Travel News Weekly - 9 June 2010

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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SouTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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June 9 2010 I No. 2110

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NEWSLoyALLoyALLoy ty proALty proAL GrAmmes

New online tool makes managing FFPs easy

fEaTurECAr rentALr rentALr rent

Business as usual after World Cup

NEWSthAi AirwAi AirwAi Airw ysAysAFares from SA slashed

Page 9

Business as usual after

SAA has, from the end of May, been testing electronic boarding

passes generated on home computers and cellphones, making it the first airline in the country to use 2D bar code boarding passes.

The trial will be limited to SAA domestic routes outbound ex-JNB until government gives the thumbs up for full implementation on international services.

Mobile check-in enables passengers to check in on their cellphones via a mobile portal. They can select or update reserved seating and complete the check-in.

Depending on predefined criteria (boarding point, origin and destination), passengers are offered a 2D bar-coded mobile boarding pass, which is displayed on their phones immediately after mobile check-in has been completed.

The service is accessible to all passengers with results displayed on their cellphones via the mobile portal.

The visual image of the 2D bar code is read by 2D bar code readers at security and the boarding gates, and is the only documentation needed.

Before that happens, the airline community in SA will have to show there are no risks to safety and security by

introducing the technology. CAA spokesperson,

Kabelo Ledwaba, says: “We have given SAA approval for the project and are satisfied that, in implementing the new system, both the airline and Acsa have managed to address what could have been security concerns.”

Mobile boarding pass services have been launched successfully elsewhere. Lufthansa’s online boarding pass service is available to customers on almost 700 routes. Axel Simon, director Southern Africa for Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines, says the airline “eagerly” awaits the introduction of this system at all SA airports.

“We will certainly participate in any local initiative as we have all required systems in place. Worldwide, more than 50 000 Lufthansa passengers a week use mobile boarding cards and over 50% of all Lufthansa passengers use automated check-in via Internet, automated check-in machines or mobile phones.”

When checking in online, passengers can print their boarding pass up to 23 hours before departure. Speed, convenience and flexibility are the main benefits, with queuing becoming obsolete. n

JeaNette phillips

QANTAS is to offer daily services between Johannesburg and Sydney from September 21.

Qantas ceo, Alan Joyce, said South Africa was a key route for the airline and the addition of a seventh service

would not only offer greater flexibility but also complement its daily codeshare services with SAA from Johannesburg to Perth.

Earlier this year, Australia’s International Air Services Commission granted Qantas permission to renew its codeshare with SAA until

December 31, provided it sold their services on the route independently.

Alan continued to say that, with the introduction of an additional Boeing 747 service on Tuesdays, another 350 seats per week and more than 18 000 seats per year will be added on the route. n

Travel News Weekly celebrates its 40th birthday this year! Join us in celebrating Travel News Weekly celebrates its 40th birthday this year! Join us in celebrating Travel News Weeklyour ‘Naughty 40s’ by helping us compile a 2011 industry calendar with a difference, featuring the South African travel industry’s hot men. Simply nominate who you think the women of our industry would love to see featured for a whole month by emailing your nominee to [email protected]. TNW undertakes to keep your nomination TNW undertakes to keep your nomination TNWanonymous. All the nominees will later be voted for by you to select the final 12 who will be photographed ‘in the buff’ for this calendar to raise funds for Ekukhanyeni, an NGO dedicated to community upliftment of two Johannesburg-based informal settlements. The project also supports some 600 vulnerable children. What are you waiting for? Send your nomination now to [email protected]

celebrates its 40th birthday this year! Join us in celebrating

who’s your hottie?

2D or not 2D?SAA trials convenient 2D mobile boarding systems, reports Natalia Thomson

Qantas to go daily JnB-syD

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2 n Wednesday June 9 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

Published by Lugan Investments (Pty) Ltd trading as Now Media Printed by Juka Printing (Pty) Ltd

EDITORIAL Editor: Natalia Thomson [email protected] Deputy Editor: Natasha Tippel [email protected] -Editor: Ann Braun [email protected] Cape Town Editor: Hilka Birns [email protected] Journalist: Jeanette Phillips [email protected] Journalist: Tijana Huysamen [email protected] Editors: John H Marsh (1914-1996) Leona Marsh (1923-2003)

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Rubes® By Leigh Rubin

Top web stories

Natalia thomsoN

THE timing of Thai Airways International’s inaugural Bangkok-

Johannesburg flight could not have been more ideal.

Just a few days before the service started, Bangkok’s night-time curfew was relaxed and international warnings against travelling to the Thai capital lifted.

The four-weekly service, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, began on June 2 and, to regain commitment from the SA market, the airline has immediately launched 50th Anniversary economy fares of R2 999 (excl. taxes) ex-Johannesburg.

These promotional fares,

say tour operators, are lower than the IT fares the airline has given to tour operators but they will make travel to the destination even more appealing for South Africans in the short term, despite the recent political turmoil.

The Bangkok situation, however, has not seemed to deter South African travellers, says Travel Vision sales and marketing director, David Bradshaw. “We’ve seen a hefty increase in business from last year and, as many people simply fly via other Asian gateways directly to Phuket, there hasn’t been any negative impact on our Thai business.”

Asian tourism organisations are urging

product owners not to discount Thai tourism products and services heavily following the conflict, saying the country already offers lower rates than most Asian countries without price-cutting.

Marius Venter Travellers’ Choice marketing manager, agrees, saying there has always been massive discounting from Thailand but that there are more specials out now, due mainly to Thai Airways’ heavily discounted fares.

David adds that there are always seasonal discounts on offer from Thai tourism products, especially in a destination like Phuket where there are thousands of bed nights on offer. n

Thai Airways slashes fares from SA

Harvey World Travel hosted its annual conference at Gold Reef City recently. HWT delegates spent the day learning about the group’s marketing efforts and operational status, as well as listening to suppliers’ show and tell sessions. Pictured here receiving an award for Top Supporter from Southern Sun are (far left) Tina Jennings, senior consultant, and (far right) Suebia Klein, intermediate consultant, Harvey World Travel Manor, with Harvey World Travel md, Rosemary Moss and Leanne Muir, Southern Sun sales manager: travel

And the winners are…

Incentives ‘destructive’From page 16an added extra that could help reach targets: “Certain agents are very money and perk driven. This appeals to these agents who will push the product to earn them.”

However, other respondents felt that educational trips were of far more value as an incentive. “It becomes intolerable to

manage when suppliers dump the schemes on the market. They should rather pool the money and spend it on real-life educationals of their products.

“This way they can turn agents into lifelong disciples of their service and product, not just for one ‘carrot’ season.”

Some 45% of respondents

would consider offselling a preferred because it was more ethical to present the client with all available options, 26% because the client requested a certain brand, 13% because the non-preferred offered a better service, 13% because of cash and voucher incentives offered by other suppliers, and 3% other. n

Natasha tippel

SINGAPORE Airlines, partnering with Changi Airport Group, has introduced the Passenger Reconciliation System (PRS) for its flights at Terminals 2 and 3.

