TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLYApril 12 2017 I No. 2441

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FEATURE

Plenty of affordable luxury

NEWSMAURITIUS

Beachcomber to build a new hotel

NEWSDIRECT BOOKING

Agents and airlines at odds

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Be a superhero!Amadeus is encouraging agents to discover their inner superhero with its educational campaign and competition on Amadeus Ticket Changer, which helps agents re-price or re-issue itineraries. Agents who create a personalised superhero newspaper front page on the campaign website could win one of five free yearly subscriptions to Netflix or Showmax. Pictured, is Amadeus’s wonder woman, Jannine Adams, senior manager marketing and communications, Amadeus GTD Southern Africa. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Sales nosedive as rand dropsCandiCe May

INDUSTRY players are already feeling a huge impact on business since Standard

& Poor’s Global Ratings cut South Africa’s sovereign credit rating to junk status on April 3 after President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle on March 30. Bookings and sales are expected to plummet after the peaks the trade hit earlier this year.

Mary Shilleto, ceo of Thompsons Travel, says it has been doom and gloom for the industry since the cabinet reshuffle – and it just keeps getting worse.

The rand was in a good place at the beginning of this year. Inflation dropped to an annual rate of 6,3% in February from 6,6% in January. On March 23, the rand inched to R12,50 to the dollar – its best level since

2015. “This made consumers feel upbeat and encouraged them to spontaneously splurge on travel,” Mary says, adding that the agency raked in sales during January, February and March. “A mere week later, the rand crashed, causing consumers to immediately panic and settle booking payments before it got any worse.”

At the time of going to print the rand was sitting at R13,84 to the dollar.

Michelle Bergset, chief operational officer of Pentravel, agrees. “March was the highest revenue month in the history of Pentravel by 40%. In the last week of March we saw many full payments come in to avoid price increases and now, the enquiry front has gone quiet,” she says.

Terry Munro, md of Beachcomber Tours, says most

tour operators have already increased their prices for all new bookings since the crash. “The rand is in a very volatile situation and will continue to weaken, so we are advising clients to pay so as to keep the rate when booked.”

In January and February, due to the strong rand, Beachcomber saw 45% (this figure has been updated since the article on page 4 was printed) and 23% increases in overall bookings respectively, compared with the same periods last year. Now, Terry predicts consumers will choose local over international travel and that sales will drop by as much as 10% with immediate effect.

Michelle forecasts that leisure travellers will opt for visa-free destinations, shorter holidays and that they’ll

To page 2

Nigeria makes visa changesleanne CuMMing

NIGERIA has announced changes to its visas and the application procedure. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a 48-hour visa-on-arrival system and

the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg has temporarily stopped issuing express visas.

The 48-hour visa-on-arrival system, launched on March 23, is not for leisure purposes and is available for, among

others, frequent business travellers and members of government delegations.

The visa can only be applied for online through the NIS and takes 48 hours to process. Embassies and other visa

To page 2

2 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Rubes® By Leigh Rubin

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NEWS

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“Between you and me, as a leader, he doesn’t exactly exude confidence.”

Sales nosedive as rand drops

start booking with a shorter lead time. “Consumers will undoubtedly demand peace of mind by securing the best deal at the time of booking. Family travel and cruising will increase as both offer all-inclusive options and ‘better bang for your buck’ holidays,” she says.

From a corporate perspective, Mary says travellers will have to cut back on business trips. “Earlier this year, companies were optimistic due to the flourishing economy and corporate travel was peaking. Now, they’ve already begun tightening the reins. This is exactly what we didn’t want to happen.”

From page 1

Nigeria makes visa changes

companies will not be able to issue a visa-on-arrival.

Applicants must fill out a form on the NIS website and a formal letter of request from a representative (such as a business partner) and a copy of a valid return ticket must be included in the application.

If successful, the applicant will receive an approval letter, valid for 14 days. The applicant must then make an online payment of $58 (R785) for a single-entry or $103

(R1 398) for a multiple-entry visa. Agents need to stress to their clients that a successful payment online is not an approval.

Upon arrival at the port of entry, applicants must present their approval letter, passport and evidence of payment to receive the visa. The visa-on-arrival system is currently operational at all Nigerian international airports.

Furthermore, the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg has suspended the issuing

of express visas (which were used for urgent applications and took two to three days to process).

Agents need to advise travellers to arrange their travel dates accordingly as other embassies, such as the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria, do not issue express visas.

At the time of going to print the consulate could not confirm when it would continue issuing express visas.

From page 1

Agents and airlines at odds over direct bookingChana BouCher

COULD agents find themselves working across multiple platforms as more airlines discourage GDS bookings?

A year and a half since Lufthansa introduced its direct booking platform, Direct Connect, the airline claims better-than-expected uptake and predicts other airlines will follow suit.

According to a recent Skift report, more carriers could launch similar moves to encourage direct booking and International Airlines Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways and Iberia, will be first in line to do so. Willie Walsh, ceo of IAG, said while there was a role for GDSs, the pricing model didn’t work for the airline looking ahead. “We are looking to negotiate a change to that,” he said.

“I have always said that Lufthansa was the first and won’t be the last,” says Marco Ciocchetti,

ceo of XL Travel. But many agents, like Marco, still favour the GDS. He says the only difference between Direct Connect and the GDS is the surcharge, which doesn’t affect agents as it is being absorbed by the client. He says it will create a problem if and when Lufthansa doesn’t release all of its inventory to the GDS.

