentravel Cresta; TravelConnections and Pentravel Port Elizabeth.

E Flight Centre was named top consortium. Pictured: Beachcomber Sales & Marketing Manager Joanne Visagie with Terry Munro and FCTG MD Andrew Stark.

F First in 2017, Flight-Site/Travel by Investec has made the annual top 10 three times. Pictured (l to r): Gilbert Espitalier-Noel, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels CEO; Kim Kral, FlightSite Operations Manager; YolandaSaayman, Operations Manager, Travel by Inves-tec and Terry Munro and Joanne Visagie, Beach-comber Tours.

gallery

NEWS

Seychelles records more SA visitorsSOUTH Africa has ranked in the top six markets for Sey-chelles after a record year for tourist arrivals in 2017. More growth is expected this year. Total arrivals to the islands reached almost 350,000 in 2017. Visits by South Africans rose 15 percent.* See the April/May issue for TIR’s complete guide to selling Seychelles. Sainte Anne Marine Park, Seychelles.

PCI DSS compliance deadline loomsTRAVELPORT has made its PCI DSS certification wizard tool public to assist any Inter-national Air Transport Asso-ciation agency still working to meet the March 1 compliance deadline. Level-three and four-cate-gory merchants, processing fewer than one-million card transactions annually, can

complete a PCI DSS assess-ment online now at:http://info.securitymetrics.com/travelport-pcidss-com-pliance. For details on Travelport’s PCI DSS Certification Pro-gramme, visit: www.travel-port.com/pcidsscompliance.* TIR, together with Ned-bank and the International

Air Transport Association, has produced a FAQ on PCI DSS and compliance re-quirements relating to IATA accreditation, available at:www.tir.co.za.

ASATA elects new PresidentSWG Group Operations Director Dinesh Naidoo has been elected President of the Association of Southern African Travel Agents. He succeeds Vanya Lessing, Sure Travel CEO, in the role. Tourvest Travel CFO Scholtz Fourie replaces Johanna Mu-koki as Vice President; while Colin Mitchley, Financial Director Bidtravel, will serve as Treasurer.

TRAVELSTART’S pur-chase of SafariNow.com has strengthened the OTA’s accommodation category, with 23,000 new listings added. SafariNow.com will continue to run as a stand-alone business.

SafariNow joins Travelstart Group

COME AND HAVE A PEEK …at what’s on offer from Cruise Vacations in 2018 & 2019

Photo Credit: Silversea Cruises, Photographer Richard Sidley

Ocean, Expedition and River Cruises with itineraries that cover the globe.

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TIR AD 102X149 2.indd 1 2018/01/31 9:57 AM22 Travel Industry Review | February/March 2018

GPictured below: Scholtz Fourie; Dinesh Naidoo; Otto de Vries, ASATA Chief Executive Officer and Colin Mitchley.

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market intelligence

Britain predicts record arrivals in 2018Consumer preferences guiding future product developmentVISITENGLAND and VisitBritain are tailoring product devel-opment and promotion to win more business in the next five to 10 years. Overseas visits to the UK are predicted to reach nearly 42 million for the first time this year. VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates commented: “We are working with partners across the world to tell customers of experiences they can only have in Britain and encourage them to book a trip now…” £40-million has been allocated to ensure England stays competitive. A report by Foresight Factory, the Future Travel Journey, focused on trends in four areas and stages of travel: inspiration and pre-planning; the booking process; connected travel and evolving travel needs.

Decisions and influencesThe report identified solo travel as one of the fastest-growing categories, while more than half of South Africans surveyed said they would be interested in a service that suggested a holi-day based on their interests and budget. Agents are being urged to avoid age segmentation and to target customers built around why they travel. The majority of travellers surveyed said they liked to im-merse themselves in the culture of a destination and feel like a local. Fewer than 40 percent of South Africans enjoyed watch-ing online videos created by online bloggers.

The researchers said almost 80 percent of respondents in South Africa indicated they would like to be able to negotiate prices. “While travellers are generally thrifty when it comes to booking flights and other sources of transport, there is a clear willingness among people to spend more on unique experienc-es and activities… Seeking value means choosing destinations which pack in as many great experiences as possible in a single trip.” VisitEngland said that besides the reassurance of traveller reviews, travel agents, tourism boards, airlines and hotels have started using virtual reality and other immersive visualisation to give travellers a clearer idea of what they can expect. “Genuine, authentic tourism products are preferred...” while future travellers will prefer tourism products that combine fun and an opportunity for learning or self-improvement. The research pointed to questions travel agents and suppliers frequently ask on behalf of their clients.

