Customise the trip to keep the sale
ADVENTURE travellers
are willing to pay
more for customised,
experiential holidays –
making them a potentially
lucrative market for travel
agents.
Lucinda Tyler, Club
Travel product manager,
says adventure travellers
are looking for off-thebeaten
track destinations
– particularly those where
few South Africans travel
to – and this tendency to
be choosy means they are
often willing to spend more,
providing travel agents with
the opportunity to close a
big sale.
“Smaller groups, boats
and tours are preferred by
adventure travellers and
they are prepared to pay the
extra money because they
realise that their trip will be
specialised.”
Lucinda says the
adventure market appeals
to travellers who want more
meaningful experiences
that will create lifelong
memories.
“These customers are
seeking more experiential
adventure rather than runof-the-mill
holidays,” says
Annemarie Lexow, sales
and marketing manager at
Travel Vision. The company
receives interesting
requests such as exploring
northern Iran or staying in
an igloo in Lapland.
“Some adventure
companies will even
consider taking a group of
friends on their own rather
than fill up the tour with
strangers – and adventure
travellers appreciate that,”
says Annemarie.
As a result, agents should
aim to customise the
adventure traveller’s trip if
they want to appeal to this
particular type of client, the
experts agree. Agents can
work with suppliers to do
this.
Niche experiences...
MOST destinations offer
adventure activities in
one form or another, but
adventure travellers favour
destinations that offer a
more niche experience
than everyday leisure
travellers would enjoy.
Iceland, Ecuador, Cuba
and Peru come into this
category and are the top
four destinations most
visited by South African
adventure tourists, says
Lucinda.
Vietnam and Cambodia
are also popular, says
Annemarie, with most
customers returning to
South Africa satisfied with
the overall experience
these destinations offer,
as well as the activities
they took part in while they
were there.
While most adventure
tourists are willing to
spend extra money
to make meaningful
memories, cost-conscious
travellers can also
enjoy experiences in
more budget-friendly
destinations like Costa
Rica, Spain, Amalfi Coast
(Italy), Sri Lanka and the
Pyrenees (France), says
Annemarie.
Destinations that
have recently had bad
press have been inviting
travellers of a more
adventurous nature to
take advantage of good
deals, but Annemarie
says they are not eager
to grab those specials.
“South Africans have
been resilient to threats
like terrorism in the past,
but lately it has become
expensive to travel abroad
and people are now more
cautious about where they
spend their money.” She
says adventure travellers
are less likely to venture
to places where the
situation is volatile and
unpredictable.
Six things you need to know about Réunion
While the island is part of
France, there are no visa
requirements for South
African passport holders.
It is a four-hour flight
from Johannesburg on Air
Austral, which currently
flies twice a week and on
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Sundays from October 30.
Time zone: Two hours
ahead of South Africa.
The main languages are
French and Creole.
Currency: Euro.
The hot and humid
season runs from
November to April with the
cool and dry season from
May to October. It can
be very hot at the coast
and quite cool in the
mountains so take
a jersey.
Adventure awaits in Réunion
RÉUNION has long been
considered an adventure
tourist’s dream.
A mere four-hour flight
from Johannesburg on Air
Austral, the island offers
activities such as hiking to
the Piton de la Fournaise,
paragliding, stand-up paddling
and kayaking in a transparent
boat, enticing adventure
tourists to flock there
throughout the year.
Hélène Bezuidenhout, Atout
France regional manager
for Southern Africa, says
Réunion is popular with
adventure tourists because
it gives them the experiential
travel they look for.
The majority of the island is
classified as a Unesco World
Heritage Site and offers
activities ranging from
renting a bike and cycling
around the different towns,
to flying over the island and
taking in sights such as
Cirque of Mafate – a village
only accessible on
foot or by helicopter.
“If your client is an
avid hiker, they will see
landscapes they haven’t
seen before. If they are keen
on water activities, there
are many to choose from,
and there is no shortage
of air activities for them to
participate in,” says Hélène.
The island is unique, she
says, and the experience it
offers caters for both the
adventurous and not so
adventurous.
Direct to the bush with Airlink
ADVENTURE travellers
enjoy off-the-beaten track
destinations but they
appreciate the convenience
of easy, direct connectivity to
get there.
Airlink offers direct flights
to off-the-beaten-track
destinations and, through its
alliance with SAA and other
Star Alliance partner airlines,
connects passengers to
Maun, Skukuza, Pemba and
Nosy Be.
Karin Murray, Airlink
sales and marketing
manager, says the airline’s
destinations offer travellers
the opportunity to visit
more than one unique
destination in a single
holiday.
“Our flights connect Cape
Town direct to the Kruger
National Park – Skukuza
and Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport –
Nelspruit direct to Vilanculos
and Nelspruit direct to
Livingstone, to name a few.
“The direct routings
are becoming more the
trend and prevalent in the
packaging environment, as
they streamline itineraries,
reduce travelling time and
cost and ultimately enhance
the traveller’s experience
at the destination.”
For those combining
adventure with VFR, leisure
or corporate travel, Airlink’s
Lodge Link service connects
the Greater Kruger National
Park to the city – from
Londolozi Private Game
Reserve to London or
Ulusaba Safari Lodge and
Arathusa Safari Lodge to
Perth, for example.