“Bookings made through the agency GDS channel provide a much higher average value per ticket to the airline than those it generates through its own website and direct channels. Furthermore, these direct airline channels still come with high customer acquisition costs and tend to be much less effective outside the airline’s home territory where their brands are less well known,” says Siobhan McCarthy, Travelport’s senior manager, corporate communications, Europe, Middle East, Africa and

South Asia. She says airlines rely heavily on GDSs for managing changes, ticket re-issues, additions to bookings, the purchase and marketing of ancillaries and fare families and so on.

Meanwhile, André Schulz, gm Southern Africa of Lufthansa Group, says the airline has had fruitful discussions about potential Direct Connect partnerships in South Africa.

“The major long-term benefit of Direct Connect will be content differentiation, meaning specific sales promotions or discounted ancillary products will be displayed with preference via the Direct Connect distribution channel.”

In the meantime, Marco says XL Travel is analysing various solutions that allow consultants to work on one platform that aggregates content from different suppliers, including the GDS.

Iata extends PCI DSS deadline

IATA’S Passenger Agency Conference Steering Group has approved the

postponement of Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance in BSPZA until March 2018.

Last month Iata announced that agencies operating within the BSP that did not adhere to PCI security standards (which primarily have to do with the protection of sensitive cardholder information) by June 1, stood to lose their

Iata accreditation (see TNW March 8).

Because the process of becoming compliant with the PCI DSS framework is complex and lengthy, Iata will not proactively enforce compliance at this stage. For the time being, agencies are not required to submit any evidence of PCI DSS compliance and agencies will be advised when this evidence is required and how it can be provided to Iata, including the applicable timeframe, a

spokesperson said. The new deadline for

compliance aligns with the planned implementation date for Iata’s proposed new settlement system, NewGen ISS, and agents need to note that under the NewGen ISS programme they will need to be PCI DSS compliant to have access to credit cards as a form of payment. Being PCI DSS compliant will be a mandatory condition to obtain and retain status as an Iata Accredited Agent.

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4 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

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FlySafair is now the official domestic carrier for the Springboks. In collaboration with the South African Rugby Union, the airline invited the media to the FlySafair hangar at OR Tambo International Airport on March 29. The day kicked off with refreshments and appetisers and, after the big announcement, guests met and mingled with the players. Pictured (from left), sporting their signature green and gold colours, are Springboks Ruan Combrinck, Uzair Cassiem, Siya Kolisi, Elton Jantjies and Damian de Allende with Elmar Conradie, ceo of FlySafair. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Match of the year

Beachcomber to build new Mauritius hotelCandiCe May

BEACHCOMBER Tours will soon welcome a ninth hotel to its

Mauritius portfolio. Speaking at the Flight

Centre Travel Group Leadership Conference held at the Sun City Convention Centre, Terry Munro, md of Beachcomber Tours, said an influx of bookings had prompted this decision.

Terry says Beachcomber

Tours saw a 56% increase in bookings in January and a 23% increase in February compared with the same periods last year. He says the company will hopefully start building the new hotel next year and that it should take about two years to complete.

Terry says the strong rand had a lot to do with Beachcomber Tours’ influx of bookings. “Coupled with the popularity of Mauritius,

this created a new spark in sales. Customers also say they love that they can budget accurately with the fully inclusive options that we offer.”

Beachcomber Tours’ plans for a ninth Mauritius hotel are still under way, with building contracts yet to be approved. The company will announce when construction has started and when travel agents can start booking.

MICE next on govt cost-cutting agendadarise Foster

GOVERNMENT is going to realign the way it does MICE, just as it did with corporate travel.

Early last year, government had entered into direct talks with travel suppliers by negotiating nett rates on domestic air and land arrangements.

“Government spend on corporate travel alone was sitting at R10bn when we began the realignment of corporate travel. We knew that MICE was one of the highest spending commodities in government as well, but we gave priority to corporate travel with the intention of tackling MICE thereafter,” said Phale Naake, deputy director of fleet and travel management services at the Department of Labour, at a recent GBTA SA workshop.

National Treasury has instructed government departments to attempt to organise events, workshops

and conferences in-house first, before outsourcing the function – and even then, they would need to get approval first.

“The heads of departments of State-owned entities are mandated to approve such applications after careful consideration,” said Phale.

While he could not give TNW further details on the changes that MICE professionals could expect when doing business with government, Phale said: “When we did the cost analysis during the realignment of corporate travel, we realised that middle men and women are adding to the cost – and in the drive to cut costs, those who are adding to the cost will need to be cut.”

That said, though, government would not want to expose itself to the risk of poor service or shady work that compromised the integrity of government, Phale added.

HM to use new A330 on JNB flightsAIR Seychelles will operate its new Airbus A330 on its new twice-weekly service to Düsseldorf, and on selected flights to Johannesburg, Mauritius and Mumbai. It will also operate on existing services to Paris.

The new A330 will operate on flight HM 061 to Johannesburg, departing Seychelles at 09h15 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and arriving in Johannesburg at 12h25. Return flight HM 060 will depart Johannesburg at 13h45 and arrive in the Seychelles at 20h40.

The airline took delivery of the A330 on March 28. It is configured with 18 seats in business class and 236 in economy class.

Air Seychelles chairman, Jean Weeling-Lee, said: “With a second A330, our national carrier will now be able to enter the German market and increase capacity on other routes, supporting the growth of inbound tourism and, by extension, the economic development of Seychelles.”