* Readers can access a presentation toolkit and read more about visitor charac-teristics and behaviour at visitbritain.org/product-development-re-search.


ADVERTORIAL

Delta reaches higherDELTA Air Lines has been on a remarkable journey. What started life as a humble crop-dusting company in 1924 has become one of the world’s biggest carriers taking care of more than 180-million passengers each year. Success on this scale, in such a competitive market, involves continuous change. And, as Delta looks forward, it’s spending billions of dollars to put the anticipation and enjoyment back into flying. As well as growing its network and enhancing in-flight services, it’s also investing heavily in technologywith new innovations to help passengers better manage their flights and make journeys more conve-nient, productive and enjoyable. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta Air Lines has celebrated over a decade of flying to Africa. Delta’s first flight landed in Johan-nesburg on December 5, 2006, from Atlanta via Dakar, Senegal.

The Accra, Ghana, service started a week later. An additional service to Lagos, Nigeria, was added one year later. Since then, Delta has become the leading airline between the United States and Africa as well as the only one to link North America with Ghana and Senegal nonstop. Delta has a daily Boeing 777 non-stop service from Johannesburg to Atlanta with same airline convenient connections to over 100 North American cities.

Making time flyWith Sky Priority, business class customers enjoy streamlined services including check-in, security and baggage reclaim. They can also access Delta’s award-winning Sky Clubs and more than 170 partner lounges. Delta One cabins offer seats with “cubes” of personal space for more privacy, and, as each has direct aisle access passengers don’t disturb one another when moving around the cabin. At the touch of a button the seats turn into a flat-bed and come with specially-created luxurious white duvets and full-size hypoallergenic pillows designed by Westin Hotels and Resorts.

Community engagement activitiesIn 2017, Delta gave more than US$40-million to good causes across the world, including those in Africa. Across the continent, we support Junior Achievement Africa, hosting Innovation Camps to give young people a taste of the world of work, as well as supporting the Company of the Year programme, which encourages entrepreneurship. We also support the Amy Foundation to develop socioeconomically disadvantaged communities around Cape Town through the education and empowerment of youth. This includes providing vulnerable chil-dren with a safe place to go after school and a hot meal. As well as focusing on education, we also fund healthcare initiatives, including Breast Care International (BCI) in Ghana.

Wi-Fly with DeltaDelta has led the industry in enhancing in-flight connectivity and its fleet is equipped with Gogo’s high-speed Ku-Band satellite technology. From just US$28 for a global day pass, this allows passengers to catch up on email, surf the web, login to intranets and more. Delta has also introduced free messaging in-flight. This new, complimentary capability will enable customers to stay fully connected with those on the ground.

Jimmy Eichelgruen, Delta’s Director – Sales for Africa, Middle East & the Indian Sub-Continent said: “Time is a precious commodity. We want to make sure that custom-ers can make the most of it, and that they fully enjoy their time on board with us whether they want to work, relax or be entertained. We offer a huge array of destinations, our peo-ple will greet you with the same warmth wherever you are, and the changes we’re making to our cabins, flight amenities and new technology enhance the travel experience. Finally, as we’re committed to creating the best airline there will always be more to come.”

F A new Main Cabin dining experience will enhance the way customers spend their time on some of Delta’s longest flights. Upgraded meals, along with newly-de-signed trays and serviceware, will launch on longhaul international flights in mid-2018 to provide customers with a restaurant-style dining experience.