With PRS, customers departing Changi Airport without checked baggage can proceed directly to the immigration access point, where security officers with 2D bar code scanners will verify their self-printed boarding passes.

Customers who have visa or credit card verification requirements will, however, still need to present their documents at the check-in counters first.

These customers should proceed to the designated self-service counters at Row 9 in Terminal 2 and Row 4 in Terminal 3.

To ensure a smooth travel experience, customers are advised to arrive at the airport at least 40 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. n

SQ streamlines check-in at Changi

● Welcome to the new eTNW● Agents only: Thompsons Mauritius agent specials● Nominate the industry’s ‘Hottest Men’ for TNW’s

Naughty 40s calendar● BA strike: Flights from May 30-June 4● TNW pick of the week: Changes to US visas announced

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Natalia thomsoN

EMIRATES Airline confirms its commercial STPC has now been extended until

October 31.The offer includes:● Accommodation at the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai● Transfers between the airport and the hotel● 24-hour check-in/check-out

The 96-hour visa and meals at

the Millennium Hotel are not included.

The CSTPC offer is valid for bookings that have the entire outbound or inbound on EK in RBD L class and above, assisting those passengers with a transit period of minimum stay of six hours and maximum 24 hours en-route to selected destinations.

The offer is subject to availability and must be pre-booked. n

Kate els

ORION Hotels has purchased two properties to add to its current portfolio – the Magoebaskloof Hotel and the Coach House Hotel and Spa.

A refurbishment is planned for the three-star Magoebaskloof Hotel but, as yet, a date has not been set for the work to commence, says Dino Urbani,

operations director.The Coach House will also

undergo small changes to better its offering, says Dino.

The group’s Mont-Aux-Sources property is also due for a small upgrade, which will be completed by September/October, while Orion Safari Lodge will have an additional 10 rooms added, which are expected to be complete by December. n

Kate els

THE Last Word has introduced a complimentary daily shuttle service, connecting The Last Word Constantia and The Last Word Bishopscourt with the V&A Waterfront. Departure from the hotels is at 10h00 with a return pick-up at 16h00.

For more information about The Last Word portfolio, visit www.thelastword.co.za. n

Travel consultants who had successfully completed the joint Tourism Ireland and Etihad Airways online workshop went into a lucky draw for a trip to Ireland at the beginning of May. The lucky winners were Fatima Behardien (Wembley Travel & Tours), Clara Fugareu (Park Travel) and Tamaryn Kruger (Flight Centre). The agents flew business class with Etihad Airways and enjoyed four fun-filled days in Dublin, courtesy Tourism Ireland. Etihad Airways flies seven days a week to Dublin from South Africa. Pictured here enjoying a drink are Tamaryn, Candice Allen (Etihad Airways), Clara, and Roger Cresswell (Tourism Ireland)

Agents visit Ireland!

EK extends STPC

Orion adds two properties

The Last Word connects with the V&A Waterfront

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday June 9 2010 n 3

NEWS


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Staff reporter

GETTING to Baghdad has become exceptionally easy as Emirates, and now Lufthansa, both recently announced

services to the country.Emirates’ new service to Iraq will launch on

July 1 and will run three times a week on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa confirms it will be introducing a new route between Munich and Baghdad from September 30. Passengers departing Johannesburg would have to connect from Frankfurt to Munich to access the Baghdad flights.

The four times a week service will be operated on behalf of Lufthansa by PrivatAir on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. n

DreamBoatsSend your cruising news to [email protected] adds Alaska to summer scheduleOCEANIA Cruises, represented by Cruises International, has announced the addition of Alaska to its 2011 summer schedule. Highlights of the cruise include two full days of glacier cruising and off-the-beaten-path ports. Ten departures are designed to explore Alaska’s Inside Passage in depth, including Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, plus less-visited outposts such as Kodiak, Homer and Hoonah. Depending on the itinerary, travellers will also cruise the Hubbard Glacier, Gulf of Alaska, Tracy Arm and College Fjord. Travellers can choose from four new itineraries. With two-for-one fares and flights included, a 10-day Alaska cruise starts at US$3 499 (R27 178) per guest based on double occupancy. Itineraries include the Majestic Alaska, Alaskan Grandeur, Frontiers and Glaciers, Glacial Wilderness. Guests will travel aboard Oceania Cruises’ 684-guest Regatta, a ship acclaimed for its open-seating gourmet dining, no surcharges, luxury public rooms and accommodations.

Carnival Cruise Lines names new shipCARNIVAL Cruise Lines, represented by Seven Seas Cruising, has announced that its new ship will be called Carnival Breeze. It will join the fleet in spring 2012 and the 3 690-passenger cruise ship will be the third ship in the Dream-class. Features include expansive, modern facilities for children and teens, a Cloud 9 Spa, and The Lanai, an outdoor promenade featuring cantilevered whirlpools that extend over the ship’s sides. Other features will include the popular WaterWorks aqua park with a 100m-long corkscrew water slide, and an indoor/outdoor café and live entertainment venue called Ocean Plaza. Accommodation includes de-luxe ocean-view state rooms with two bathrooms, and family-friendly accommodations that feature five berths. Carnival Breeze will operate three- to 15-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Europe.

Save big on Uniworld River CruisesUNIWORLD Boutique River Cruises is offering savings of R5 000 per couple on selected river cruises for 2010 departures. To qualify for the offer, bookings and full payment must be received in full before June 30.

Meetings with a view on HurtigrutenHURITGRUTEN, represented by Development Promotions, will be focusing on the MICE market, offering unique nature experiences. It offers customised event programmes including connecting flights, meeting facilities, breaks and excursions and meals. A price of £134 (R1 505) per day applies to any of the routes and includes the voyage, unspecified single cabins, meals, meeting facilities and coffee breaks.

Head for Baghdad on EK, LH

Getting to Baghdad on EmiratesAirline Flight no Segment Dept time Arrival time

Emirates EK764 JNB-DXB 19h05 05h05EK941 DXB-BGW 07h00 08h30EK942 BGW-DXB 10h30 13h55EK761 DXB-JNB 04h40 10h50

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NataSha tippel

SUNDANCE Spirit, a wholesale tourism company with

headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has opened a sales office in South Africa.

The office is located in Meadowridge, Cape Town, and will specifically assist with itinerary planning, quoting and reservations. It will cater specifically for retail travel professionals and their clients in SA who are seeking South American leisure travel experiences.

“Our priority is to educate and expose travel agents

to the South American destinations we feature,” says sales manager, Vanina Haydee Coon, who, prior to her transfer to the Cape Town office, was with Sundance Spirit anchoring operations in Buenos Aires headquarters for the past 13 years.