Air Seychelles now operates a fleet of four Airbus aircraft – two A330-200s and two single-aisle A320s.

To the point

SA travellers can now check in for their Air Mauritius flight with their mobile phones and receive a digital boarding pass. The boarding pass can be saved on the phone and be used to access all checkpoints, including immigration, security checkpoints and boarding gates. The mobile check-in is available for flights from South Africa to Mauritius and Paris and will soon be available for London and Réunion. With the mobile boarding pass, all travel information is kept in one place and it is environmentally friendly as it eliminates the need to print a boarding pass.

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6 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Local is lekker! City Lodge Hotels has 54 hotels across all SA provinces. Here is the latest news in domestic tourism.

Sha’p-sha’p: (Sharp-sharp) (a) A South African term used to express

our good health and well being.

HOGS Hollow Horse Trails gives guests a unique way to experience the

Plett Winelands.Based at Redford Wine

Estate in Plettenberg Bay, the company takes guests on tours of the winelands by horse-drawn carriage.

Guests can sit back and enjoy local wines, while taking in the winelands scenery, mountains, fynbos, forests and vineyards. The carriage is a vintage 10-seater drawn by two Percherons and guides relate interesting facts and

information about the history of the area, its people and the local wine industry.

The departure times are 09h00 and 12h00, from Tuesday through to Sunday.

Other activities in Plett include cycling tours or taking a wine tour bus.

New conference hub opens in KZN BRAHMAN Hills in the Blue Crane Reserve in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands, has recently completed a refurbishment of the hotel and now offers The Agility Hub conference venue.

The building was once used to house cattle and has been adapted into a multipurpose events venue.

Groups as small as 20 can be catered for but it can comfortably accommodate as many as 100 people, and has access to The Stables restaurant. The Agility Hub is a multifunctional venue with access to a central courtyard; a white room featuring white boards; a private garden for silent breakaways; The Stables boardroom, which seats up to 18 people; and the Stables dining room, which seats up to 100 people.

Brahman Hills offers a number of additional conference centres catering

for 20 to 400 delegates. The Nguni Room in the Barn seats up to 20 delegates, the Lake House seats up to 150 delegates and the Glass House can seat up to 400.

Conference delegates can enjoy the hotel facilities, which include Copper and 89 on Copper – an

underground bar and wine cellar, as well as the Brahman Café and The Stable Restaurant. There is an onsite spa and activities include quad biking, hiking, horse-riding, game viewing, fishing, hot-air ballooning and sightseeing on the Midlands Meander.

Self-catering option in Mossel Bay PROTEA Hotel by Marriott Mossel Bay on the Garden Route has launched a self-catering apartment. The two-bedroom apartment has a kitchen and living area, a private entrance and an exclusive parking bay. Guests have access to hotel facilities such as the swimming pool, Blue Oyster cocktail bar and Café Gannet seafood restaurant.

The hotel is a 20-minute drive from George Airport and close to the Dias Museum Complex and the harbour at Santos Beach. Ronel Theron, the hotel’s gm said: “This area is increasingly popular among both the international and the domestic tourist market, and the need for quality accommodation is growing.”

Tshwane and Sandton set to welcome Capital hotelsTHE Capital Hotel Group will launch two hotels this year – The Capital Menlyn Maine in Tshwane and the Capital on Park in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The Capital Menlyn Maine opened partially on March 15, with a launch event planned for May 15 when the penthouse suites and two top floors will be available.

It will feature 200 one-, two- and three-bedroom hotel apartments, a 240-seat conference centre that can be split into three and can accommodate up to 80 people in banquet or classroom style. A 50-seat breakaway room, two meeting rooms and an events deck with a purpose-designed marquee that can accommodate up to 450

delegates will also be available in the hotel.

The 280-seat Koi Restaurant will cater for the public and also provide room service and daily breakfast.

Capital on Park on Katherine Street in Sandton will launch late this year. Marc Wachsberger, Capital Hotel Group md, said: “The hotel will be one of the largest conferencing hotels, with over 500 seats for conferencing and meetings. It will offer 240 one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as penthouse suites.

“We also plan to launch a hotel in Umhlanga and we are working on buying some land. We will have the hotel up and running in the next two years,” says Marc.

The Agility Hub conference venue.

Brahman Hills public area.

Unique way to explore the Plett Winelands

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 12 2017 n 7

NEWS

Local is lekker! City Lodge Hotels has 54 hotels across all SA provinces. Here is the latest news in domestic tourism.

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‘Check in clients, but charge’Chana BouCher

WITH travellers able to go online and arrange every step of their trip

themselves, it is increasingly important for travel consultants to offer service that goes beyond clients’ expectations. A recent discussion on agent collaboration platform, Open Jaw – whether or not agents should check in their clients – brought mixed responses.

While some consultants said they checked clients in as an extra value-add, not all agreed.

“I am happy to offer check-in when clients are struggling with it or if it is a good repeat client and they ask me to help with it,” says Bronwyn Pienaar, consultant of Trav Essentials. “If we offer it as a free service, though, clients will expect

it. Often it has to be done outside work hours and on weekends and I am not always in a position to perform this service, especially when I am away with no signal,” she says.

Another agent, who wishes remain anonymous, says: “I would rather spend my time sourcing the best travel deal and if they want the full service, it is there for them at a fee. I am running a business at the end of the day.”