For more information on Delta, please visit www.delta.com or follow @Delta on Twitter

DL AD0111 210x297x3 TIR Final.indd 1 23.01.18 11:59

AIRLINES

The Gatwick OptionWHILE the large majority of South African travellers to London fly to Heathrow Airport – they don’t have any choice – passengers departing from Cape Town have the option of choosing the British Airways direct, non-stop ser-vice into Gatwick during the airline’s UK winter schedule. Why wouldn’t they want to avoid the inconvenience and additional time involved in connecting over Johan-nesburg, the Gulf, Istanbul, Addis Ababa or other points in Europe? After all, there is no doubt that 99.9 percent of people would prefer a direct and, even better, a non-stop flight. It saves time, often a lot, and inconvenience, also a lot. The reason, of course, is that frequent flyer benefits can come into play and conve-nience is a competitive thing, an attraction the airlines can promote and sell successfully, fill their aircraft with high-er-yield traffic, so that costs. It means those non-stop fares are usually higher than on the multitude of indirect services. That does not deter the target market. Load factors and yields are high, the airline is happy and the passengers are happy to pay for the extra time and convenience. Not to be overlooked are retailers’ customers, who are pleased to have been advised of the option. Thomas Cook Airlines began its first Cape Town – Gatwick service in November, which is generally

a lower-cost ticket but both airlines are mainly targeting the more lucrative and much larger UK-originating market, so capacity out of Cape Town is limited and the usual sales pitch to book early is wise ad-vice. The British Airways and Thomas Cook operations are seasonal, with both expected to be back in November for the 2018/19 UK winter/SA summer. Gatwick has traditionally been perceived as a secondary airport in there UK, catering to the low-cost market. And it was, in fact, the hub of inclu-sive tour charter operators in the early days of that phe-nomenon, when packages sold in the UK to Europe and the Caribbean began to expand and Gatwick was key to the explosive growth of packaged holidays and integral to the massive growth in tourism development in Spain, other European countries, North Africa, particularly Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, and the Caribbean. The Gatwick option has other benefits in addition to the non-stop flight. There are connections to more than 200 destinations, including some points most applicable from a convenience stand-point for South Africans travelling to North America, the Caribbean, Central and South America and many des-tina-

tions in Europe not served directly out of South Africa, including Scandinavia. And there is a Gatwick-Connect service where passengers take their bags to the desk in the baggage claim area, exit through Customs and security to the departure lounge for the next flight. Non-premium ticket holders can also shorten the security process by purchasing entry to the Premium Security lane, further reducing hassle and time. The Gatwick Express rail service from the airport takes just 20 minutes into Victoria Station and there are frequent rail services to the south coast. For travel agents, there is the opportunity of adding value by advising customers heading on holiday to onward foreign destinations of a huge variety of packages, which can be cheaper if booked and packaged through a UK operator. And for clients at the pin-nacle end of the market, there is an available, independently operated Signature Elite Class product, which bypasses the main terminals, provides a private lounge, pri-vate security screen-

By John Wardall

ing and a chauffeured car directly to the aircraft. In-bound, it includes being met at the aircraft by a car and taken to a lounge for dedicat-ed Customs and Immigration clearance. For other premium pas-sengers, British Airways’ move to the South Terminal has resulted in a new lounge, which it touts as the best in its network, with table-ser-vice dining in First, original artworks, shower suites and a Kidzone, with games and seating outside the glazed walls, so parents can keep tabs on their offspring. Not to miss an oppor-tunity, Gatwick has a huge duty-free shopping mall, and one of the best in the busi-ness, which passengers have to walk through to get to the departure gates. No excuses for getting home without the mandatory peace offerings! For Capetonians braving the British winter or connect-ing to the many winter and tropical resorts served out of the airport, Gatwick is a no-brainer.


E The Gatwick Express is the fastest, most convenient link to London.

product update

RÉUNION INTRODUCES NEW LOOKRÉUNION Island Tourism has added a new logo and oth-er visual elements to support its ongoing Ultimate Experi-ence destination marketing campaign, with plans to be more active and visible in overseas markets. Air Austral has Mauritius fare extensions, providing more opportunity to promote twin packages this year. Hélène Bezuidenhoudt, Âtout France Regional Manager, commented earlier: “Réunion Island Tourism

revived its marketing drive in South Africa in mid-2016 with Âtout France, and rolled out a series of renewed activities over a three-year period. Co-operative marketing with tour operators and social media activations are just some of the platforms used to promote the destination.”

ARGENTINA IS BRITISH AGENTS’ CHOICEARGENTINA is LATAM Airlines’ Destination of the Month for February. The air-line recently partnered with the Argentinian Tourist Board to promote the destination, offering discounts on regional flights. Argentina was named ABTA’s destination to watch in 2018. The UK travel agent

association recommended visitors start their stay in Bue-nos Aires. Add a stop in the wine country of Mendoza and Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian border. In the south, Pata-gonia can be used as a start point for a cruise or flight to Antarctica. Regular flights are due to start this year.