“Travellers also have the
freedom to enjoy a short
open-safari vehicle transfer
from Ulusaba and Arathusa
to adjoining private game
lodges in the reserve,”
Karin adds.
Great deals for Vic Falls
DREAMS is offering some
great packages to Victoria
Falls.
The three-night Ilala Lodge
offer is valid for travel from
November 1 to December 20,
and March 31 to December
20, 2017 and is priced from
R9 260pps. It includes return
economy-class flights from
Johannesburg to Victoria Falls
on British Airways, airport
taxes, return airport shuttle
transfers, three nights’
accommodation in a deluxe
room in the new wing at Ilala
Lodge as well as breakfast
daily.
Also included are a threecourse
à la carte dinner at the
Palm Restaurant (excluding
drinks), a solo bungee jump
with return transfers to/from
the hotel, four days’ travel
insurance, including hazardous
pursuits, a Dreams travel
bag and a sunset cruise
with premium brand drinks,
executive snack and high tea.
AVANI Victoria Falls Resort is
offering a three-night package
priced from R7 850pps, valid
for booking until November 30
and for travel until March 31,
2017. It includes return
economy-class flights from
Johannesburg to Livingstone
including taxes, return airport
shuttle transfers, three nights’
accommodation in an
AVANI room with free WiFi,
breakfast daily, full-day
abseiling and gorge swinging
with lunch, unlimited access
to the Falls, four days’ travel
insurance, including hazardous
pursuits, as well as a Dreams
travel bag.
Adventure on a budget
A ROAD trip to Swaziland is
a great option for the costconscious
traveller looking
for adventure.
The country offers a
plethora of adventure
activities that cater for
young and old and travellers
of all levels of fitness.
“Swaziland has built a
reputation for a host of
thrilling adventure activities
such as caving, abseiling,
canopy tours, tubing and
white-water rafting,” says
Lizzy Moletsane, account
executive for Swaziland
Tourism in South Africa.
Also on offer are hiking,
4x4 trails, horse-riding
safaris, mountain biking
or summiting the Sibebe
Rock – the largest exposed
granite pluton in the world.
Day and overnight bush
trails are also available at
the Hlane Royal National
Park, the Mlilwane Wildlife
Sanctuary and the Mkhaya
Game Reserve, while fishing
is available at a number of
dams and rivers.
“In terms of sports, most
activities are available
on-site at hotel lodges, while
the Royal Swazi Spa in the
Ezulwini Valley and Nkonyeni
Golf Estate and Lodge are
the best places to visit for
those who enjoy golf,” Lizzy
says.
Agents could recommend
rafting the Great Usuthu
River – the largest river in
Swaziland. “Local tour and
adventure operator Swazi
Trails offers full- and halfday
river rafting trips on
a remote stretch of the
Usuthu,” says Lizzy.
Rands can be used in
Swaziland as the Swazi
lilangeni is on a par with
the South African currency.
In addition, the country is
easily accessible by road
(376km from Johannesburg,
120km from Nelspruit,
533km from Durban and
2 213km from Cape Town).
Travellers can also fly,
as Swazi Airlink currently
operates daily between OR
Tambo International Airport
and the new King Mswati III
International Airport.
Tips for travellers in Swaziland
Touching the forearm or
wrist with the left hand
while shaking hands is
considered polite. The
same gesture should
be used when giving or
accepting something.
When greeting an elder or
someone of higher rank,
a small bow of shoulders
and head while shaking
hands may be expected.
Travellers should avoid
entering or departing
Swaziland by road at
night as there have been
numerous incidences of
car hijacking on major
routes from South Africa
and Mozambique. The
maximum speed limit is
80kph on the open road
and 60kph in built-up
areas.
Book it!
Travel Vision is offering a great special to Iceland. The Icelandic Northern Lights Astronomy tour is
available for five departures in November, January and February and an astronomer, Dr John Mason, will
lead the trips, which had a 100% success rate of seeing the Northern Lights last year. The tour takes place
over eight days and prices start from R19 452pps. By day, travellers will explore snow-covered volcanoes,
ice-encrusted waterfalls and warm thermal springs, then settle in for long evenings of astronomy lectures
and star-gazing in the company of a Northern Lights expert.
Book it!
Airlink is offering discounted airfares on certain routes during the summer season. Terms and conditions
apply and all specials are subject to seat availability. Travellers can fly from Johannesburg to Nelspruit Kruger
Mpumalanga International Airport between January 15 and March 31, 2017 from just R850 one-way allinclusive.
Fly from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa between October 1 and March 31, 2017 from just R1 170
one-way all-inclusive. Johannesburg to Maun flights are from R5 990 return all-inclusive between January 15
and March 15, 2017. Flights between Johannesburg and Kasane are from R4 870 return all-inclusive between
January 15 and March 15, 2017. Travellers visiting Mozambique can fly from Johannesburg to Pemba from just
R5 950 return all-inclusive between December 1 and March 15, 2017. Flights from Johannesburg to Nosy Be in
Madagascar are from R9 490 return all-inclusive between January 1 and March 15, 2017.