Marco Micci, fares and technical manager of XL Sandown Travel, says because of the number of tickets issued on a daily basis, doing online check-in for all would be too time consuming.

So, just how much is the service worth? According to Marco, it’s R228. “We have agreed fees with clients

who want us to do it on a contracted basis.” Bronwyn charges R150 per person per leg, while the anonymous agent charges R100.

Bronwyn says if clients do it themselves, they are in a better position to request their preferred seats. “We pre-seat on window or aisle as per passenger request, and email the boarding pass to them, which you can do from the check-in website,” says Marco.

But according to the anonymous agent, sometimes there are technical issues, particularly when a codeshare is involved, that can take time to sort out. Another concern raised by Bronwyn is that by doing the check-in on a client’s behalf, the agent is accepting responsibility for what is in the passenger’s luggage.

A brief look at this week’s hotel news

Mauritius to welcome new Marriott brandMARRIOTT International has announced plans to launch its Aloft brand in Port Louis, Mauritius, in early 2019. This is Marriott’s first adaptive reuse project in Africa. The existing nine-floor office building will be transformed into a 150-room hotel, with loft-like rooms and accessible technology. All rooms will offer harbour or mountain views and platform beds, walk-in showers and Bliss amenities. Other features include WXYZ bar, a Re:mixSM lounge, SPG Keyless, a Re:charge fitness centre, a rooftop bar and pool; Re:fuel by Aloft, a 24-hour deli and two meeting spaces supported by an ‘In-Touch’ business area. Free WiFi will be available throughout the property.

Zim lodge closed for renovationsBUMI Hills Safari Lodge, near the north-eastern border of the Matusdona National Park in Zimbabwe, is being refurbished and is set to reopen on July 1. The 10 garden-view rooms are being turned into a gym and spa as well as pilot and guide rooms. Following renovations, the lodge will have 10 rooms overlooking Lake Kariba. The bathrooms of the rooms will be upgraded and the private decks will be extended. The decking along the infinity pool will also be extended to include a lounge and dining area.

Safari lodge joins aha portfolioAHA Hotels and Lodges has secured the full management and marketing contract for Sefapane Lodges and Safaris in Phalaborwa. “The establishment will be known as aha Sefapane Lodges & Safaris and will be fully incorporated under the aha brand,” said Neil Bald, aha Hotels & Lodges ceo. The four-star property has three lodge areas. The Sefapane Main Lodge has thatched rondavels and safari houses; Sefapane River Lodge’s rondavels are on the banks of the Olifants River in a private game reserve that forms part of the greater KNP; and the Sefapane Tented Camp offers family and dome tents. The Calabash Grill restaurant serves African-style cuisine and local specialities.

New self-catering option launches in Pretoria FAIRCITY Hotels and Apartments added Faircity Junction in Menlo Park, Pretoria, to its portfolio on March 1. Faircity Junction comprises 29 fully serviced luxury apartments and joins the group under the Serviced Apartments brand, accommodating short- and long-term stays.

Vic Falls lodge gets a refurbILALA Lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, is in the process of revamping 24 standard garden rooms, with estimated completion by April. Baths are being replaced by a walk-in shower and a new vanity area. The rooms will receive new carpets, sliding doors that open to the lawn area, room fridges and coffee pod machines. The lodge will create a new guest lounge area to allow for more seating capacity near the reception area.

New property for BON HotelsBON Hotels has added a 10th property, BON Hotel Grand Pela in Abuja, to its Nigerian portfolio. The conference centre has three meeting rooms seating up to 300 guests. The 87-room hotel, which is five minutes from the city centre and close to the airport, launched on February 10 and is ideal for corporate and business travellers. Facilities include an in-house spa and beauty salon, a gym, conference centre, restaurant, four bars and a lounge, and two swimming pools. WiFi is complimentary throughout the hotel.

Rezidor Hotel Group to reopen Ugandan hotelTHE Rezidor Hotel Group, in partnership with AYA Investment Group, has acquired The Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala, Uganda, and added it to the Quorvus Collection. The 296-room hotel will open in the second quarter of this year. It is in the city centre, on top of Nakasero Hill, and will feature a ballroom, nine meeting rooms, two boardrooms and a business centre. Facilities will include an all-day-dining restaurant, a sports bar and a pool bar. Other attractions will include a private membership gym, a wellness spa, two outdoor pools and one indoor pool, a children’s club, retail shops, a grill steak house and tennis, squash and volleyball courts.

PillowTalk

Travel Risk Map for 2017 revealedCandiCe May

SECURITY and medical specialists from International SOS and Control Risks have released the Travel Risk Map for 2017 – a tool for travel agents to advise travellers about the risks associated with certain destinations.

The map shows medical risks, such as infectious diseases, environmental

factors, the standard of local emergency medical care and access to pharmaceutical supplies; and security risks, such as terrorism politically motivated unrest and war.

This year’s records have shown potential terror attacks as the most serious concern (71%), Zika virus (49%) and civil unrest (46%). Road accidents and inadequate health care both come in

at 15% and 72% of people believe travel risks have increased over the past year with 57% predicting it will be more dangerous next year.

Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland are the safest countries overall with countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen and African countries such as Libya, Niger and Somalia, being the most dangerous.

8 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

South Africa’s five-star travellers are increasingly opting to travel to India, say destination specialists. Sue van Winsen finds out more about this trend.