Cirque de Mafate, Réunion.

EUROWINGS LAUNCHES BIZCLASSEUROWINGS will launch its first low-cost business-class product on long-haul flights in April.

Seats will offer more room and convert to fully-flat beds. CEO Oliver Wagner said: “We see strong demand for another top product from our company on routes with a higher proportion of business travel, for example on US flights from Düsseldorf to New York, Miami or Fort My-ers. [But] we will be entering the BIZclass race with our usual budget-priced Eurow-ings tickets.”


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Fares quoted are subject to change and availability at the time of booking and include all savings. Fares can be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Terms and Conditions apply.

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sales focus

To mark 90 years of operation this year, the Globus Family of brands will be giving away a VW Polo Vivo to the consultant with the most passengers booked over a 90-day period ending March 31, 2018. Contact:[email protected]

Silversea Expedition cruises’ upcoming Western Galapagos sailing: seven nights from San Cristobal to Baltra, leaves August 4, from US$7,900. Includes Galapagos/Ecuador inter-nal flights, transfers, hotel, immigration and park entrance fees. Snorkel or kayak to look for penguins. Contact Cruise Vacations.

Sales Aids

Victoria Falls with kulula holidays: two nights at the Cresta Spray-view Hotel with flights, breakfast and transfers is from R4,616, or R6,465 at the David Livingstone Lodge & Spa. For travel until March 16.

Beachcomber’s Trou aux Biches in Mau-ritius, with its beachfront rooms, private pools and outstanding restaurants. Book 60 days in advance for a 20 percent saving on five-and seven-night packages for trav-el June 1 – 22, from R20,120 for five nights ex-JNB and R25,000 for a seven-night stay.

TIR RECOMMENDSWe give the inside track on product, experiences and deals agents can recommend and book with confidence.

Contiki has produced a report on The Power of Travel, mea-suring the link between travel and career outcomes for young workers. 49 percent of travellers were “more likely to be satis-fied with their employment opportunities”. Consultants can find details of that study to share with customers here:www.contiki.com/six-two/power-of-travel

E There are 32 seats on Trafalgar’s 2018 Spain Acclaim trip. Consultants need to book a minimum 15 CostSaver or Trafal-gar passengers for travel in 2018 to qualify. Pictured: 2017 Acclaim trip winners on tour in Italy.

THAILAND

More for agents to sell in ThailandTHAILAND is gaining market share with 93,000 South Afri-can visitors recorded last year, growth of 17.8 percent. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is reintroducing popular tourist routes and promoting inclusive tourism through its Open to the New Shades of Thailand trade and consumer campaign, target-ing repeat visitors and specific customer categories this year. The campaign features five sub-themes: gastronomy; nature; beach; arts and crafts; culture and Thailand’s way of life. The Songkran Festival, which is celebrated differently in each region, is one example the tourism authority used to illustrate its ‘shades’ of Thailand. “There are 10 kinds of pad Thai and an uncountable number of soups. Among

Thailand’s 77 provinces, there are at least 24 under the 12 Hidden Gems Plus cluster that have something to offer in terms of culture, heri-tage and cuisine… Potential visitors will be provided new perspectives via new teaser ads… but this time we are promoting a genuine form of truly inclusive tourism, which is especially important in this day and age,” TAT explained. TAT representative in Jo-hannesburg, Lesley Simpson, said South Africa’s LGTB community, premium travel-lers and black, middle-class group travel had been identi-fied as growth targets. “Last year was the first time that we entered into some joint promotions with the LGBT market… There will be more joint ventures and our own consumer promo-Chiang Mai Royal Park Ratchaphruek



THAILAND

Thompsons has seven-night packages with accommo-dation at the Patong Merlin Hotel, flights ex-JNB (in-cluding taxes), return transfers and breakfast with free Wi-Fi and a tour of Phuket. From R12,470. Book before February 28. For travel April 16 – October 31, 2018.

Perfect Destinations’ Best of Thailand is three nights at Kata Seabreeze in Phuket, two nights at Phi Phi Natural Resort, three nights at the Krabi Chada and two nights at Ibis Stathon in Bangkok from R13,990. Includes breakfast, transfers and ferries, flights ex-JNB and one internal flight from Krabi to Bangkok.

