TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLYJune 26 2019 I No. 2549

FEATURE FEATURETOURISM AUTHORITIES

Page 8Page 6Page 12

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Resolution 830d – Iata respondsSarah roBertSon

IATA has responded to the trade’s outcry against changes made this

month to Resolution 830d, reasserting the importance of sharing customer contact details with airlines to avoid disruption to clients’ journeys in the event of flight delays.

Iata was responding to a story, ‘New Iata resolution strong arms agents’ in TNW dated June 5, 2019.

Resolution 830d was initially introduced back in January 2015, but as a recommended practice, not a mandated one, points out Iata.

In response to allegations from the trade that airlines

would make use of the shared personal information to market flights directly to agents’ clients, Iata’s position was clear that this was not permitted.

“The resolution specifically directs that airlines ‘shall use these contact details exclusively for the purpose of operational notifications, e.g. flight cancellation, schedule change, etc. and shall not use the contact details for sales and marketing purposes’,” said Perry Flint, Iata spokesperson in Washington DC.

“Many different types of personal information are already being collected by travel agents during the reservation process, and the information described

in Resolution 830d is no different.

“Following the resolution’s introduction in 2015, Iata led awareness activities about the collection of customer contact information,” said Perry, who explained that significant customer service issues could arise when operational matters affected a passenger’s journey and the airline could not communicate these in advance of the passenger’s arrival at the airport.

“This remains a significant issue impacting customers. Airlines are often unable to contact passengers within the operational window, leaving passengers without information related to their flights,” he added.

Cape Winter Breaks

Trafalgar is offering a ‘September on Sale’ deal for Ireland. As well as the annual Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival in September – the most recognised international celebration in Ireland – travellers can enjoy the 10-day Iconic Ireland and Ashford Castle trip, priced from R33 559 (was R40 300), which includes Dublin, Kilkenny, Blarney, Cork, Galway and Ashford Castle. This offer applies to selected September departures only and is inclusive of a 5% Very Important Travellers (VIT) discount. Pictured, enjoying some Guinness, are Bronwyn Strydom, marketing manager and Wentzel du Toit, reservations consultant, both of The Travel Corporation. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Cheers to Trafalgar!

Letter to the Editor

Barsa defends Res 830dTHE Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (Barsa) has noted with concern the statement made by Asata ceo, Otto de Vries, attacking Iata Resolution 830d as “being impractical, onerous and therefore unreasonable”.

Iata’s Resolution 830d requires agents to ask clients for consent to share contact details with airlines. If the client does not give consent, the agent must insert this refusal into the Passenger Name Record (PNR).

Asata’s response to this statement claims that sharing client personal information with airlines is “inconsistent with both the EU data protection laws and the POPI Acts and is unreasonable”.

To page 12

For the record

In last week’s TNW, we incorrectly attributed comment to TravelBags president, Michelle Hinrichsen. The quote should have been attributed to the executive committee, which comprises Michelle as well as Megan Alves and Lindi Mthethwa, as vp and alternate vp respectively. We apologise for the error.

2 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

Rubes® By Leigh Rubin

Phone: (011) 327-4062 Fax: (011) 327-4094 E-mail: tnw@nowmedia.co.za Web: www.nowmedia.co.za Address: Now Media Centre, 32 Fricker Road, Illovo Boulevard, Illovo, Johannesburg. PO Box 55251, Northlands, 2116, South Africa.

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JAPAN AUTUMN COLOURSCall us now to book your next Japan holiday during the Autumn leaves

Contact details: Tel: 010 001 9998 | reservations@wendywutours.co.za

Afriski entices agentsSarah robertSon

AFRISKI is offering commission to travel agents for the first time.

The Lesotho resort is offering agents up to 12% commission. Accommodation, ski hire and activities are all commissionable. Sales and marketing director of Afriski Mountain Resorts, Peter Peyper, says STO rates are also available for tour operators.

The resort has recently increased its room numbers and realised that they needed to engage with the travel trade to fill the additional capacity.

“Previously, Afriski was

owned by numerous companies but in April this year we merged into one. It is now easier to make centralised decisions about pricing options such as commissions. We are delighted to be able to bring this offer to market, as agents have been asking to work with us for years,” says Peter.

Afriski is a five-hour drive from Johannesburg and is one of only a few ski resorts in Southern Africa. Peter says the resort offers a snow guarantee from June until the end of August for its three slopes, which are beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The resort

can accommodate up to 498 people in options ranging from backpacker accommodation to two-bedroom apartments. Kids’ club and ski school facilities are also available.

Peter adds that Afriski is not just a winter destination and offers a range of year-round activities, including downhill biking, high-altitude training, fly fishing, trail running, hiking, mountain biking and quad biking.

The resort is also tapping into the conferencing market and can accommodate up to 250 delegates during the summer months. Smaller MICE groups can be accommodated during winter, says Peter.

New attraction opens at Jewel Changi THE Canopy Park attraction at Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport, has opened to the public.