High-end travellers are spoiled for choice

TRAVELLERS with a taste for luxury are spoiled for choice in India, with some of the world’s

best hotels and restaurants on offer. Operators have noted an increase in high-end travel to the subcontinent, with a steady growth from already strong demand.

Shameema Desai Kajee, manager of JetStar Tours, says the operator has always had a high volume of luxury travellers visiting India but has noted that the market is still growing. She says this has a lot to do with the impressive range of luxury options available, from luxury trains to upmarket beach resorts, exotic heritage hotels,

sprawling backwater resorts and world-class spas.

“Most of the top hotel chains in the world, such as St Regis, Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, Oberoi and Taj Hotels & Resorts, have properties in major Indian cities, offering accommodation that surpasses the expectations of the luxury traveller.”

Affordable luxury is one of the main reasons South Africans are opting for high-end stays. “With its vast diversity, India caters for clients who are seeking that special experience, but without breaking the bank in the process,” says Annemarie Lexow, sales manager of Travel Vision.

Top luxury experiencesAnnemarie says a luxury train experience is one of the best ways to see the country. She recommends the Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, The Deccan Odyssey, Maharajas’ Express or the Golden Chariot.

She says in northern India, she would recommend the exclusive spa and wellness resorts for repeat luxury customers. “Many of these retreats are in the Himalayas; the treatments are known to be world-class and the natural scenery is breathtaking.”

In southern India, she recommends the houseboats on the backwaters for luxury travellers and also a stay at the Kumarakom Resort and Spa in Kerala. Other particularly good choices are the Oberoi Rajvilas, Ananda Spa Himalayas and the Oberoi Amarvilas Agra (about 1,3km from the Taj Mahal).

Shameema agrees that Oberoi

Vilas properties are popular with South African luxury travellers and adds that the Taj properties are also a great choice. “The Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur and Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai will always be popular choices for South Africans. We have also found that hotels like St Regis in Mumbai and Leela Palace in Delhi are now gaining in popularity.

“One of JetStar’s favourite properties in India would be the Taj Rambagh Palace in Jaipur which was built in 1835 and was once the residence of the Maharajah of Jaipur. Although most luxury hotels in India make you feel like royalty, from the moment you enter the grounds of the Taj Rambagh Palace you feel that you are being transported to a bygone era steeped in opulence and extravagance,” says Shameema. She says, during low season you can get away with paying half the normal room rate.

Three great add-on activities

Annemarie says the Elephanta caves on the island Elephanta in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Mumbai, are a Unesco Heritage Site and worth a visit. Known as Gharapuri, or the city

of caves, there are two groups of caves to see: five Hindu caves and two Buddhist caves. In the Hindu caves, there are a number of sculptures dating from the 5th to the 8th centuries.

1. Kerala houseboat cruise (South India)Annemarie Lexow of Travel Vision says cruising the backwaters in Kerala in one of the beautifully handcrafted houseboats is a must-do activity. Originally, these boats were used to transport food but

they have been transformed into luxurious floating hotels, some complete with air-conditioners and modern bathrooms. Houseboats can be rented for a few hours, or overnight.

2. The Buddhist temples of Ladakh (North India)The majority of Ladakh’s residents are Buddhist and, despite the rugged landscape, temples have been built throughout the region. There are dozens to explore – some perfectly preserved and others in ruins. Visitors can go on a guided tour of the region and see the sacred sites while learning more about Buddhism. When visiting a temple, tourists will need to dress conservatively, ensuring arms and legs are covered, and must take off their shoes in prayer areas.

3. The Elephanta cavesElephanta caves

Diskit Monastery is the oldest and largest Buddhist monastery in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh.

Photo: Pixabay

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 12 2017 n 9

Namaste India

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Check out our latest deals:

www.travelvision.co.za

Contact us:

info@travelvision.co.zaTel: (011) 408 8000

Travel Vision... your getaway to India!

Important meeting

or backwater leisure

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The latest hotel openings From India’s first all-pod property to a floating hotel, there have been a number of exciting new openings throughout India. TNW rounds up some of the most noteworthy.

Mumbai has opened its first ‘Smart Hotel’ – Urbanpod. Instead of rooms, the property features pods, described as offering luxury accommodation on a budget. The hotel features 140 pods, with various upgrades including suite pods, private pods, and exclusive ladies-only pods. The Classic Pod fits one and offers baggage lockers outside the pod, complimentary breakfast and shared bathroom facilities. Each pod has a TV, complimentary WiFi, power socket, two USB ports, mood lighting and a safe. W Hotels has opened its first property in India – W Goa, on Vagator Beach. The hotel features 160 rooms, including villas, chalets, a ‘Marvelous Suite’ and an ‘Extreme WOW Villa’ (W Hotels’ take on a presidential suite). The hotel includes a Spa by Clarins, Spice Traders destination restaurant, the Kitchen Table all-day restaurant, the WET deck bar, the Living Room and WOOBAR, and the Rock Pool nightclub. Its 4 645 sqm of function space is due to open at the end of the year. Mumbai has opened its first 24-hour floating hotel – the AB Celestial. The five-deck

ship can host 660 guests and has a crew of 110. It features a sky deck, dining lounge, coffee shop and banqueting hall. Radisson Blu has opened a new hotel in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Known as the City of Temples, Jammu serves as a gateway to one of the most popular pilgrimages in India, as well as several temples. It offers 119 rooms and suites with modern amenities targeting both corporate and leisure travellers, such as 24-hour in-room dining, a business-class lounge, business centre, swimming pool, spa and fitness centre. It includes several dining options, such as the speciality Ambrosia restaurant, and offers more than 2 323 sqm

of flexible meeting space. Radisson Blu has also opened the Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru in the capital of India’s Karnatake state, Bengaluru, also known as the Garden City. The city is considered a popular business destination, and is also known for its parks and nightlife. It features 167 guest rooms and suites with modern facilities. The hotel also includes several food and beverage outlets, such as the One Atria Café, or the authentic Indian restaurant, Tijouri. There is also a whisky bar and tea and wine lounge. It includes over 1 250 sqm of flexible meeting space. Other hotel facilities include a business-class lounge, business centre, swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.