The decision to open a sales office in SA was inspired by the increasing number of South African clients looking to travel to South America, says Vanina. “We were handling considerable numbers of South African guests, many of whom came to Sundance as a result of word-of-mouth

recommendations.“By taking the approach

of treating all guests as individuals with individual needs and expectations (rather than offering ‘travel by herd’-styled product) we have earned the reputation of providing experiences from the basis of understanding what our guests from different nations are seeking in their holiday itineraries, which is vastly different from the majority of Argentine inbound DMCs who tend to offer the same style of product, irrespective of country of origin of the guest,” concludes Vanina. n

NataSha tippel

THE Holiday Factory has announced the launch of its new, custom-designed website.

The site has a number of new functions, including detailed information and fast facts on all destinations; product information on all properties packaged by The Holiday Factory; and current

packages and special offers. “We are very excited to launch our new

website,” says md, Jackie Turnbull. “The new site really highlights The Holiday Factory’s unique product offerings and captures the true spirit of travel!

“This is just the beginning of greater things for us and the site is a work in progress as we continue to grow and expand.” n

Sundance Spirit opens sales office in SA

The Holiday Factory launches new websitePentravel travel manager, Melanie Wesson, learns how to do the Diski Dance at the Johannesburg leg of Virgin Atlantic and V Australia’s countrywide road shows. The road show visited Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth and consultants were treated to round-robin type series of presentations on a variety of topics, including Flying Club, the frequent flyer programme, and the economy-class product for both airlines Photo: Natalia Thomson

Do the Diski!

DreamBoats


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KateKateK els

SIGNATURE Hotels has opened its new property at Durban’s Point Waterfront development.

The new Docklands Hotel offers a contemporary and chic setting for the new urban traveller, says the group. Each of the 83 rooms is designed with every aspect of room amenity and décor having been carefully considered to reflect the urban redevelopment of the area.

The bedrooms are designed for the business traveller with all the required technology on site. Bathrooms have spacious

showers with large shower heads, the rooms are well lit, offer 13 television channels, superior beds and adaptable spaces for working and leisure.

A public courtyard is serviced by the hotel’s restaurant ‘WODKA’, offering a fusion menu, with light meals served throughout the day.

Three large conference venues can host groups from 10 to 25 through to large conferences and banquets able to seat up to 350 delegates and guests. Secure parking is available for all visitors and a large central courtyard is available for breakaway sessions. n

AirHeadsHeadsAF expands Scandinavian footprint EFFECTIVE October 31, Air France will add a third daily frequency between Paris and Oslo, strengthening its network in the region. Together Air France and KLM operate to 11 destinations in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Air France and KLM’s networks are complementary with the presence of the Dutch airline stronger in northern Europe and Air France dominant on routes to southern Europe. KLM operates flights to all 11 Scandinavian destinations with only four of them served by both airlines. To provide passengers with easy access to their global networks, both airlines offer 12 daily frequencies between Paris and Amsterdam, and fare combinability, which allows customers to choose between connecting at the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle or the KLM hub at Schiphol.

Emirates goes mobileEMIRATES has announced the launch of ‘MobileEmirates.com’. The application now allows customers globally to book flights through their phone’s mobile browser. The application is designed to work with over 3 000 mobile devices and MobileEmirates.com has been optimised to ensure that customers on the move can easily and efficiently access the emirates.com website through their mobile phones. The new functionality ensures that the Emirates website is downloaded in the appropriate format for each specific mobile device, allowing customers to perform a multitude of tasks including booking and managing a flight, mobile check-in, searching flight schedules and status and even checking the in-flight amenities available on a specific flight.

SAA boosts Airbus short-haul fleetSAA has ordered an additional five A320 aircraft, increasing an earlier commitment of 15 to 20 aircraft. The aircraft are expected to be delivered from 2013.This order is in addition to the airline’s recent lease agreement for six new A330s from Air Castle and is expected to deliver a modern, comfortable, reliable and cost-efficient fleet for South African Airways’ domestic, regional and long-haul services. South African Airways already operates a fleet of 11 A319s, six A340-200s, six A340-300s and nine A340-600s. “We are delighted that this transaction has the approval of our key stakeholders, the SAA shareholders and board. Because they offers a seamless fit with the other Airbus aircraft types which we operate, the A320s will assist in our efficiency drive and reduce maintenance costs,” said Siza Mzimela, ceo of SAA.

Signature opens Durban hotel

Air Namibia has announced the winner of its recent incentive competition (See TNW March 17). Senior travel TNW March 17). Senior travel TNWconsultant at XL Turners Travel, Lydia Holtshousen(right), won a R1 000 shopping voucher for issuing 23 return tickets for travel during the months of February, March and April on the airline’s JNB-ACC-JNB and/or JNB-LUN-JNB routes. “I am happy to support Air Namibia. My clients are very happy with the service they get from the airline,” says Lydia, who is seen here receiving her prize from sales and marketing manager for Air Namibia in South Africa, Michell Fourie Photo: Tijana Huysamen

Lydia wins with Air Namibia

● THE UK’s Unite union has warned of even more strikes by British Airways cabin crew, should the airline not meet its demands.

Tony Woodley, the joint general secretary of Unite, told delegates at a union conference that a new ballot for continued industrial action could take place as soon as this week.

A fresh ballot will be necessary because the 12-week protective period for taking industrial action ended in early June, with no resolution to the dispute.

The most recent strikes have taken place in one of the most difficult times for the airline. In March it faced the first wave of walkouts, costing around £43m (R483m), followed by the disruption from the volcanic ash drifting over Europe. Last month BA reported a second year of record losses.

to the point ☞


NEWS

New product helps to manage FFPsNatasha tippel

MANAGEMENT of loyalty programmes will become

unbelievably simple following the launch in Southern Africa of a new online tool, TraVision MileageManager, says Monique Swart, vp – Africa for TraVision, a global management and marketing consultancy.

Loyalty programmes are often a nightmare to manage for travel agents. “Keeping track of the different programmes and rewards is time consuming and frustrating but we now have access to MileageManager,” says Monique.

MileageManager enables travel agents and TMCs

to track all the loyalty programmes (airlines, hotels, car rentals, credit cards and others) in which their clients may be enrolled. “We are currently associated with close on 100 programmes – including SAA’s Voyager – and we continue to add to the list.”

TMCs can buy MileageManager for their clients and either gift the product or sell it on to them. Bulk purchases are discounted.

“For example, if the TMC decides they want 100 memberships for clients, they would either go online to buy them (memberships need to be uploaded one at a time), or they can order the membership through

TraVision and they will then be given 100 member numbers once payment is made to pass on to their clients. The client then goes in and enters contact details and loyalty programme numbers for tracking,” says Monique.

The agency can also sell the product on by marking up and invoicing the client and passing the member number on once they are paid.

“Agents are at liberty to sell the product for however much they want to, but should keep in mind that if they go much

higher than our price, clients may go online and sign up direct,” says Monique.