The 14 000 sqm space is home to seven attractions and creative gardens. They include a Mirror Maze and Hedge Maze, the Manulife Sky Nets (one for walking, the other for bouncing like a trampoline), Discovery Slides, the HSBC Rain Vortex, and the Canopy Bridge, which has a glass floor suspended 23 metres above ground.

Interactive garden spaces include a Foggy Bowls feature made up of four bowls, or ditches, in the ground, which individually fill with mist and fog at different times, creating an exciting distraction for small children at the

airport; a topiary walk that features animal topiaries of orangutans, crocodiles, elephants, peacocks, parrots and chameleons; and a petal garden with seasonal displays of flowers.

Canopy Park admission is SGD5 (R53), which

includes the Topiary Walk, Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls and Petal Gardens. Bundle packages include all attractions and range from SGD38 (R403) to SGD71 (R754) for adults and SGD27 (R287) and SGD50 (R531) for children.

Sky nets provide a unique entertainment and resting space.

Some of the displays in the animal topiary are made from real flowers.

Photos: Jason Simpson

Top web stories

TNW Pick: AfricaStay targets agents Taj Mahal to introduce fines Air Namibia cuts back on SA flights Uganda Airlines gets ready for take-off Melbourne to trial Uber Air

Nikita Tavlet selects the top specials from Travelinfo

Curious Journeys. 16-day tour of India from R27 800pp sharing. Offer includes accommodation with breakfast and dinner, all taxes in India, local guides, and entrance to monuments, horse or camel rides and a train ticket from Surat to Ahmedabad. Itinerary: Mumbai, Matheran, Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Bhuj and Rann of Khutch. Valid from November 17 to December 2. Blue Marlin Hotel. Packages for KZN South Coast from R1 820 per room, per night.

Offer includes accommodation with breakfast. Kids stay free in August. Valid from August 1 to September 30. Tripistery B2B Travel Wholesaler. Seven-day combo package in Rio de Janeiro

and São Paulo from R16 997pp sharing. Offer includes return flights from Johannesburg, airport taxes, airport transfers, three nights’ accommodation in São Paulo and three nights in Rio de Janeiro with daily breakfast, a São Paulo city tour and a Christ the Redeemer tour. Valid until October.

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4 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Heavy demand causes US visa delays

Uniworld launches 2020 collectionUNIWORLD Boutique River Cruise Collection has announced four new ships for 2020 as well as an augmented Wellness on the Water offering. The SS Sphinx will cruise the River Nile in Egypt from January 2020. Also launching in January is the Mekong Jewel, which will be based in Vietnam and Cambodia. ‘Super’ ship, the SS Sao Gabriel, which will cruise in Portugal, and the SS La Venezia, which is being renovated and will sail in Italy, will both be unveiled in March 2020.

MSC ship unveils new app featuresMSC Grandiosa will offer new features for the company’s ‘MSC for Me’ digital programme when the ship is christened in Hamburg on November 9. The multi-channel digital programme enables guests to interact with the ship and the crew members at any time. MSC Grandiosa will be the sixth ship to host this programme on board. New features let passengers book packages and shore excursions before they board, and pre-register credit card information. It has a friend and family locator where guests who wear a Bluetooth-enabled wristband can be located at any time, a chat option where guests can direct-message each other through the app without Internet and a ‘what to eat’ feature to give guests an insight into ingredients or dishes. Current features of the app include mobile check-in and ship navigation.

Send your cruising news to deenar@nowmedia.co.za

Deena Robinson

According to the US Mission in South Africa, there has been

heavy demand for US visas, which has led to longer waiting times than usual. The Mission is encouraging potential travellers to apply for their visas at least three months before the planned travel date.

Think before you tweet THOSE wishing to travel to the US should be mindful of what they post online, following a new requirement for would-be travellers

to submit social media information on their visa applications.

The policy is already in effect, according to visa companies canvassed by TNW. Visa applicants completing the DS-160 form for non-immigrant visas will be prompted to select the social media platforms on which they are active and input their usernames for each platform. The visa companies were adamant that applicants would not need to input their login details for their social media profiles.

It is not clear what the social media information will be used for, but visa companies suspect that it is to gauge if a potential traveller poses a security risk to the US.

Protection of informationThis change in visa policy may spark concerns about invasion of privacy, however the Protection of Personal Information (PoPI) Act protects only private information and, as such, any information that is shared publicly, automatically falls outside the Act’s protection.

Amex launches virtual cardAMERICAN Express has launched vPayment in the South African market, a virtual card that forms part of the American Express Complete Travel Solution, an end-to-end payment solution for TMCs and corporates.

American Express Complete Travel Solution integrates vPayment with Amex’s BTA Powerlink, a billback solution designed to improve cashflow, spend visibility and deal with manual capturing of card transactions on terminals. Amex hopes this umbrella solution will make reconciliation more straightforward.