INDIA

Urbanpod ‘Smart Hotel’ in Mumbai.

Lift-off for RwandAir’s Mumbai serviceRWANDAIR launched its new service between Johannesburg and Mumbai, via Kigali, on April 5. The service operates non-stop four times a week.

Both legs of the flight are serviced by a Boeing 737-800. Return flights start from R5 269, including taxes.

“We are delighted to enable new and seamless

connections between more African cities and beyond the continent, which goes along with creating more businesses and boosts the various countries’ social and economic development,” said John Mirenge, RwandAir ceo.

Together with the newly launched Harare service, RwandAir now flies to 21 destinations.

10 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Six incredible specialsTNW rounds up the latest specials currently on offer. 1. Perfect Destinations is

offering a Golden Triangle and Mumbai tour from R17 440pps. The rate includes eight nights’ accommodation, meals as per the itinerary, flights from Johannesburg to Mumbai (including taxes) and return airport-hotel transfers.

The offer is valid until September 30.

2. G Adventures is offering a 15-day Essential India package with rates from R15 930pps. The rate includes tours and all transport between destinations and included activities and specific meals. It excludes international flights and taxes, visas and drinks. The itinerary includes Delhi, Jaipur, Dhula Village, Agra, Alipura, Orchha and Varanasi. Valid for set departures on April 23 and June 18.

3. JetStar Tours is offering a 12-day Golden Triangle package with rates from R22 999pps in a double room. The rate includes return airfares from Johannesburg to Jaipur International Airport, internal airfare to Mumbai, airport taxes, 11 nights’

accommodation in four-star hotels, transportation, sightseeing and breakfast. It excludes entrance fees (about R1 100pp), lunch, dinner and drinks. The itinerary includes Delhi, Haridwar, Jaipur and Mumbai.

Valid from April 15 to June 20 and July 17 to September 15.

4. Air Mauritius is offering discounted return fares on economy-class flights from Johannesburg to India. Flights to Bangalore are from R7 191; Chennai from R7 087; Mumbai from R7 211; and Delhi from R7 986. Fares include taxes and surcharges, subject to change at the time of booking due to currency fluctuations.

5. Travel Vision is offering a five-night Golden Triangle special with rates from R13 950. Valid from July 17 to September 30. The itinerary includes Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Rates include return airfare and taxes ex-Johannesburg, two nights’ accommodation each in Delhi and Jaipur and one night in Agra at four-star hotels, daily breakfast, transfers,

sightseeing tours, English-speaking guide, entrance fees to sites, elephant ride to ascend Amber Fort in Jaipur (subject to availability) and all applicable taxes.

6. Wendy Wu Tours is offering a fully inclusive 18-day Kerala and Southern Highlights package with rates starting from R66 480. The rate includes international airfares, domestic transportation, departure taxes and fuel surcharges, all accommodation, meals entrance fees and daily tours, and visa fees for SA passport holders. The itinerary includes Chennai, Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore, Coonoor, Munnar, Periyar, Kumarakom and Kochi. Highlights include the opportunity to explore the colonial buildings of Chennai; a visit to Shravanabelagola, one of India’s most revered Jain pilgrimage sites; a ride on the Ooty Toy Train, a visit to Periyar Wildlife Reserve and a cruise on the Kerala Backwaters in a houseboat. Valid for set departures on October 5 and November 2.

Did you know?

India is offering free pre-loaded SIM cards for all tourists arriving on e-visas. The SIM cards are being provided by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and come loaded with INR50 (R10) talk time and 50MB Internet data. Currently, the SIM cards are issued only to e-visa holders at Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) and will later expand to all 15 international airports. Tourists only need to fill out an information form at the airport Bureau of Immigration.

INDIA

Guests at the Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur can enjoy views of the Taj Mahal.

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JetStar Tours is working on packaging special airfares to India with a five-night Golden Triangle trip followed by a seven-night cruise on the Ganges Voyager in November, embarking from Kolkata. This 28-suite boutique hotel on water brings luxury to Indian river cruising, incorporating the traditional style of the British Colonial era. The suites range from 24 sqm to 37 sqm. Highlights of the tour will include Taj Mahal, Pink Palace, Mother Teresa’s home, Matiari Village and Mayapur. JetStar will also be introducing an Indian ‘glamping’ option for luxury travellers who want to do something different, combining the nomadic lifestyle with all the trimmings of a super-luxury stay (butler included). The glamping camps will be in the best destinations across India and timed with events and festivals.

Colonial-style cruising

Take note!India’s government is implementing a ban on liquor sales within 500 metres of state and national highways across the country. This is likely to impact a number of hotels, with the Supreme Court rejecting an exemption plea by the hotel industry. The ban took effect on April 1, but establishments with valid liquor licences will be permitted to continue operations until the licences expire, but not later than September 30.