Four nights at the Patong Merlin and three nights at the Bangsak Merlin with Perfect Destinations, including flights ex-JNB and transfers is from R12,700.

continued from page 29

More to sellin Thailand...

Bangkok.

BEST BUYS

F The 2018 Thai Travel Market will be held in Pattaya, “a great opportunity for our travel partners to visit”, said TAT South Africa repre-sentative, Lesley Simpson.

Photo: Pullman Hotels

tions to increase further awareness about Thailand and especially to encourage return visitors,” said Ms. Simpson. TAT will continue to promote Thailand staples but the Open to the New Shades campaign urges visitors to look twice and find new experiences on well-estab-lished routes. “We will always promote Phuket and the surrounding islands and beach attractions; these are the still the introduction to someone’s first visit to Thai-land. But what is encouraging is to see the demand for other provinces, in the north for Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle, Sukhothai in central Thai-land or destinations like Pattaya, which has had a huge facelift. Pattaya has been selected as the venue for TTM this year,” she said. Bangkok will always be popular, especially for shopping, but there are other reasons to visit, said Ms. Simpson: the Chao Phraya River and the off-shoot chan-nels, where you can meet and join locals for lunch; and a blessing from a local monk. “Another reason to visit Bangkok is for the food. We now have our first Michelin Guide Bangkok, featuring 98 Thai, Asian and international restaurants, including, for the first time, 28 Thai street-food stalls. The 2018 guide features three two-star restaurants, 14 one-star restau-rants and 35 Bib Gourmand restaurants. “Based on estimates by the UN World Tourism Organisation, food tourism can generate US$150-billion in revenue. In 2016, international visitor expenditure on food totalled 326-billion Baht, 20 percent of tourism revenue.”

WHOLESALE

GET to know some of the top supplier personalities in TIR’s On the Ground profile, recog-nising representatives from across the country. This month, we meet Hermina Sennelo, representative for World Leisure Holidays in Central Johannesburg.

On the groundWhat are your day-to-day responsibilities? “I call on the travel trade, to update, train, present and promote World Leisure Hol-iday packages, specials and properties.”

What’s the best partof your job? “The process of watching an agent become a World Leisure Holidays ‘convert’ and the relationships I have created with my agents.”

Last place you visited on holiday? “Cape Town – an all-rounder of a destina-tion.”

Your current top-seller? “Our five-star gem, Long Beach Resort, situated on the east coast of Mauritius. It caters for all types of holiday-makers and a stay is an ex-perience never to forget. The Sun Resorts differ from each other, ensuring that the client has a unique experience.”

How is the premiummarket performing? “Expectations of the clients in this market are always high [and] the likes of Shangri-La’s Le Tousserok Resort & Spa and One&Only Le Saint Ger-an effortlessly live up to these expectations. It’s always great to be able to offer a first-class product.”

What’s the most indulgent experience you can recom-mend or have experienced on a work visit? “The Sun Resorts have intro-duced Timeless Memories, which provide the oppor-tunity to experience one of seven Passion Points. My favourite is Sun Memory Lab. The resort helps customers record timeless memories by having a photographer onsite to assist them in taking great pictures throughout the resort and selfie spots. They can purchase or borrow the equipment on site. Snor-kelling is a favourite for me… I borrowed a Go-Pro for my underwater experience; this blew me away.”

How competitive isyour market? “We have an extremely com-petitive market… even with so many operators selling island packages, World Leisure Holi-days ensures we are one of the top choices.”

What helps you sell? “We have quality properties with competitive rates. I am also equipped with the knowledge of our properties and creating relationships within the travel trade makes the selling process so much easier.”

Suggest a teammate or sales champion for this profile by

e-mailing their name and company to [email protected]


TRENDS

G Cunard will visit Alaska (Kodiak pictured below) for the first time in 20 years in 2019. The sailings are part of the new Oceans of Discovery programme, from May to June next year. Other maiden calls featured in the programme include Bora-cay, Akita and Goa.

Cunard rewards early bookerswith more inclusions plannedConsultants can capitalise on Cunard’s latest product development,with bonus inclusions and a new ship under construction.