Chris Wood, head of Card Issuing and Payments, says the Complete Travel Solution will reconcile transactions with same-day viewing of matched invoice and statement data. Every line on the client’s statement includes an invoice, allowing the

TMCs and corporates to match the reconciliation per line item.

vPayment aims to control and streamline payment and reconciliation processes by assigning a unique American Express virtual account number and user-defined expense information to each transaction. A transaction value and date range can be specified and associated with each virtual account number. Important data elements such as employee ID and all relevant booking references can also be associated with the account number.

Increased demandThere has been increased demand from South African corporates and TMCs for virtual cards, as they integrate comprehensive security parameters that will help the TMC and corporates reduce any possible

fraud, says Chris. “The company can

specify aspects such as to whom the card will be issued, the value of the card, the authorised merchants, and the time-frame for the validity of the card. Thanks to the transparency of these specifications and the clarity of spend the virtual card offers, reconciliation becomes more streamlined,” Chris says.

Chris adds that, from a TMC management point of view, the virtual card means there is no additional impact on the TMC’s cashflow, as it carries the same costs and reconciliation processes as the traditional plastic card.

Partnerships with Uber4Business and Bryte Insurance will be included in this payment solution as well as a tailor-made travel insurance solution suitable for any business.

Offer your clients Celebrity Cruises’ Sail Your Way deal! Passengers can save up to $250pp (R3 664) on the first or second guest plus choose one of three options: lowest fare available with non-refundable deposit; two free perks; or four free perks plus 50% reduced fare for third, fourth or fifth guests in triple, quad and family staterooms. Perks include the classic beverage package, free gratuities, on-board credit and unlimited high-speed internet. The booking window for this offer ends on July 8, 2019 and the offer applies to sailings departing July 8, 2019, until May 3, 2021, excluding Galapagos sailings. Offer applies to all stateroom categories and block-out dates may apply. Toasting the offer is Terry Sowazi, reservations consultant at Cruises International. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl.

Sail your way!

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OTAS CAN OWN EVERY STEP

THE total experience is everything. No longer is it simply about securing the booking. As Travelport’s new e-book ‘How OTAs can optimise conversions across the customer journey’ indicates, OTAs continually need to customise the traveller experience across six stages – namely, Inspiration, Shopping, Booking, Pre-trip, In-trip and Post-trip.

The guide features insights, tactics and market research from over 2 000 end-travellers across ten countries as a means of understanding more about why, when and how travellers use OTAs.

OTAs are in an advantageous position, since the research shows that 70% of travellers have used an OTA when looking for inspiration for trips, while the same statistic suggests travellers trust reviews on OTA websites. Of respondents, 73% will reuse an OTA if they can book the whole trip in one place.

InspirationA breath-taking image or video that transports viewers to another world is where the journey begins. According to Travelport’s research, 50% of travellers are inspired this way when planning travel, with social media motivating about 32%.

At this point, the OTA needs to capture the imagination – and data – of travellers,

including website analytics and demographics, booking history or shopping trends that will support customisation.

The OTA’s website should be a visual feast, but also optimised for search, SEO and speed capabilities.

ShoppingTravellers want choice in seconds – less than two seconds to be precise – which is how long it should take to return search results on your website.

Enable users to research the best offers quickly in one place. Show branded airfares so customers don’t feel compelled to visit airline websites to double-check (and ultimately book). Of respondents, 71% want OTAs to predict airfares.

This stage is about narrowing down options – flights, hotels or ground transfers – and 52% of travellers with smartphones will switch sites or apps if they take too long to load.

Booking Show (don’t tell) the value of booking with your OTA, from how easy it is to add ancillary products (without overstepping the mark) to customer support. The inability to talk with someone is a pain point when booking, say 38% of respondents, while

69% need reminders to finish incomplete bookings.

The findings also highlight how 46% of travellers with smartphones make their decisions on mobile, but book on another device. Allowing users to start a booking on one device and continue it on another is a good way to provide additional value throughout the booking stage and provides a more seamless user experience, which in turn can lead to higher conversion rates.

Knowing when to push ancillary products is a delicate balance, even though 71% of OTA travellers want to add extras.

Pre-tripBuild on relationships by sending timely,

contextual and relevant communications via push messaging or e-mail, such as reminders to check in, or visa and vaccination information. Of respondents, 76% want trip status push notifications.

Position yourself as a trusted partner by advising on disruptions, sending prompts to book taxis or recommending travel insurance.

In-tripBeyond in-trip recommendations, travellers also expect OTAs to be on-hand to assist with queries while they travel. The research

finds that 42% like chat platforms to communicate with the OTA and 37% expect to chat via text message.

During the trip, nearly 80% want location-specific advice.

Post-tripOTAs need a plan going forward for every customer instead of selling once-off trips.

Use a traveller’s booking history, preferences and behaviours to engage them through marketing tactics.

Loyalty programmes influence 69% to re-book with an OTA and 47% want personalised trip inspiration in a newsletter.

And then the journey starts all over again.

To conclude, the concepts of personalisation, data, automation and similar buzzwords are the imperatives to commercial success in most industries. The key with the OTA is making them a reality and converting those passive browsers into active bookings.