JOBSCOMMUNITYNEWSBirths, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please e-mail TNW’s Taryn Nightingale, at tarynn@nowmedia.co.za.

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 12 2017 n 11

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National offices

Industry experienced candidates

Abide by APSO ethics

Specialists in YOUR field

Thorough reference checks

Credit & criminal checks

Founders of iThuba initiative

WHY USE THE EXPERTS?

www.leebotti.co.zaenquiries@leebotti.co.za

Pick of the week

These adverts were selected from the vacancy section of www.travelinfo.co.za For more details contact jobs@travelinfo.co.za

brought to you by

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Intermediate Wholesale ConsultantCheckout Tours4-8 years wholesale experience. Knowledge of Amadeus and Travelogic and preferablytravelled to SE Asia and Zanzibar. Email: Giles@checkouttours.co.za

Business Development Executive – Cape TownQuantex Recruitment Group3+ years’ corporate sales experience within the travel industry, a strong business acumen, & a go-getter attitude is what we want! Email: bridget@quantex.co.za

Amadeus Fundi’s – DurbanLee Botti & AssociatesImmediate starters for contract to perm. Minimum 1 years’ booking experience on Amadeus essential. Intermediates also welcome. Email: ericaks@leebotti.co.za

Senior Database Administrator – East RandProfessional Career ServicesPrepare rates received from suppliers for entry into Tourplan. Loading of exchange rates. Assisting consultants and accounts department with rate queries etc. Email: nonocv@pcs-sa.co.za

In-Bound FIT Expert – JohannesburgEquity Connections ccRun full functions of FIT’s into South/Southern Africa from inception to completion. Genuine passion for Africa plus in-bound experience needed. Email: equitycon@mweb.co.za

Senior Bookkeeper – S/Suburbs, Cape TownQuantex Recruitment Group8+ years’ related experience wanted. Successful tour operator is looking for an experienced, professional & meticulous candidate to join their team. Email: bridget@quantex.co.za

Sales Guru – DurbanLee Botti & AssociatesSet Durban on fire with your new business development & KAM experience to corporates. Reward upon reward. Email: ericaks@leebotti.co.za

Groups/Series Consultant – Johannesburg NorthProfessional Career ServicesTourplan. Min 5 years’ experience in inbound tour operator handling groups/series. Good knowledge of Southern Africa. Email: jeancv@pcs-sa.co.za

Senior Tours Consultant – JohannesburgEquity Connections ccLiaise with local/international agents. Plan, design, cost, sell tours into Africa. Relevant in-bound experience with five years’ as senior essential. Email: equitycon@mweb.co.za

Senior Corporate Consultant – RosebankWendy’s Travel PersonnelGalileo essential to join small, but busy office, which is part of a large group! Email: wtp@icon.co.za

SEAN Hough, former ceo of Pentravel, recently went to the Alps on his last trip with Pentravel. In a Facebook post, Sean posted a status saying “Last few days working for the best company, with the best people and doing what I love, skiing.” Sean continued to say that the Alps were a good place to celebrate Pentravel’s high and that March had been the best month in the company’s history. Sean said he was wrong when he originally forecast 30% year-on-year growth for the month, as the growth for March would be over 40%. “Good to leave with a bang,” said Sean. He said the growth in March followed the 873% profit growth over the last seven years and that Pentravel had come a long way “since those days as a non-profit

organisation when the travel agent was supposed to be dead”. “My love and thanks

and pride and gratitude to my massive travel family, suppliers and Pentravel.”

Wendy Wu hosted the recent Travelbags lunch at Phaze Restaurant in Randburg on March 24 for the launch of its 2017 brochure. During the presentation, guests feasted on traditional Chinese food and then the brave ones had some fun singing karaoke. Pictured (from left) are Annemarie Lexow, sales manager of Travel Vision; Bianca Morais, sales representative of Wendy Wu Tours; Nikita Tavlet, account executive of Travelinfo; Wayne Neath, national sales manager of Dream Hotels and Resorts; and (sitting) Sohana Grimett, sales executive of Travelinfo. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Leaving with a bang!

Pictured in the Alps (from left) is Melanie Tester, manager of Pentravel Hillcrest; with Pentravel’s Vicky Steinhardt, product manager; Sean Hough, former ceo; and Nicola Bradford, operations manager.

New Wendy Wu brochure!

Marelize le Roux, has joined Travel Vision as operations manager. Marelize has been in the travel industry for more than 21 years, both in retail and tour operations.

Nadia Steenkamp has been appointed Mauritius Incentive Connections’ (MIC) new sales manager for South Africa, effective May 2. Nadia was previously sales,

customer relations and transport manager with a tour operator. Nadia will be responsible for all groups, incentives and events business for the MIC Consortium, focusing on reviving the MICE business to the island.

InterContinental Hotels Group has appointed Rajit Sukumaran as the chief development officer in the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region. Rajit

will head the development team and lead the group’s growth strategy. He has over 12 years’ experience in development, acquisitions and feasibility from his previous role as senior vp, Acquisitions and Development, Asia Pacific of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Prior to joining Starwood, Rajit worked in the corporate finance division of PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore, where he was involved with several cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and initial public offerings.