CUNARD’S International Account Manager EMEA Christina Hannon said, on a recent visit to South Africa, there had been a significant increase in bookings from this country for Mediterra-nean sailings, world cruises and adventure destinations like South America. “If you had booked Queen Elizabeth in November, it would have been less than it is now,” said Shaun McCarthy, General Manager of Whitestar Cruise and Travel, Cunard’s GSA. He said the tendency to book last-minute deals had impacted sales patterns and discounts on distressed inventory were now totally avoided. Cunard returns to Alaska for the first time in 20 years in 2019 and sales targets for the new destination had almost been achieved by the end of January, according to Ms. Hannon, who com-mented South Africa had produced more bookings than any other market in the EMEA region.

Whitestar has more than doubled its business in South Africa in the past two years and 650 passengers are booked on a world cruise this year. Mr. McCarthy said 90 percent of sales had come from 10 percent of agents, many of them smaller agencies in outlying parts of South Africa. Travel agents were crucial, he said. “A cruise is still a long-haul destination for South Africans. It is not a rack ‘em, pack ‘em, stack ‘em, seven-night Mauritius package.” Cunard is working on more special fares for the South Afri-can market, Ms. Hannon said. But Mr. McCarthy maintained many of the major retail consortia were still missing out on the growing cruise market.

“It is a mistake to sell on price. [The groups] become so focused on a two percent override… but a Cunard passenger is still booking, so they will go to another retailer or come to us.” Agents could be mistakenly so driven by overrides that they lose business, he said. International companies with mass-market buying power were a global phenomenon and compete with general sales agents and traditional travel agents in many markets, including South Africa, while direct sales were less of a threat to agents. Ms. Hannon maintained local expertise was needed to grow market share and the best way was through a GSA. “A cruise is not really a track that should be sold online or booked with a click. It has to be explained [and] is best booked with a knowledgeable consultant…” 60 percent of passengers onboard any Cunard ship are repeat business, illustrating the value of a cruise client. Details were still being finalised, but Ms. Hannon said it would become “even more the strate-gy to give the early booked the advantage”. She urged agents to sell on unique experiences. A fourth new ship entering service in 2022 would provide more opportunity to do that.

G Cunard’s fourth ship will enter service in 2022. A major revamp of the Queen Mary 2 (pictured above) was recently com-pleted and £90-million was allocated to refurbish Queen Elizabeth.

By Sarah Cornwell


Oh to be in England…“Oh to be in England now that April’s there…” Robert Browning’s famous, wistful poem, eulogizing the joys of spring, trees bursting into leaf, flowers opening and birds tweeting, sounds pretty good when you are battling the cold, howling wind and the driving rain on the Brigh-ton promenade in December. The consolation, however, is that you really don’t need clement weather to enjoy the sceptred isle – even its coastal resorts in the middle of winter. A quick trip to the UK at the end of last year brought recollections from many years ago and an introduction to a couple of new experiences. In fact, the old and the new are what make Brighton such a great place to visit. The convenience of British Airways’ seasonal non-stop service from Cape Town to Gatwick was a bonus, only a 30-minute drive to the coast or a 20-minute train ride from the airport to Brighton or other parts of the south coast. Memories returned of boarding school days at a nearby prep school torture chamber of cold showers, a starvation diet and the inevitable six of

the best for the most minor infringement of unimaginably ludicrous rules. The educational philos-ophy in those days was that the more uncomfortable and painful the experience, the more character building it was. Regrettably, I am proof it didn’t work. There were occasional escapes to play sports at Rot-tingdean School, just outside Brighton, the highlight being the drive past the playing fields at Roedean, source of many future society debu-tantes, where the girls would be playing hockey to the whistles and encouragement of the hormone-filled boys hanging out of the coach win-dows. All very non-PC these days but par for the course then. Relief from scholastic drudgery would come at half-term, when parents descend-ed and hauled their errant offspring to breaks in the seaside towns dotted along the English Channel. Mine was always Brighton, where the air was supposedly bracing and healthy and a daily fast march along the promenade and up to the end of the West Pier was mandat-ed by my military father. Alas, that pier burned