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TRIP IDEAS BE VISUALGET SOCIAL

have used a OTA when

looking for travel inspiration

are influenced by videos and images when

researching travel

use social media for trip

inspiration and planning

70% 50%32%

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Booked.Drama.Own the traveler journey

Scan me for a free guide

travelport.com/ExperienceConversion

KEEP IN TOUCH

OFFER SUPPORT

PRICE PREDICTION

would like to receive a reminder

to finish an incomplete booking

say inability to talk to someone

is a pain point when booking

want OTAs to predict when

airfares are likely to go up or down

69% 38%71%

ANCILLARIES PUSH IT GOOD

BE FLEXIBLE

want the ability to add ancillaries

after their booking

want trip status push notifications

from travel brands

want flexible payment options (e.g. pay a deposit/

instalments)

71% 76%67%

SPEED IT UP OFFER CHOICEREVIEWS

Return search results on

your website in <2 seconds

would re-book with an OTA if they

could book a whole trip

in one place

trust reviews they see on

OTAs’ websites

<2 73%70%

GEO TARGET SOCIAL CHATCOMMUNICATE

of travellers want location-specific

travel tips from OTAs

want to use social

to chat with OTAs in-trip

want to use chat platforms to communicate with OTAs in-trip

78% 27%42%

INSPIRE LOYALTY

PERSONALIZEFEEDBACK

say loyalty programs

influence them to re-book with

an OTA

want personalized trip inspiration

in an OTA’s newsletter

would leave a review with an OTA if

incentivized (e.g. loyalty points)

69% 47%57%

Competition puts online travel agencies (OTAs) under pressure to prove their value, but those that are creating the best overall customer experience will win and retain the business. JP Ephithite, Travelport director of propositions – OTA and Meta channel, shares some insights on how OTAs can own each step of the traveller journey.

6 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Cape Winter Breaks Crackling winter fires, wine, food festivals and whale watching – visiting the Cape during the winter season is a great way to beat the winter blues. Deena Robinson reports.

Operators hope for last-minute bookings

AFTER a tough 2018 for the Cape, with demand affected by concern over

the water crisis, many operators report a resurgence in demand for the summer period but give conflicting predictions about how occupancy and loads will fare during the winter season. Many say the jury is still out on whether last-minute school holiday bookings will save the day.

Senior product manager of kulula holidays, Craig Parvess, says, year to date, he has seen an increase of 15% on its Cape Town domestic packages.

He says winter versus summer occupancy fluctuates and that if the deals are priced right and done in advance, they get similar numbers in both seasons, although winter packages are discounted more heavily and frequently to stimulate demand.

The drought last year had a significant effect on tourism and packages to Cape Town, however this seems be recovering now, and kulula holidays is expecting higher growth in the second half

of the year.From an airline perspective,

Kirby Gordon, head of sales and distribution at FlySafair, says forward bookings more than a month out are difficult to predict because booking times are short, but at present FlySafair statistics indicate that loads are exactly the same as last year for the Cape winter season.

“May was a difficult month for airlines as there weren’t any long weekends or school breaks. However, as airlines often run specials for their winter inventory, we are optimistic for the upcoming school holidays,” says Kirby.

Mark Jakins, Premier Group sales, revenue and marketing director, says all its Cape properties are demonstrating resilience this winter, with forward occupancies looking better than last year.

According to Ruzandri Stolz, marketing manager of aha Hotels & Lodges, it is still too early to predict winter sales due to the short lead time over this period.

She says rates are generally

highly discounted during this period to attract travellers.

Patsy Hayter, owner of Exclusive Getaways, says despite winter rates being lower across the country, South Africans are choosing to take advantage of game lodge discounts rather than Cape winter discounts this year.

Game lodges market winter as being the best time of year to see game, with animals gathering near waterholes during the dry season.

Patsy says there is plenty of demand for Cape Town for the upcoming summer months but the region hasn’t fared so well for its green season this year.

Tourvest Destination Management ceo, Martin Wiest, reports that forward bookings are down 10% year-on-year. Martin doesn’t believe in offering winter rates or promotions as it reinforces the message that South Africa and the Cape are undesirable in winter.

“We need to drive an acceptance of travelling here in winter,” says Martin.

Premier Hotels has various special offers for the Cape including winter conferencing and winter leisure. Get 20% off bookings (bed and breakfast included) until the end of August with promo code ‘Winter 2019’. This offer is valid for weekend and midweek bookings. Conference clients can organise a customised winter comfort menu to enjoy with lunch and tea/coffee breaks. Premier will offer special day conference package rates for overnight guests, where organisers will stay free, subject to 10 or more rooms booked.

Book it!