Agents can also sign up on behalf of their clients if the client is willing to divulge loyalty programmes and account numbers to them. Agents can then go into the system to download their clients’ statements.

Monique says, for under R15 a month, members will be able to view consolidated statements informing them of all the miles accumulated on various programmes, their expiry dates, status summaries, etc.

She says statements include an account summary (snapshot of all accounts, balances and programme statuses), elite-status

summary (summary of current elite-level statuses, year-to-date earnings and requirements to attain the next level), expiration summary (all miles and expiration dates – and how to keep the miles alive) as well as a recent activity summary (recaps programme activities posted in all the programmes over the past 30 days).

In addition, MileageManager also provides information about bonus promotions and sends automatic e-mail reminders about miles that are about to expire or alerts when awards are granted. The solution is strictly a mileage tracking service and cannot help members book award tickets or redeem frequent flyer miles. n

An example of a statement that is generated through TraVision MileageManager

Programme Account Number Balance Status Last updated

American AAdvantage ***2760 32 685 Gold August-11-2007

British Airways Executive Club ****3634 0 Blue Pending

Continental OnePass ****7836 1 576 915 Platinum August-11-2007

Delta SkyMiles ******6886 17 525 Basic August-14-2007

Hilton Hotels HHonors *****3785 249 548 Gold VIP August-16-2007

Northwest WorldPerks *****3136 0 Basic Pending

United Mileage Plus *******3909 385 672 Premier Executive August-14-2007

“We are associated with close on 100

programmes, including Voyager.”

Account summary (example) – all your accounts at a glance

Click the programme name for detailed information or to change your PIN

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Kate els

THEBE Tourism Group has announced the signing of a deal with Original

Boats, which puts into effect an exclusive relationship wherein the newly unified Thebe Tourism Inbound will be the exclusive marketing and booking agent for Inala, the seven-star luxury motor yacht, the only private cruise operation to Robben Island.

“The collaboration by the two companies enhances our offerings immeasurably and provides us with a major differentiator in the

market. Through our current portfolio of market-specific brands we are on a constant quest for improvement and excellent service to all our clients. This top-class service complements our other luxury offerings perfectly and will no doubt prove to be a popular choice amongst our top-tier clients globally as well as for other South African tour operators,” states Heather Gutierrez, head of Thebe Tourism Inbound.

The yacht, with its opulent Italian styling, accommodates up to 12

guests and the crew caters for all needs, from special equipment or services on board to gourmet cuisine.

Monwabisi Fandeso, ceo of Thebe Tourism Group, says: “This is a lucrative deal which strengthens the group’s business strategy and product range of the newly unified Thebe Tourism Inbound division. As one of the oldest empowered integrated tourism companies in South Africa, it is only fitting for Thebe Tourism to be associated with a symbolic icon like Robben Island.” n

HilKa Birns

THE Santé Winelands Hotel & Wellness Centre was set to reopen on June 1 thanks to new ownership and a multimillion-rand revamp that has restored the Paarl/Franschhoek valley establishment to its former glory.

The Tuscan-style complex has been lying dormant since it was placed under curatorship in February 2007 as part of the Fidentia scandal, one of South Africa’s biggest financial services fraud cases that involved the disappearance of hundreds of millions of rands of investors’ money.

The new owner and ceo, Carlos Vileta, is reputed to be a long-standing hotelier and restaurateur, who gained international experience in Dubai, Europe and Sun City and who was

also chairman of Paarl Tourism in 2008 and 2009.

In that capacity, he faced the problem of various unsuccessful efforts by potential investors to revive the declining Santé asset.

“Nobody wanted to take the risk, so I decided to take the bull by the horns myself,” he says. While he won’t reveal how much he paid for the property, he says it cost more than R25m just to fix it up, most of the money having been spent on the renovation of the former award- winning spa.

The hotel and wellness centre – comprising 10 manor rooms at the hotel itself, 39 Spa suites with fireplaces, patios and small kitchens, restaurants and conference facilities – are situated in a 160-hectare working wine estate owned by the owners of 12 private

homes on the estate.Carlos believes the

Fidentia scandal never affected confidence in the Santé brand which, he says, was highly rated. Because of this, he intends to continue with the former winning recipe, such as offering the pioneering ‘Vino-therapy’, while adding new treatments for teenage girls, medical conditions and sport injuries.

Carlos expects no return from his investment in the first three years of operation. However, he is confident he will make a success of the venture by keeping costs down and drastically reducing rates to attract a wider target market and growing market share. While open in time for the World Cup, the focus is not on the event but rather on the upcoming summer season, he says. n

Flight Centre recently took an educational with Club Med to two resorts in Mauritius, La Pointe aux Cannoniers and La Plantation d’Albion. The travel agents were the first to view Club Med’s new Albion Villas, launched on June 1. From left: Stacy-Dee Morris (Camps Bay consultant), Kerry Bennison (Pavilion senior consultant), Tanya Adams (Fourways consultant), Kim Corser (Sandton senior consultant) and Claudia Wurfel (The Grove consultant)

Flight Centre visits Club Med Villas

PillowTalkA brief look at this week's hotel newsExclusive guesthouse opens in Johannesburg33 MELVILLE, an exclusive new guesthouse, has opened in the upmarket, trendy suburb of Hyde Park in Johannesburg. The three-bedroom guesthouse offers exclusive-use options for both families and business travellers, while fresh and quirky décor makes sure guests never tire of relaxing in its surrounds. Each room has been individually styled and is dynamically African. The venue caters for day conference and meetings for small groups and also offers entertainment for partners while delegates meet. Other facilities include a tennis court, a hedged-off swimming pool, gym, vegetable garden, satellite television, DVD players and DVD library, laundry service, shuttle services to local attractions and shopping malls and transfers to and from the airport. The entire house is rented out at a single rate that includes meals on request, wines and spirits.

Holiday Inn Express on track for V&A ISO Leisure Holdings has announced that it will be launching its sixth Holiday Inn Express in South Africa at the V&A Waterfront. The three-star hotel will bring modern and affordable comfort to the area, which had traditionally been populated with predominantly four- and five-star accommodation options, said the group. The hotel will offer 222 rooms, all of which will be equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning, high-speed Wi-Fi access and satellite TV, as well as a conference facility that will accommodate up to 150 people. The signing comes hot on the heels of the Holiday Inn Express Durban-Umhlanga and Holiday Inn Johannesburg-Rosebank, both of which officially opened their doors for business in May, with the Holiday Inn Express Johannesburg-Roodepoort set to open this month. The new hotel is part of the $1-billion (R7,7bn) global relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand family, announced in October 2007, to create a more contemporary brand image, increase quality and drive consistency across over 3 300 hotels around the world.

Cape Royale introduces butler serviceTHE Cape Royale has introduced its new butler service for guests from June 1. The hotel will offer a capable team of butlers who are available 24 hours a day to assist with any guest requirements. On guests’ arrival, butlers will, on request, help tham to unpack their luggage and familiarise them with the various in-suite features. To make a guest’s stay more comfortable, the butler is of service day and night, offering help with requests such as pressing and laundry.