down in 2003 but the skeletal remains of

the pavilion at the end

con-

tinue to rise out of the sea and have become one of the most photographed relics in England. And all is not lost, at the former entrance to the pier now stands British Airways i360, the new most recog-nisable feature in this most typical of English resorts. The architects, who also designed the London Eye, refer to it as a vertical pier and the airline refers to rides on it as flights. It is a moving observation tower, the highest in the world, where a glass pod rises 138 metres up the central core, providing the most spectacular 360 degree views along the Sussex coast and into the Channel. The ride lasts 30 minutes, during which “passengers” can walk around the perim-eter, take photographs and have a drink at the bar. On a clear day, views stretch as far as the Isle of Wight. To the east is the still-op-erating Palace Pier, with fairground attractions and, if you must, coin-in-the-slot machines to relieve you of loose change. The only prob-lem in the UK is that feeding loose change into them can cost R20 a shot. At the base of the i360 is the West Beach Bar & Kitch-en, a souvenir shop and facili-ties for meetings, conferences and special events. Everything in Brighton is within walking distance, so the main attractions can all be visited in a couple of days. For the less energetic, bike hire is a good option, with 15 miles of cycle lanes along the seafront. And, for those who want to be in touch, all of the buses have free wifi on board. The traditional British seaside resorts all attracted domestic tourists with a huge range of entertainment from

top performers, theatre, gal-leries, restaurants and pubs and Brighton is no exception, even in the off-season. I am not usually a b&b fan, addicted to personal privacy; even as a small boy, I became accustomed to staying at The Old Ship or the stately Grand Hotel, where the IRA tried to blow up Maggie Thatcher and the British cabinet at a Con-servative Party conference in 1984. But the experience of staying at the outstanding b&b No. 27 Brighton this time changed my perceptions. It is owned and run by the charming Diego, from the Canary Islands no less, and his English partner Wayne. The hospitality was warm and efficient, the b&b was immaculately furnished with their own collection of antiques and collectibles and the full – and I mean full – English breakfast was superb. My compliments to the chef. You can recommend it with confidence. Ideally located, it is a 15-minute stroll to the i360 or the Royal Pavilion, the seaside palace built from 1787 for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, to entertain his never-ending train of mistresses, and well worth a visit. It is even closer to The Lanes, the maze of narrow streets and alleys, where collectors browse the numerous antiques and bric-a-brac stores for undiscovered treasures, then repose to the numerous neighbouring pubs and restaurants. Few will visit Britain, of course, without at least a cou-ple of days in London. Forget driving; traffic in London is a nightmare and a rental car will accrue horrendous sur-charges operating in the city, not to mention parking.

personally speaking

H British Airways’ i360 provides the best views along the Channel coast.


by John Wardall


PERSONALLY SPEAKING

And, talking of trains, it is only a one hour ride from Brighton. At least, it should be. I’m embarrassed to say that boarding the wrong train does tend to extend the jour-ney, so I was late for a rather lavish afternoon tea at Ting, operated by Shangri-La Ho-tels, the exclusive restaurant on the 35th floor at the Shard, the highest building in West-ern Europe. Fabulous views of London, exquisite service and mixing with the rich and famous, if a bit excessive at £68 a pop. From there to the trendy Hoxton in Holborn for a couple of nights, after another embarrassment turning up at the Hoxton in Shoreditch by mistake. Any vacancies for a tour guide? An Oyster Card does the trick getting around town by Tube – when the transport unions aren’t on strike, of course –- because the traffic gridlock makes Johannesburg and Cape Town look like a picnic. Two days of sightseeing, a missed lunch at my favourite restaurant, The Wolseley, on Piccadilly, a couple of shirts on Jermyn Street, a bottle of perfume at Penhaligon in Burlington Arcade and an es-sential night at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in Soho and then it was back to Gatwick for the non-stop to Cape Town. The Gatwick Express takes only 30 minutes straight into BA’s Terminal 2 from Victoria but, with the previously evi-dent good judgement, I took a car from the Hoxton, got caught in horrendous traffic and nearly missed the flight. Did I mention vacancies for a tour guide? A rushed trip but no-one can miss the opportunity and fail to enjoy a visit to Britain,

continued from page 33

... to be in England

F The Shard is best enjoyed with afternoon tea on the 35th floor at Ting.

one of the world’s most de-servedly popular destinations. Otherwise, why would so many be risking life and limb to get in there!