Beat the winter bluesTHE weather may not be perfect for the beach, but a visit to the Cape during winter season has many benefits. From wine, cheese, chocolate and port tastings, to crackling fires, whale watching, big wave surfing, marathons and foodie festivals, TNW rounds up some great reasons to visit during its green season. Wildlife viewing in family-friendly, malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park is at its best from June to September, as the water levels are lower, resulting in animals gathering near waterholes. One of the biggest highlights on the Cape winter calendar is whale-watching, which runs from May to November, with peak calving season taking place during July and August. Venture along the Cape Whale Route from Betty’s Bay through Kleinmond, Pringle Bay and Gansbaai, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and mountainous fynbos terrain on the other. Hermanus is the largest town along the route, boasting excellent accommodation, restaurants and adventure activities. It is recommended to schedule a stop at De

Hoop Nature Reserve, which is known for its Southern Right whale migratory calving population. A number of tour operators specialise in whale-watching boat tours, with additional activities on offer, including shark-cage diving, sea-kayaking, parasailing and horse riding. From June 27-July 7, the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown offers more than 600 shows, ranging from opera to cabaret, drama to jazz and stand-up comedy to folk music. The Cape Town Festival of Running offers 5 x 5km relays, a 21km, 50km and 100km runs. It will take place on July 20 and 21, starting and finishing on the Sea Point Promenade. The Nelson Mandela Bay SA Half Marathon Champs will take place on July 27 at Pollok Beach, offering a 5km fun run and a 21,1km run. The consistent surf in the winter months makes the Cape ideal for surfing competitions. From July 9-22, the JBay Open will take place at Jeffrey’s Bay and the Mercedes-Benz Buffalo City African Nations Cup will take place from August 14-17 at Nahoon, East London’s most popular beach.

Aha’s The Rex Hotel in Knysna has recently opened The O Bar & Eatery, featuring an outdoor terrace where guests can indulge in coffee or light snacks. The cuisine draws inspiration from the Mediterranean and North Africa. Vegan and vegetarian dishes are available.

The Cape of good food KNOWN as a great foodie destination, this region goes above and beyond during the winter months, hosting a plethora of fun wine, alcohol and foodie festivals. The annual Knysna Oyster Festival will take place from June 21-30. The festival’s unique events include marathons, wine festivals, soccer and basketball tournaments, and shucking competitions. The highlight of the festival are the oysters, served naked, cooked or garnished at over 30 hotspots throughout the festival. Stellenbosch Wine Routes will host a series of winter events at Stellenbosch Town Hall. On July 17 and

August 14, a selection of cellars will showcase their wines, and there will also be food vendors and live entertainment. The Great South African Gin Festival will take place at the Castle of Good Hope on June 28 and 29. Guests can indulge in 100 different gins from around the world, cocktail demos and live entertainment. The Franschhoek Wine Valley will host its annual Bastille Festival on July 13 and 14, to celebrate the Valley’s French Huguenot heritage. Award-winning wine estates will offer tastings with entertainment for the whole family to enjoy, including parades and craft stalls.

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8 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Tourism Authorities

Digital destination marketing campaigns run from head office bases remain popular, but the value of personal interaction is still considered important. Kim Cochrane reports.

Online platforms in vogue, but not for everyone

THE growing trend of using digital platforms to market destinations

has allowed tourism authorities to continue with destination drives without a physical presence in those markets, says Thulisile Galelekile, gm of marketing, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.

Danica Helfrich, head of marketing at Travelcheck, agrees that, in a world of transparency, quick communication and easy access to information, for some tourism offices a centralised approach has proved successful for smaller source markets.

“Agents can access information via well-developed websites and online resource centres. We do see, however, that some tourism authorities are still visiting the market via scheduled roadshows, tradeshow visits and similar, despite not having a year-round physical presence in the source market.”

Jameel Karim, sales

and marketing manager of Serendipity Tours and previously marketing manager of Tourism Malaysia, says in terms of online resources, the trade has all the information they need for itinerary building and bookings, with an online platform being perfect for millennials.

He says people still frequently request information from him because they want physical material and relationship-based transactions, especially for the baby boomers looking to travel. The e-brochures are available, but they are not as well received as the tangible alternatives.

“We’ve also noticed that, with walk-in clients,

brochures are a key factor not only in selling the destination, but also for promoting it in-store, supported by posters, brochures, desk gifts and other goodies.”

Philippa Piguet, representative of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) in South Africa, says the trade appreciates consistent engagement and support with the provision of information, training, marketing and campaign support.

“They also appreciate being part of networking and business development initiatives such as roadshows, workshops and one-on-one meetings. Recognition for their hard work and efforts is equally important.”

Thulisile finds a lot of tour operators look for support with regard to joint marketing agreements and for assistance in lobbying accommodation establishments to improve their rates.

Road shows help to build relationships OPERATORS and tourism authorities report that there is high value in making use of road shows as a destination marketing initiative, due to the direct interaction that they facilitate between key decision makers.

“These go a long way in driving conversions, as road shows give agents first-hand information to sell a destination with great authority,” says Thulisile Galelekile of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.

TKZN will continue holding roadshows in key long-haul destinations as well as within the SADC region, adds Thulisile. “We will also continue operationalising the JMAs with tour operators in those markets.”

