DP bags affordable Thailand, Bali packages

DEVELOPMENT
Promotions (DP) has
teamed up with Tour East
Australia to exclusively launch
flexible, tailor-made Thailand
and Bali packages in rand
rates that are affordable to the
SA market.
Elisna Bergset, key accounts
sales of DP, is the dedicated
agent for these products and
is available to assist around
the clock, offering a type of
concierge service. Jackie
Adami, md of DP, says this
give its Thailand and Bali
packages an edge as there
is a single point of contact if
anything goes wrong while the
client is overseas.
Elisna explains that DP
has always wanted a share
of the Thailand and Bali
markets because they know
how tremendously well they
sell in the SA market among
both leisure and MICE
travellers. However, because
these destinations are so
saturated and price-driven, it
took much investigation and
planning before Development
Promotions was confident to
launch packages.
“We understood that in
order to grab our piece of
the cake, we had to look
at what drives the market
and, more importantly, what
frustrates agents most when
selling something that is so
incredibly price-driven and
often produces low yield in
terms of commission and
profit,” Elisna says. The result
is the partnership with Tour
East Australia and the launch
of the exclusive Thailand and
Bali packages, which have no
set departure dates and which
can be customised, with all
quotes in rands.
DP does not take direct
bookings from travellers,
so doesn’t compete with
agents. Agents can make
bookings by phone or using
DP’s online system. In terms
of commission, it depends
on the type of contract
the agency signs with DP.
However, commission is still
offered, even without a formal
contract.
Elisna expects the market
to receive these new offerings
very well. “We have already
tested the products with one
agency and the results are
astounding,” she says.