Appointments

Delta golf sponsorship tees off in SADELTA Air Lines is now the official airline partner of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of South Africa and Club Management Association of Southern Africa (CMASA). The three-year deal builds

on Delta’s multiple cross-sport sponsorships as Delta is the first US airline to partner with golf as a sport in SA. “Delta is synonymous with sport in the United States and partnering with the PGA

and the CMASA is an exciting way to strengthen our brand in South Africa among customers and golf enthusiasts alike,” said Nat Pieper, Delta’s senior vp Europe, Middle East and Africa.

brought to you by eTNW and TRAVELINFO

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12 n Wednesday April 12 2017 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

TNW NEWS

Word of mouth is best!

I rely on word of mouth

Social media (eg. Facebook)

Google ads

I rely on head office/associations such as Asata

Print advertising in newspapers/magazines

How do you get your name out there?

Air Seychelles is making more fare classes available over Easter this year. The airline is selling all fares for travel April 12-19. Pictured, on the hunt for Easter eggs, are Samantha Leisher, sales executive, and Vincent Kgosiencho, reservations consultant of Air Seychelles. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Did you Sey more?

Stats show where agents can avoid ADMsTaryn nighTingale

NEARLY a quarter of the airline bookings made by SA agents

in February were cancelled, according to statistics released by the creators of travel data management product, Agentivity. Riaan van Schoor, co-founder, says there are identifiable areas where agents get ADMs that they can avoid – and making bulk cancellations is one of them.

Last month several agents wrote to TNW after being slapped with ADMs for what the airlines said were “excessive cancellations” (see TNW March 29).

Because airlines set the rules on what booking behaviour incurs a penalty, agents only discover much later where they could have prevented an ADM, says Yolande Bouwer, gm of Agentivity Southern Africa.

Furthermore, although agents can receive ADMs for both ‘excessive cancellations’ and ‘churning’, there isn’t clarity on the difference between the two. Because there isn’t a common definition of churning, Iata cannot compare this against ‘excessive cancellations’, hence today both are subject to individual airline policies, says an Iata spokesperson.

The Iata ADM working group is moving toward identifying a common understanding of churning to address issues on the confusion around it.

“Trying to avoid an ADM is like walking through a minefield,” says Riaan. He says often agents are either forced to make last-minute cancellations or hold multiple bookings for clients and that this type of behaviour can drive up costs and result in penalties for the agency.

“By offering visibility on the accounts or consultants where this type of behaviour is habitual, TMCs can educate their clients and staff on the consequences,” says Riaan.

Airlines often issue ADMs on what they call GDS wastage, he says. This can include segments that were changed to HX status (after the agent failed to ticket within the allotted time)

and ‘churned’ or duplicated bookings.

According to Agentivity’s statistics on SA TMCs booking air travel for February, 16% of segments booked by agents had their status changed to HX by the airline.

Of February’s bookings, 22% were cancelled either by the airline or agent. “This means almost a quarter of the work consultants did went to waste,” says Riaan.

Just under 1% of bookings were either duplicates or ‘churned’ bookings. Although the percentage might be quite low, if an agency did 200 bookings, two of those would be at risk of being issued with an ADM, Riaan says. “And ADMs can be so costly, they can put a little agency out of business.”

Riaan defines a churned booking as one in which a PNR was reused, whereas, he says, duplicates are multiple bookings on the same trip.

Agentivity can provide several types of reports that offers agencies with visibility on booking behaviour, including warning agents about when certain segments are about to be cancelled if not actioned and reports that can identify which clients regularly make last-minute bookings.

Post-Brexit skies remain cloudyTessa Marsh

AIRLINES are expressing concerns about what post-Brexit skies will look like. As the UK leaves Europe’s Open Skies system, the UK government will have to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the EU to allow flights to/from Europe.

Following the Brexit referendum nine months ago, the UK government seems to have no plan B to maintain Britain’s liberalised air links with Europe, in the absence of remaining in the Open Skies regime, says Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, Kenny Jacobs.

Kenny says Ryanair, like many airlines, plans its flights 12 months in advance and he is worried that Britain may not be able to negotiate a bilateral agreement in time for the release of airlines’ summer 2019 schedules by mid-2018.

A spokesperson for

International Airlines Group (IAG), British Airways’ parent company, says it will press strongly to maintain full access to international markets and to continue effective regulatory arrangements. Carinne Heinen, European PR manager of easyJet, says when the UK leaves the EU, easyJet’s minimum requirement will be a straightforward bilateral aviation agreement.

Airlines 4 Europe (A4E), whose members include Ryanair, Lufthansa, IAG and Air France, has also asked for consumers to continue to have ease of access.

A VisitBritain spokesperson confirmed that it too had been talking to the UK government about the importance of continued access to the single aviation market, adding that maintaining open skies was important to tourism in all European member states.

“Aviation is absolutely

crucial to the UK’s economy and we are committed to getting the right deal for Britain. We will work closely with the international aviation community to ensure that this global industry continues to be a major success story for the UK economy,” a spokesperson for the UK government told TNW. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says it is continuing to work with the European Aviation Safety Agency on a ‘business as usual’ basis. “We are also in constant dialogue with UK airlines regarding future regulation.”

Allan Lunz, md of BidTravel, says while it’s all still speculation at this point, agents will have to deal with whatever outcomes unfold. “We are concerned about visas. The current visa situation is relatively easy if travellers have UK or EU passports and we want to see how or if this will change.”

“Because airlines set the rules on what

booking behaviour incurs a penalty,

agents only discover much later where they could have prevented

an ADM.”

52%

29%

7% 7% 5%