Serendipity Tours’ Jameel Karim agrees that the main benefits are in branding.

The MTPA recently concluded a national roadshow in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, with various partners who attended from Mauritius,

as well as Air Mauritius and the tour operators, says MTPA’s Philippa Piguet.

“The benefits of participating include relationship building and business development.”

On the flip side, however, many roadshows go on for too long, becoming monotonous and resulting in information overload. It is also difficult to try and please everyone when selecting dates and times, says Jameel.

“Everything must get attention and delegates sometimes only remember the last thing they heard, the product mentioned with the funniest joke or what freebies they got.”

Thulisile agrees that there are no guarantees that roadshows will lead to conversion, which can mean the ROI is unproven.

“To mitigate this, the authorities and products are encouraged to make continuous follow-ups with agents to encourage them to package a destination.”

“The e-brochures are available, but they are not as well received

as the tangible alternatives.”

KZN to reposition globallyA DURBAN-KwaZulu-Natal global re-positioning marketing campaign is in the pipeline and it has the backing of 15 big-name regional and national private-sector companies to help fund it. This public-private

partnership will co-develop a strategy to focus on growing the international market.

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal’s Thulisile Galelekile says this will ensure that all key players communicate a single-minded message

to create a clear brand positioning for KZN.

“This is a critical aspect for the growth of any destination. The value proposition will position Durban-KwaZulu-Natal as a destination that caters for trade,

investment and tourism.”The idea is to brief

a globally renowned marketing company by end-July so the work on repositioning can begin in August, confirms Thulisile.

“The plan is to work with an agency that has

vast experience in global destination marketing, to come up with a sound value proposition that will be used by everyone in KZN who sells the destination. This repositioning will be unveiled by April 2020.”

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday June 26 2019 n 9

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THE WAVES ARE CALLING, MAKE MEMORIES…

TOURISM AUTHORITIES

Is a physical presence still necessary?WHILE the decision not to have a physical tourism board presence in South Africa is paying off for certain countries with developed tourism markets, others believe that a local office is an essential part of achieving growth in passenger numbers.

Most tourism authorities follow a strategic approach to focus on source markets with a higher revenue stream and, unfortunately, South Africa is – in many cases – not one of the key source markets, says Danica Helfrich, head of marketing at Travelcheck.

“I have previously worked with the German National Tourism Board and the Switzerland Tourism office, both of whom no longer have physical representation in SA.”

According to Danica, Germany has, for example, increased visitor numbers constantly over the past ten years and seen an exponential growth on a worldwide scale, despite

pulling out of SA. Philippa Piguet of MTPA

disagrees, and says the contribution that the local MTPA office makes from a destination marketing perspective creates critical awareness and demand for the destination.

“This happens through our ongoing creative campaigns and interventions from a trade

relations and consumer marketing perspective,” she says.

She also confirms that South Africa is a priority market for Mauritius and that it has been in the top-five source markets for more than ten years.

“We have seen a year-on-year growth for the past three years, with 2,8% in 2016, 7% in 2017 and 14,2% in 2018.”

Philippa believes it’s important to provide the trade with support for their initiatives as well as general destination awareness and education to help them sell the destination more effectively. “Ultimately, we are a partner to help drive success.”

Jameel Karim of Serendipity Tours is also a strong advocate in favour of tourism authorities maintaining a physical presence in South Africa.

He explains that even in 2014, after the Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia

disasters, the damage control, promotions, marketing and sales operations rolled out by the local tourist authority managed to mitigate negative perceptions, with South Africa ranking as one of only five countries in the world to show growth to Malaysia during that tragic period.

He adds that South Africa is a springboard for the development of tourism throughout Africa and also, on occasion, the Indian Ocean islands. Therefore, when a foreign tourism board decides to exit SA, it means an exit from the continent as a whole.

“After Tourism Malaysia exited SA in 2017, Malaysia saw a major decline in visitor numbers from the continent of Africa during the following year,” says Jameel.

“We showcased our offerings first hand, answered questions and assisted walk-in clients/groups. We trained

travel agents, distributed marketing material and assisted with airline and tour operator promotions. Most importantly, we hosted fam trips to get agents to sell Malaysia over its competitors. These were instrumental tools in closing deals and creating a platform for the brand in Africa.”

Jameel believes Tourism Malaysia’s participation in the Travel Expo in February indicates an interest in tapping back into this market, as is the case with other tourism boards operating from their local embassies, consulates and/or other international offices tasked with looking after the African market.

“In terms of Africa and SA, it depends on government intervention and the Africa desk at Tourism Malaysia headquarters. Mention was made of reopening the office in SA, however this remains to be seen. For now we play it by ear.”

Danica Helfrich

10 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Atout France – SA remains a priority GOING against the trend where tourism boards are withdrawing their physical presence from South Africa, Atout France and Réunion Island Tourism Board continue to see the importance of the South African market and to access opportunities to showcase its destinations in a unique way.