Cresta Lodge completes refurbishmentCRESTA Lodge in Gaborone, Botswana, has announced the completion of its refurbishment programme, which included all 160 bedrooms and bathrooms, the reception area and Chatters Restaurant. Newly constructed additions to the property include an outside bar area and patio, gym, walk-through open-air lounge area, 400-seater conference centre and a covered walkway that links the hotel, conference centre and the restaurant. All the public areas also now have water features.

Kwa-Eden adds accommodationKWA-EDEN Guest House in the south of Johannesburg will extend its accommodation offering due to the increasing demand for high-quality, affordable, conveniently located accommodation. The property will add an additional 96 single rooms over a period of three years. The first phase of the construction is under way with the building of 48 units. The Khoisan Pot Restaurant, which recently opened its doors, is an authentic Khoisan dining offering in a rustic setting with traditional Khoisan paintings and artefacts. The 80-seater restaurant offers a truly unique Southern African experience, with Khoisan dishes made from fresh ingredients and age-old recipes. A wedding venue, currently under renovation, will accommodate 120 guests and comprise a chapel and warm reception area. It should be complete within the next 12 months and is set to open late in 2011.

Thebe Tourism to market Robben Island yacht service

Santé Hotel & Wellness Centre reopens


Car rentalWith the FIFA World Cup here and other developments adding new dimensions to the car-hire industry, rental companies have to look to the future and strategise. Natasha Tippel reports.

Business as usual after the World Cup

AS car-rental companies prepare to meet an influx of demand as the FIFA World Cup kicks off,

many are left questioning what will happen after the sporting event.

“It is a huge opportunity for South Africa in general, not just on a leisure tourism front but also corporate investment,” says executive head of strategy, development and marketing of First Car Rental, Melissa Storey. “Our country will be showcased to the world. Imagine all the tourism source markets that SA Tourism would never have been able to reach.”

Momentum will remainSales and marketing director of

Tempest, Janita Edwards, believes the momentum will remain after the event. “While we don’t anticipate significant ‘make-up’ travel from the corporate base, we are absolutely positive there will be growth over last year. Our feeling is that the SA tourism industry can expect a really bumper Christmas season, as people around the world who have watched the World Cup on TV make SA their holiday destination of choice in the months after the tournament.”

Ce of Avis SA, Wayne Duvenage, agrees: “We are anticipating an increase in the demand for car rental when comparing with last year’s August through to November numbers. This is because of the return to normal business, which we believe will be in a catch-up mode, coupled with the summer season tourism where we expect to see more inbound tourists this summer as a result of the soccer event.”

Budget Car Rental is expecting a

spike in corporate travel post-World Cup. “Business travellers need to ‘get out there’ to visit their branches and customers,” says md, Ray Booth.

Budget has increased its fleet by around 15% over last year, with a further flexibility of growing these volumes by 10% should the demand materialise, says operations director, Paulette Scrooby.

Car-rental fleets will be inflated after the World Cup compared with normal levels in June and July – traditionally low season months. “Inflated fleet sizes are mainly due to the delayed de-fleeting practice many companies have adopted to accommodate the World Cup and these vehicles can be de-fleeted if required once the visitors head home,” says ceo of Tempest, Leslie Matthews. “Tempest has bought vehicles to cater for large contracts over the World Cup but not to such an extent that they won’t be used after the event. We anticipate that the industry is on the up, the economy more buoyant and these vehicles will be used.” Ray also affirms that Budget will de-fleet after the World Cup.

Europcar does not see issues with disposal of its fleet in the ordinary course of business after the event.

First Car Rental is holding 50% of its summer fleet to meet the transportation demands of the World Cup and is confident they can be disposed of easily after the event.

Wayne says the fleet utilisation number may dip below preferred levels for a month or two after the event as the car-rental companies right-size their fleets but does not foresee a drastic oversupply.

However, Melissa is not as confident about other car-rental companies. “I have no doubt there will be a few car-rental companies (big and small) that will face massive financial consequences post-World Cup when the second-hand market is flooded with rental stock. We have seen our competition dilute inbound traditional high-season business to the same rate level as low season 2009 due to the fact that they have acquired additional fleet for the World Cup, or are carrying vehicles for longer to achieve greater numbers over the World Cup.”

Janita agrees: “Ideally rates should not drop to make up for the marginal increases the car-rental industry has asked for over the last two years but it’s somewhat inevitable

that in an effort to move excess vehicles after the World Cup, specials and discounts will be available to stimulate local travel.”

Sales director of Europcar, Martin Lydall, affirms that certain car groups within its leisure channels will attract premiums due to high demand and the need to acquire additional fleet (for example minibuses) over the World Cup.

“Pricing for these groups will normalise after the event,” he says.

After the event, there will be a short period of local variable rate decrease but these will return to normal when the fleet utilisation gets back to normal, says Wayne. “Corporate and other contracted rates will not be increased during the event, thus no decreases will follow.”

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THE upcoming World Cup has given the South African car-rental industry increased impetus that will have significant benefits for its foreign and local customers, according to Budget’s Ray Booth.

“The rental industry, by its nature, is vibrant and innovative but the infrastructure upgrades at our airports and the preparations for a big influx of foreign visitors have given us an extra boost,” explains Ray.

“We at Budget have used the World Cup as a major motivator for our company and our team members as we gear Budget for the future. And the future is now!”

The biggest and most noticeable recent changes are in Budget’s facilities at the airports where the company has spent more than R45 million since early 2009 on new or upgraded rental outlets at the revamped OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg and the new King Shaka International Airport in Durban, as well as at the upgraded airports in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and George. Budget is also ensuring representation near the Gautrain portals.

Budget has grown the number of its countrywide branches to 96 with the addition of seven new outlets last year. “We needed to expand to stay competitive and service corporate accounts, such as mining houses, which

sometimes need vehicles in areas away from the major centres,” says Ray.

“We did not retrench staff during the past economic downturn but have redeployed some of them and improved productivity and efficiencies so that we did not have to increase the size of our staff complement from its approximate 600 people to cater for the new branches.

“Another vital link in the relationship with our customers is the in-house call centre, based in Isando, which has also been improved and will operate 24 hours a day during the World Cup, as will all our depots and rental operations at the major airports,” says Ray.

Another area in which Budget has made a substantial investment is in home-grown adaptation of IT systems to improve the way business is done.

“Seven years ago we embarked on rewriting and developing new systems and programmes focused on our specific requirements and I am delighted with the results, particularly in terms of their contribution to productivity improvement and customer service.”

Another area Budget is developing, and one that is proving to be a growth opportunity, is that of chauffeur drive and Door2Door transfers, driven partly by traffic congestion and high charges for airport parking but mainly by convenience.