It is sobering to think that 250 airlines have collapsed globally since 2007. The latest high-profile carriers to go were Monarch Airlines in the UK, which had 35 aircraft and carried nearly 5.5-million passengers last year, and Air Berlin, Europe’s 10th largest airline. Even Etihad, Air Berlin’s biggest shareholder, could not keep it going, despite injecting €250-million into it earlier in the year. The airline business is highly competitive, has low margins, high capital and operating costs and is subject to numerous influences be-yond its control. It demands a high level of expertise and experience. It all points to a continuing consolidation in the industry, which may well result in less competition and higher fares in future.

After the movement in some popular, high-traffic Euro-pean resorts to curtail and even ban foreign tourists to prevent growing incidences of anti-social behaviour, another potential tourist backlash is on the horizon. We all know the world is sinking in over-population. Now the Indian government looks as if it is going to re-strict visitor numbers to the

Taj Mahal and other popular tourist sites. Others may well follow suit. Visiting many of these in-credibly important, historical monuments has become an unpleasant, jostling experi-ence, so you have to applaud such moves.

Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 rocket launched Zuma into space from Cape Canaveral in Flor-ida last month and it appears it may have wound up in the sea. Unfortunately, Zuma was the codename for a secret mil-itary satellite, not its name-sake in South Africa.

There was an almost audible sigh of relief when the Ram-mer took over the leadership of the ANC from the Zoomer. But don’t get too carried away with enthusiasm yet. No doubt he is a better bet than the Zoomer or the ghastly prospect of Zoomer Mk. 2. But he is an opportun-ist by nature and everything about his past and the run-up to the leadership contest tells you that. The Top 6 and the national executive council are also still littered with the usual crooks and thugs tied to the Zoomer camp. The Rammer has been spouting populist nonsense to appease the uninformed

majority, who have no idea of the implications of radical policies, such as the expropri-ation of land without com-pensation. Hopefully it is just political flim-flam. When the honeymoon period is over, stay tuned for reality to set in. I hope I have to eat my words because the next three or four years will decide South Africa’s future.

They can call it whatever they like, but our neighbours in Zim essentially now have a military government. Not that anybody is sorry to see the back of the Mugger, although he continues to feed at the public trough. Is it too much to hope the Zoomer will get his just desserts when the last nail goes into his political coffin? Probably. Overseas, to the hand-wringing despair of the deluded mainstream media and liberal opinion, 2017 wound up with more growth, more jobs and massive tax reform in the US and a continued campaign against the democratically endorsed Brexit in the UK by a similarly privileged gaggle. The absurd excuse for a news network, CNN, capped it all by refer-ring to Thomas the Tank Engine as “fascist”! I can see there is going to be plenty to comment on this year.

22360 Bidvest SnappDrive TIR Feb/March Half Page Landscape_FA.indd 1 2017/12/18 11:08

Our expert training columnist explains what is most effective, what is available, sales skills, life skills and job enrichment.

Dedicated supplier sites for the trade to boost product knowledge and sales.

Best-selling product for winter travel.

INTHENEXTISSUEOFTIR

regional update

Domestic fares benefit from stable ROE FLYSAFAIR says local air travel will be “more affordable for longer in 2018” but will increase up to seven percent growth in air travel costs in some markets. Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution, said: “A strengthening rand means that we will be able to offset the increase in oil prices for a little lon-ger…” However, he said, domestic passenger numbers in South Africa in 2017 had shown no growth on 2016.

Preferred Hotels & Resortsbecoming stronger in AfricaPREFERRED Hotels & Resorts will mark 50 years of operation in March, with an anniversary event in the Western Cape, new experience-rich packages and a bonus points promotion. “Independent properties are so in vogue right now and trav-ellers [are] liking independent travel,” commented PR Director EMEA Terri McCollin. During the anniversary year, customers also qualify for a best available rate plus a £50/€50/US$50 hotel credit, or a 50-minute activity at 200-plus participating hotels, including the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel & Residence in Cape Town and the Nassima Royal Hotel, Dubai. Agents can follow the cam-paign at www.preferredhotels.com/preferredcelebrates50. Mark Wernich, Business Development Director Africa, said sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ghana, Mo-zambique and Angola were focus markets. Inventory is catego-rised into five collections targeting different markets.

E The Boschendal wine estate near Cape Town is one of 36 Preferred Hotels & Resorts on the African continent.

In light of South African Tourism’s five in five campaign to attract five-million more visitors (one-million local) in five years, TIR will be highlighting new opportunities to grow domestic sales and local product development. Suppliers and domestic operators are invited to share their news with us: [email protected]

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