The challenge is that many tourism boards are repurposing international digital content for this market, particularly those who no longer have a physical presence here. Tourism boards should rather connect with South Africans in a way that is unique to them,” says Hélène Bezuidenhoudt regional director Southern Africa of Atout France, which also represents Réunion Island Tourism Board locally.

Hélène thinks creativity is key to capturing the imaginations of South Africans as the market is

calling out for something different. As an example, she explains that content on the Réunion Island Tourism Board blog is written specifically for South Africa, which, she says, is a key source market for the island and one that is growing.

“France continues to maintain its position of most-visited country in the world. SA may not be among the top source markets, but the number of visitors is growing steadily.

The French government has therefore ensured that the visa application and issuing processes are efficient because SA visitors are a

priority for France. South Africans travelling to Réunion do not require a visa.”

She says sports tourism is big in France, with the French Open, Grand Prix or Tour de France always attracting visitors. “We are also looking forward to hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup.”

Banyana Banyana, by participating in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, for example, promotes France every time a match is hosted in Le Havre, Paris or Montpellier, she adds.

Closer to home, Hélène reminds travel consultants to diarise the ‘Best of France’ roadshow that takes place in the week of October 7.

“We look forward to introducing new tourism actors who have not yet been to SA. We consider the tourism trade in SA for France as much as for Réunion, to be essential to the development of the many destinations in our country.”

Book it!

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority is running a MICE Incentive Programme for agents who sell groups of 10 or more to Mauritius. There are lots of fabulous prizes including trips to Mauritius to be won. To participate, send an email with your name, company, telephone number and email address to philippap@meropa.co.za.

A Route Development Committee – including TKZN – continues its work to attract direct flights to King Shaka International Airport. Its strategy and ‘Direct Durban’ logo were showcased at this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba. This provincial committee drove the campaign that led to British Airways introducing direct flights from London Heathrow to King Shaka International Airport. Since King Shaka International Airport opened nine years ago, international passenger arrivals have gone from 87 466 to 170 341 a year, due to new airlines flying direct. Phindile Makwakwa, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal acting ce, says visitors from Africa are KZN’s fastest growing source market. Of the 2017 international arrivals to KZN, 60% were from the African continent.

TOURISM AUTHORITIES

“Creativity is key to capturing the

imaginations of South Africans as the market

is calling out for something different.”

Thailand adopts ABC strategy THE Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is continuing in its efforts to promote emerging destinations within Thailand by adopting a simplified ‘A-B-C’ strategy creating inter-linked, theme-related travel routes that better distribute visitor flows nationwide.

A – Additional: This strategy connects major destinations to nearby emerging cities.

B – Brand new: Promoting new potential emerging cities. Some popular destinations can be individually

promoted thanks to their strong identity and positioning. For example, Buri Ram in the northeast has a rich Khmer heritage and is also becoming a regional hub for domestic and global sports events since the opening of the Chang Arena and Chang International Circuit

C – Combined: Some emerging cities can be promoted in combination due to their proximity, shared histories and civilisations. For example Sukhothai combined with Phitsanulok and Kamphaeng Phet for a historic route.

Sukhothai can be combined with other historic sites.

More flights to Durban

JOBSCOMMUNITYNEWSBirths, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW’s Deena Robinson, at deenar@nowmedia.co.za

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday June 26 2019 n 11

Appointments

Pick of the week

These adverts were selected from the vacancy section of www.travelinfo.co.za To advertise contact jobs@travelinfo.co.za

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Reservations Consultant – CPT, West CoastQuantex Recruitment GroupExcellent South Africa knowledge & 3 + years’ inbound consulting experience vital. Own reliable transport & valid driver’s licence required. Flexible working hours on offer! Email: lee@quantex.co.za

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Faeza Edries, who heads up Travel Counsellors’ accounts department in South Africa, has just celebrated her 10th anniversary with the company. Faeza is pictured with Mladen Lukic, gm Travel Counsellors SA.

Travel Counsellors head office travelled to Kimberley and Bloemfontein to meet up with TCs in those areas. Front (from left): Jeanne Thirion, Rina Hansen, Mercia Gerber and Nina Gerdener. Back (from left): Nicolene Diedericks, Hennie Hansen, Jessica Cameron and Maggie du Toit, all TCs; and Jonathan Harrison, TC head office – operations care team.

Decade for Faeza!

TC on tour in Bloemfontein

Danica Helfrich has been appointed head of marketing at Travelcheck. Danica previously spent nine years as head of marketing Southern Africa at Lufthansa Group and two years as the leisure division leader at Big Ambitions.

Melanie Walljee has been appointed a director of FCM Travel Solutions. Melanie joined the

Flight Centre Travel Group in 2007 as a travel consultant. She briefly served as director and gm of FCM Travel Solutions before becoming operations leader and systems and implementation manager at FCM Travel Solutions.

Thembi Kunene-Msimang has been appointed chief operating officer at Tourvest Incentives, Meetings & Events, a division of Tourvest Destination Management.