World Cup gives Budget a boost

Avis has reaffirmed its commitment to saving the environment with the introduction of 45 new Toyota Prius vehicles to its fleet. The petrol-electric hybrid Prius will form part of its rental fleet and will be stationed at major Avis outlets in Gauteng and Cape Town. The model is the second generation of Toyota Prius that Avis has featured in its fleet.

Avis reaffirms ‘green’ commitment

Did you know?Tempest has set up shop at its new

premises at King Shaka International Airport with increased check-out capacity, more parking spaces, a

customer connect zone, GPS rental counter and an all-round great

atmosphere.

WATCH out for the Foozi tables at Tempest kiosks at OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka international airports. These funky foosball tables occupy prime position at these locations and Tempest challenges clients to take five minutes and have a game with staff.

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EUROPCAR has opened its newest branch at Cape Town International Airport.

Its new location is reached through underground tunnels opposite the main airport building and is easily accessible to passenger traffic from both domestic and international terminals.

According to Europcar ceo, Dawn Nathan-Jones, the main attraction is Europcar’s Ready counter which promises keys in hand in 30 seconds. “Most customers, particularly if they are travelling on business, want to be on the road as quickly as possible.”

The parking area, which has been increased by over 60 bays, is directly outside the branch. “This has made for an even quicker exit and is in line with our initiatives to get our customers to their destinations on time. We are determined to make the Europcar experience as fast and seamless as possible,” says Dawn, also confirming that the return process is just as streamlined, with vehicle and key drop-off within

metres of each other. Avis has also opened a

new car-rental branch at Cape Town International Airport, at the new dedicated car-rental area.

Avis regional manager for Western Cape, Riaan Schoeman, says the new Avis airport office is the result of extensive changes to the design of the airport, which now includes a purpose-built car-rental facility with dedicated road, parking and customer service areas, from where all car-rental operators will transact.

“These changes have enabled us to further streamline our service offerings for the various customer segments and our new, prime-positioned outlet will be much larger in size than our current kiosk,” he says.

The change has also resulted in the expansion of the parking area to incorporate a total of 316 parking bays. In addition, Avis has a dedicated vehicle returns facility to conduct its ‘Rapid Returns’ process.

Europcar, Avis open new branches at Cape Town International

The Gautrain – risk or opportunity?WITH the Gautrain and the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system in advanced stages of implementation, new dimensions will be introduced to the car-rental industry with new risks and strategies to pre-empt them.

“When the Gautrain is up and running, we anticipate a movement of some passenger check-outs to the Gautrain portals rather than from OR Tambo,” says Ray Booth.

Wayne Duvenage expects between 5% and 15% loss of short, one-day rentals to the airport. “However, there is also the expectation that additional car-rental and point-to-point transfer business could be generated by the advent of the train option. When passengers alight at a number of stations, an alternative form of transport will be required and we anticipate extra business for Avis from the range of transport solutions it offers.”

Leslie Matthews, agrees: “We anticipate migration of rentals from airports to station hubs in metro areas, although this comes with its own unique set of challenges in terms of parking space for vehicles as well as facilities to refuel and turn vehicles around quickly.”

Another challenge is shuttling vehicles from main depots to metro areas, which somewhat defeats the objective of trying to reduce road usage, says Leslie. “Tempest is fortunate in already having branches at or close to all Gautrain hubs. Delivery and collection requirements will increase as, instead of needing the car for the full duration of their stay, travellers may require it for specific journeys and would therefore need it delivered to their hotels or offices.”

Leslie also foresees a

movement to economy ‘around-town’ vehicles that are light on fuel and easy to park.

Martin Lydall, believes new rental opportunities will be presented as new travel markets are formed. “We expect to follow international trends of short-term car share/club models. This can only come into effect once the ancillary networks are fully functional.”

Meanwhile, marketing manager of Hertz, Susan Stouffs, believes there are two possible scenarios: “Depending on the cost of a trip on the Gautrain it could have either no effect, with renters continuing to rent from airports, or if [the Gautrain is] cost effective and seen to be convenient, travellers will rent from the train stations.”

The result, she says, is that downtown rental branches will be busier and fewer kilometres will be travelled, possibly reducing car-rental revenues.

But Susan notes that regular business travellers are not likely to use the Gautrain, as they generally need transport full time when on business. “There will, however, be exceptions. There could also

possibly be an increase in the chauffeur drive and transfer business,” she says.

“The initial focus of the Gautrain infrastructure project will be the migration of day-to-day road users to the Gautrain, with secondary but no less important focus on incoming corporate or leisure travellers whose uptake of using this mode of transport will depend on the frequency, efficiency and safety of the service,” says Janita Edwards.

“Ultimately we predict one-day or short-term rentals will see some attrition as travellers gain confidence in using the Gautrain but strongly advocate that, as soon as there is a requirement to stay overnight or travel further than the Gautrain infrastructure allows, car rental will be used. Tempest has a focus on long-term rental growth rather than being purely reliant on short-term rentals.”

Overall, Susan believes the threat to be negligible, depending on the individual branch’s business pattern. “If they have a high number of one-way travellers to the airports, they may lose some business.”

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Car rental

Europcar’s newest branch at CTIA

The Gautrain could bring migration of rentals from airports to station hubs


Study

It pays to book on GDSScenario 1: Booking air and car segments

A STUDY, commissioned by Amadeus and carried out by international consultancy firm Alten Ingeniería in 2009, found that using the GDS to book car rental is the most effective solution when compared with using microsites (B2B websites) and car providers’ call centres. The study provided quantitative and qualitative analysis of these solutions in order to answer the following questions:● Which is the most efficient solution to perform a car booking?● What are the productivity and bottom-line benefits of the different solutions?● What is the travel agents’ perception of each solution?

Scenarios testedSeveral scenarios familiar to agents were tested – a stand-alone car booking, an air and car booking, a modification of an existing booking, an air booking with a search for the cheapest car and a car booking when the client had a specific requirement.

Amadeus’s cryptic screen was used for the air segment booking to ensure that comparisons between the three car solutions were consistent.

When comparing all the results from all the tasks, Amadeus Cars was found to be 46% faster than microsites and 59% faster than call centres. This equates to a time saving of between 01:12 minutes and 01:47 minutes on average for the same given booking.

The study found that one of the main advantages of Amadeus Cars is the integration of the different booking elements. When an air segment is part of the booking, the GDS solution can be twice as fast as the others because the agent enters the traveller data only once.

Integration also benefits Amadeus Cars users when a client requests a change to a booking, because all the required information is held within the same PNR.

The level of automation when sending the itinerary to

the customer is an important element for the agents. Of the travel agents using Amadeus 81,8% send the itinerary without any manual intervention, significantly higher than the results from microsites (34,5%) and call centres (14%). When the client wants the cheapest car, agents can compare rates for several car providers on the same screen within Amadeus Cars. The ability to compare different rates and offer them to the client is much appreciated by agents.