12 n Wednesday June 26 2019 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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TNW NEWS

How are your forward bookings for the June-July school holidays compared with last year?

Drop in school holiday forward bookings

ET sets hub strategy in motionCatherine Bower

ETHIOPIAN Airlines has taken a leap toward a multi-hub strategy with the

launch of ASKY Airlines’ new Lomé-Johannesburg flights. ASKY and ET hope this route will create easy access into west and central Africa.

Ethiopian is working on a multi-hub strategy, with one main hub in Addis Ababa and two smaller hubs across the continent, to assist in creating connections between regions. The airline is looking at Lomé as the west and central African mini-hub, leveraging off ASKY’s reach in the region. Lilongwe’s Kamuzu International Airport will serve as the southern African mini-hub. “Ethiopian has partnerships with Togo’s ASKY Airlines and Malawian Airlines,” says Abel Alemu, Ethiopian Airlines’ regional manager Southern Africa.

Air access into and around Africa is a constant concern for South African agents. ASKY flies to 23 destinations in the region. “We are very strong, we have a dominant fleet and good connectivity,” says Nowel Ngala, commercial director of ASKY. The daily JNB flights operate via Lagos, Nigeria, and

Douala, Cameroon, three days a week, and via Lagos and Libreville, Gabon, four days a week, with fifth freedom rights. The daily flights offer a good connection time for the airline’s other routes in the region. The flights land in Lomé at 10h30.

“Corporate travel into Africa is made difficult by limited accessibility, which hinders

business growth,” says Delia Skinner, key accounts manager at XL Elite Travel. She says a route like this, with the backing of an airline like Ethiopian, has far-reaching benefits and will improve intra-African business relationships.

For more on airlines networks and hubs, see next week’s TNW.

ASKY’s Lomé-Johannesburg flights have had good forward bookings, says Nowel Ngala, commercial director of the airline. Agents can take advantage of a ‘buy one get one free’ opening special on the route until the end of September. Nowel (left) is pictured at the launch of the flights on Thursday June 14 with Abel Alemu, Ethiopian Airlines regional manager Southern Africa.

WebBeds warns agentsSA TRAVEL agents have received notifications from WebBeds, warning clients that third parties impersonating employees at WebBeds have made several attempts to redirect customer payments to a different bank account.

In response, the bedbank has advised agents that its bank account details have not changed. Agents are to immediately notify WebBeds if they receive an

email of this nature, the notification said.

WebBeds says it will not honour any payments sent to different bank accounts without prior verbal confirmation from WebBeds employees of its bank details.TNW contacted SA

WebBeds representatives for information and the local situation but had not heard back from the company at time of going to print.

56%

12%18%

Barsa defends Res 830d

Asata respondsAsata feels that Barsa’s response has obscured our central concerns, which we have raised with Iata and await response on. They are: Our predominant concern with the Iata regulation is that it prescribes an onerous and often impractical process and does so without having

done any form of impact assessment. This would have been understandable if there were a legal requirement in terms of current (and future) data protection laws, but there isn’t. Travel agents are under no obligation to hand over the personal information of passengers.

In fact, it is only allowable under strict circumstances. Asata is not the only industry association to have raised these concerns. They are also shared by members of the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance and the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association.

From page 1This statement by Asata is alarmist, misleading and sends a wrong message to the travel industry.

The claim that the purpose of the resolution is ‘another way for airlines to cut agents out of the supply chain and market to consumers directly’ as Asata says, is disingenuous and goes directly against the spirit of customer-centric service. Section 4 of Resolution 830d clearly outlines why client contact information is required, and this is simply to be able to advise passengers of irregular flight operations and disruptions.

All over the world, passenger details are

inserted in bookings so that airlines are able to communicate with the passengers, especially where emergencies arise or flight disruptions occur.

This resolution covers communication with passengers in the event of a delay or disruption only. Customers will see this as part of the seamless travel proposition we are jointly working on with the agents.

Agents are not always available on email or on the telephone, especially over weekends, and not all of them provide a ‘round the clock’ service to their clients.

South Africa needs to comply with global standards; we are not living in isolation

from the world and are therefore obliged to adopt global standard practices.

Rather than continuing to be concerned with the airlines ‘stealing’ their business, perhaps agents should be focused on developing value propositions that add value to their clients and companies.

We all need to work tirelessly and together, to look at what is best for the customer, embrace the changes that we all know are coming and offer added value. Iata Resolution 830d needs to be implemented in full for the benefit of the customer.

June Crawford, ceo Barsa

Air Namibia cuts back on SA flightsAIR Namibia has suspended operations to Luanda and has reduced frequencies on some flights between Windhoek and Cape Town and Johannesburg. The airline has confirmed that it has suspended all flights to Luanda, while flights from

Windhoek to Johannesburg have been scaled down to two per day from the usual three. Windhoek to Cape Town flights have been reduced by one, leaving two flights per day on this route. One of these flights will operate via Walvis Bay.

They have decreased Too early to tell They have increased They are the same as last year