Taking into account the time savings identified by the study, a mid-size travel agency in Europe, which books 50 000 air segments and 5 000 car bookings can save from €35 000 (R329 678) to €98 000 (R923 046) a year if they use Amadeus instead of microsites or call centres. Businesses handling 10 000 air segments and 1 000 car bookings a year could save in the range of €7 000 (R65 936) to €19 600 (R184 609) per year by using Amadeus Cars.

Scenario 2: Booking a car segment only

Scenario 3: Modification on air and car segment

Amadeus

Amadeus

Amadeus

Microsites

Microsites

Microsites

Call centres

Call centres

Call centres

00:40

01:04

01:25

01:29

01:47

02:11

01:00

02:47

03:04

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30

Call centres’ waiting time not included – average for this scenario 1:00min



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NEWS


Max Marx

THE profiling of customers is the most critical area in

hotel marketing and client retention because each guest is uniquely different, says Danny Bryer, Protea Hotels’ director of revenue management and director of sales and marketing. “Their preferences, like room type, room positioning, smoking or non-smoking rooms, are critical and one has to develop the right database to capture those preferences.”

Protea Hotels has just implemented the second phase of its Opera Centralised Information System, a centralised guest profiling tool that provides Protea with extremely detailed information enabling it to personalise the service it gives its clients.

“For example, if a customer takes a Diet Coke from the minibar, on their next stay, instead of a complimentary mineral water, there’ll be a complimentary Diet Coke,” says Danny. “Other preferences are also recorded.

“Fresh fruit could be a welcome replacement to the standard chocolate on your pillow.”

Major hotel groups operate sophisticated

profiling systems that hold detailed customer information (both personal and stay information), which is retrievable by any hotel in the group. Preferences, like pillow type, sheets and blankets instead of duvets, time of turndown, or guests who like flowers in their rooms on arrival, are all catered for.

City Lodge’s reservations department does a print-out each day of these special requests and then checks that they are carried out before the guest arrives and the room is pre-allocated.

If a Southern Sun guest wants the same room every time and that room is not available, the hotel group will make adjustments so that they can accommodate the guest in that room.

In addition, to keep its customer profiles updated, every morning during the handover meeting, the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in

Cape Town reads out the names of returning guests so that staff can look out for them.

Trafalgar Tours’ new online Express Check-in system, which records customer preferences, special interests and requirements, ensures that when a client travels again with the operator, the operations regions already know the client’s preferences.

The system also notifies travel agents when the repeat client requests a brochure online, giving the agent the opportunity to follow up with that client.

Club Travel’s Procon front/back office system has built in MIS reporting that records customer preferences, frequent flyer numbers, passport numbers and expiry dates, and the history of every booking done.

Rennies Travel’s web-based traveller profile database – separate from the GDS – facilitates the updating of profiles by the traveller 24/7. Client profiles are controlled in a central database and store all information pertaining to each traveller. Each time a booking is made by a Rennies consultant, the relevant traveller profile information is automatically pulled through to the new booking.

Customer profiling vital to client retention

TNW looks at some of the practical TNW looks at some of the practical TNWthings agents and suppliers do to exceed customer expectations:● A Club Travel consultant, knowing her client was transiting in Dubai, drove to Ortia to give the client Dubai airport duty-free vouchers valued at US$35 (R270) and US$70 (R541).● A Club Travel client left his passport at home. The Club Travel consultant drove to his home to fetch the passport and delivered it to him at the airport.● Southern Sun has an Exec on Call programme where an executive is available 24/7 for a guest to contact. The hotel group actively participates on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, which enables direct communication with guests. ● Southern Sun has purchased a specific type of mattress for one frequent guest, and at one property the chef cooks the guest’s favourite meal

from their home country. ● Insight Vacations has also created an online community where guests are encouraged to share travelling experiences. From the comments, suggestions and special interests posted on Insight’s Bulletin Board, the tour operator creates a Presidents tour, geared to the specific needs of guests. This is not an annual tour as it’s specifically tailored to member requests. ● Franz von Wielligh, Flight Specials gm, takes the example of an island honeymoon to describe how his agency grouping goes the extra mile. “We will include a bottle of wine, suntan oil, a sarong, travel bag and a Woolworths voucher (for when they return so they don’t have to cook). We diarise their return date to get feedback and send them a Flight Specials gift voucher, which they can use for their next trip.” n

Going the extra mile...

“Major hotel groups operate sophisticated

profiling systems with detailed

customer personal and stay

information.”

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Airline Duty Officer – Airline Duty Officer – Administration - ORTIAA support role as Assistant to Station Manager plus operational admin. Will be responsible for efficient planning, supervision & service delivery. Maintain station reports & optimize performance. Minimum 5 years airline operational experience required.

Airline Reservations Agent – Airline Reservations Agent – Edenvale areaMinimum 1 year airline experience in Minimum 1 year airline experience in Reservations, Fares and Ticketing.

Airline Sales Executives – Based E/RandBased E/RandUse your analytical and statistical sales experience to generate new and repeat business. Knowledge of MIDT or similar required plus a minimum of 3 years airline sales experience.

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Airline Station & Sales Manager – LuandaManager – LuandaA combined role. Be responsible for on-line commercial sales and flight operations. Generate and secure new business in order to achieve set revenue targets and budgets, whilst overseeing airport flight operations in compliance with SLA’s and customer satisfaction. Minimum 5 years Operational and Sales Management experience essential. Portuguese speaking highly preferable.

For all aviation opportunities email CV to [email protected] apologise for not being able to respond to every applicant. Should you not hear from us within 10 days please consider your application unsuccessful, however we will keep your details on file for alternative opportunities.

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Financial Manager – Cape TownFinancial Manager – Cape TownTake responsibility for all financial aspects of this highly successful and well run agency, working on Pastel and Quicktrav. An individual who enjoys being accountable, has a high energy level and an enthusiasm to develop further is required. Attractive salary on offer! Kati

Financial Controller – Jhb N/SuburbsFinancial Controller – Jhb N/SuburbsR20 000. Extensive knowledge of Quicktrav and previous TMC working experience required. Fulfill all finance functions including month end packs, debtors, creditors, cash book, GL and recons. BSP knowledge advantageous. Kati

Wholesale ConsultantAn experienced Wholesale Consultant is required by long-standing and well reputed wholesale operator. Will be based in the Middle East department handling: Dubai, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Greece. A minimum of 2 years reservations experience is required together with some personal overseas travel experience. Salary negotiable depending on experience. Kati

Corporate Cons – WoodmeadCorporate Cons – WoodmeadR8000/R15000. Take responsibility for a large corporate account. Amadeus essential. Tina

Leisure Consultant – E/RandLeisure Consultant – E/RandHighly reputable agency with excellent infrastructure. Your leisure travel skills will be appreciated and rewarded! Tina

Corporate Consultant – E/RandCorporate Consultant – E/RandIntermediate to Senior Consultant required to work on various accounts. An excellent opportunity to join top agency! Tina

Groups Consultant – E/RandGroups Consultant – E/RandUtilise your previous experience dealing with group bookings. Interesting and challenging work based at a highly successful agency. Tina

Inbound and Incentives ConsultantsExperienced Inbound and Incentives Consultants are constantly sought after! If you have these skills please contact us!

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n The Sheraton Pretoria Hotel has announced the appointment of Rob van der Velden as executive assistant manager. Rob started his career at Sabi River Bungalows and left to start a retail business in Margate. In 1990 he rejoined Southern Sun as banqueting manager at Elangeni, then moved to Sabi River Sun and Malelane Intercontinental as food and beverage manager and Pine Lake Sun and Pietersburg Holiday Inn Garden Court as gm. Rob worked as project manager and area manager for Fedics Food Services and the Compass Group.

n Mary McGinn has returned to Johannesburg as gm of the Monarch Hotel in Rosebank. Mary has worked at the Holiday Inn and Southern Sun Group and managed hotels such as the Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino, Cellars Hohenhort Hotel in Cape Town and the Royal Hotel in Durban. In 2000, she became the first female gm within the Sun International Group, where she launched the first casino hotel in Cape Town, and managed The Grand West Hotel and Casino for eight years before embarking on international travels.

Alp Alper, former station manager for Turkish Airlines in Cape Town, has been appointed Johannesburg director. Alp says the airline is growing in the South African market and where there was previously one director for South Africa there will now be directors for Johannesburg and Cape Town. He says the airline aims to expand its market in South Africa and wants to increase its flights at the end of this year from four to five

Turkish Airlines has big plans for SA

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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Ke nako!Are you excited about the World Cup yet?

n Yes 69%n No 31%

“I really hope all goes well. A lot has gone into the planning so good luck to everyone involved.” Jorene Nel, Pentravel“The flags on the cars have now really got me into the World Cup mood. I think our patriotism is coming back!” Zenobia Moolman, Travel Counsellors“The excitement is really starting to hit now. You just have to drive on the R24 from Edenvale to OR Tambo and you get in the spirit already, with all the flags, the new trees etc. It looks absolutely fantastic.” Burnice Muir, Burns Cunningham Corporate Travel.“Match has left a very bad taste – we were struggling to get availability, yet now that they have released all the space into the market we are flooded with emails offering specials. At crunch time there was nothing available. Sis on you!” Kurt Bauerle, Mecs Travel

Natasha tippel

OPERATORS should be proactively adding value, rather than

“buying business”, says Asata as it recently lashed out against suppliers who continue to offer agents cash and voucher incentives.

Asata ceo, Robyn Christie, says the organisation has no objection to suppliers launching incentive schemes as part of their business strategy except when these are retail cash vouchers. “They are destructive. They are taxable and the employers are liable for the collection of this tax.”

Ceo of Holiday Tours, Gavin Simpson, says the operator has always had a policy of not resorting to personal inducements. “In terms of the Consumer Protection Act the agent is obliged to inform the customer if their recommendation will result in some kind of personal enrichment by way of an enticement reward from a particular operator in an effort to solicit support, when such bribes become the primary consideration for recommending the product or service of a particular wholesaler. Cash/voucher incentives are usually offered by desperate operators who urgently need to dispose of distressed inventory.”

Introducing ‘bribes’Gavin says when one wholesaler breaks ranks in violation of the tacit understanding among wholesalers by introducing gift vouchers or other “bribes” as an incentive, their competitors are often compelled to respond with a counter offer.

“The market then becomes messy with everyone eventually trying to outdo their rivals. This leads to profit erosion and margin dilution, while the

unsuspecting customer is often deceived into purchasing an inferior product (or a more expensive product) from a less reputable operator, which may not match their specific needs and value expectations.”

However, there are those suppliers that do not entirely agree with this sentiment. “Consortium groups sign override agreements with suppliers; this in itself is a form of incentive,” says sales and marketing manager of Aviareps, Michell Fourie. “As a preferred partner to specific agency consortium groups, offering individual incentives is acceptable as it is a form of thanking them

for support and, of course, is motivation for driving new products.” Michell adds that air tickets are rarely used by consultants due to high taxes and surcharges.

Meanwhile, Thompsons Holidays believes cash and voucher incentives reach a wider range of agents and by participating, they increase their awareness of the operator’s products, sales support and services.

“Thompsons has offered a number of incentives to agents over the years, including many of educational value,” says Thompsons Holidays pr manager, John Ridler.

Ceo of Thompsons Travel, Mary Shilleto, remembers a time when cash and voucher incentives were unheard of and there were numerous opportunities to travel. “In

those days aircraft were not as full as they are today and people did not travel by air as they do today so we were constantly taking up special offers to travel. Today it is a way of life to travel by air, so educationals are not as plentiful and are expensive, and trips are scarce because of full flights.”

Mary says she has a transparent policy regarding incentives whereby each consultant works on a target and has to reach that target to cover desk costs. “We ensure that if we have a target to reach with a reputable supplier who has done good training, and that vouchers, cash or tickets are offered, we always find that we reach these targets as the consultants want to earn extra cash, vouchers, or travel incentives and the TMC reaches its desired targets.

“If the consultant is offered an incentive by a random supplier it is not what I would want in my office without my knowledge. Incentives are there to achieve a result and must be driven operationally by the leader to ensure the desired results are achieved.”

What motivates you?A recent TNW survey on

what motivates agents revealed that most would opt for cash and voucher incentives (34%), while educationals and winning air tickets and trips shared the second spot with 27%. Only 10% said they were motivated by preferred agreements and 2% said they were motivated by other incentives such as personal satisfaction and the thrill of the sale.

Some 62% of respondents did not agree that cash and voucher incentives were destructive in the travel trade. One respondent noted that cash and voucher incentives were definitely

The Naïade Holidays team is all geared up for the Soccer World Cup with newly discounted rates to selected hotels. Rates are from R8 499 for seven nights at three-star Le Tropical and R9 970 for three-star superior Merville Beach on an all-inclusive basis. Five-star deluxe Beau Rivage is selling from R12 660 and four-star all-inclusive Tamassa from R10 899. Kids and teens eat and stay free at Tamassa and Beau Rivage over the World Cup period. Rates, including airfares, are per adult ex-JNB and exclude taxes of about R1 850. Specials are valid from June 10 to July 11. Representing the team are (from left) Fiona van der Westhuizen (reservations manager), Vibha Vallabh (reservations), Mandy Watson (marketing manager) and Anabela Heschl (groups and incentives) Photo: Tijana Huysamen

Cash incentives ‘destructive’ – Asata

Grab a soccer special!

“The market becomes messy with everyone eventually trying to

outdo their rivals. This leads to profit erosion, while the unsuspecting

customer is often deceived into buying an

inferior product.”

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Travel News Weekly - 9 June 2010

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Transcript of Travel News Weekly - 9 June 2010