WITH popular local
hotels adjusting their
rates to cater for the
international market, local
travel for South Africans
can become quite costly.
A recent study conducted
by SA Tourism shows that
domestic travellers view lack
of affordability as the key
barrier to travel.
Hotels that offer local
Resident Rates for South
Africans, however, can
sometimes provide the
answer for clients with
budget constraints.
“Res Rates definitely
offer a good deal. They
also include value-adds to
encourage South Africans
to travel within the country,”
says Karen Terrell-Kramvis,
group gm SunSales, Sun
International.
John Ridler, pr and media
manager for Thompsons
Holiday, agrees: “The
difference between domestic
rates and normal STO rates
can represent a saving of
anything between 5% and
35%, depending on the
property.”
But Rian Bornman, md
of Flightsite, points out
that these rates don’t
always offer the best value
for money. He says it is
advisable for travel agents
to double check the rates.
“We aggregate content from
global aggregators and find
that SA Res Rates are often
more expensive
than the globally
contracted rates
we have access
to.”
Rachael
Penaluna,
business
manager at
Sure Maritime
Travel, says:
“It is a good
idea to check
several sources
of booking
when advising
a client on
rates – your own
GDS negotiated
rates, Internet
portals, rate
of the day and
many specials,
which include
low-season
rates, winter
rates, couples’
and long-stay
specials. Many
hotels offer a
‘stay four and
pay three’ or
similar packages.”
Craig Parvess, kulula
holidays senior product
manager for South Africa,
says travel agents should
also check before promising
any Resident Rates. He
says domestic rates are
subject to availability and
season. “Over peak periods,
these rates are often not
applicable due to high
occupancies.”
“Some hotels
-- mainly game
lodges -- only
offer SA Res
Rates for ‘lastminute’
sales
and these
are usually
only available
between 60 days
and seven days
prior to travel,”
says John. “Any
bookings made
outside this
window period
would have to be
booked at the
higher STO rate.
This enables
the properties
to capitalise on
revenue from
early bookers
and non-SA
residents.”
He says many
properties
allocate a
selected amount
of rooms for SA
Res bookings and, once
exceeded, the higher STO
rate applies.
Themba Masheula,
brand manager and
communications manager
for The Blue Train, says it
only offers resident specials
“from time to time”. “These
rates are used as a yieldmanagement
strategy during
our low-occupancy dates.”
Too pricey for locals?
SOME members of the
industry believe that
attractions around the
country should also start
introducing dual pricing.
Various reports have
revealed that domestic
tourism figures in South
Africa are declining.
James Vos, DA Shadow
Minister of Tourism, says
the main reason is that
tourism has simply become
too expensive. “More
should be done to make
government-owned resorts,
parks, nature reserves
and the like affordable to
our citizens.” He says the
solution is to introduce a
campaign titled ‘Experience
My South Africa’, which
would focus specifically on
encouraging South Africans
to get out and explore the
country, while addressing
affordability issues and
limited geographic spread.
The initiative would also
give all South Africans
free or discounted entry to
government-owned national
parks, reserves, museums
and the like, on non-religious
public holidays in South
Africa.
A system of dual pricing,
whereby foreign visitors
would pay different fees to
domestic visitors, should
also be introduced, says
James.
Book it!
Thompsons Holidays is offering a Blue Train package for SA residents
from R12 277pps. The package includes one night on the Blue Train
with all meals and drinks, from Pretoria to Cape Town, two nights at
African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa, three days’ car rental and
return flights, including taxes, from Cape Town to Johannesburg. This
package is valid until November 28.
Add value to local bookings
WHILE agents have not
traditionally sold a significant
amount of domestic travel,
there are initiatives in place
to change this, with South
African Tourism working with
Asata members to promote
and sell local holidays.
There are great
opportunities for travel agents
to add value to domestic
bookings by giving travellers
information on activities and
events at their destinations,
helping clients find the best
deals and advising them on
rand-stretcher tips.
“The role of agents can
never be underestimated
– whether in domestic
or international travel –
the advice, service and
knowledge base of a travel
agent will continue to serve
the travelling public with
immense value,” says Hein
Kaiser, spokesperson for
Mango.
A recent study by SA
Tourism found that locals
felt they didn’t have enough
information about what was
on offer in their own country.
They’re keen to expand
their horizons and explore
unfamiliar destinations but
with only ‘word-of-mouth’
recommendations and no
‘real’ information, they end
up going to the same old
destinations.
“Based on the findings of
Asata’s 21st Century Travel
Agent Study, consultants
can add true value by
understanding fully their
customers’ requirements and
contexts, and delivering an
end-to-end travel experience
that exceeds expectations,”
says Asata ceo, Otto de
Vries. “Travel consultants who
go beyond the transaction
and truly consult, providing
professional service and,
placing their customer at
the heart of their business,
will add value to domestic
travellers’ journey.”
He says Asata encourages
travel consultants to
experience their own country
at every opportunity so that
their first-hand experience,
supplier relationships and
intimate knowledge of
customers’ requirements will
ensure the journey is both
painless and pleasant.
Did you know?
Birchwood recently introduced ValuStay@Birchwood, affordable accommodation for the conventional
traveller looking for a comfortable, no-frills and centralised hotel stay. ValuStay@Birchwood features
96 rooms that don’t offer the ‘unnecessary’ frills often not required for busy business travellers and
touring groups. Included in the rooms are all the comforts expected of the Birchwood Hotel, including
complimentary high speed WiFi access, a work station, DStv and air-conditioning. ValuStay@Birchwood
also offers clients a complimentary airport shuttle service and a dedicated porter facility.
Get creative!
TRAVEL agents must get
creative to attract budding
SA domestic travellers.
While packages are a great
option, according to the SA
Tourism study, travellers
often feel restricted by their
lack of flexibility.
With products such as The
Blue Train, travel agents can
add value by integrating the
train experience into a more
elaborate itinerary. Says
The Blue Train’s Themba
Masheula: “The Blue Train
is an experience on its own
and travel agents should
not include it in the guests’
itinerary as an add-on, but
should rather book it as
part of the comprehensive
itinerary of their clients or
an extension thereof.”
Pre-book attractions
John Ridler of Thompsons
Holidays suggests
encouraging clients to prebook
as many attractions as
possible prior to travelling.
“They will generally benefit
from purchasing these
tickets at reduced rates and
will also then not have to
queue to purchase tickets.”
Rachael Penaluna of
Sure Maritime Travel says:
“Ask what needs to be
included in the booking, for
example car rental, flights,
accommodation, meals.
Make suggestions for local
tours and find out if you can
pre-book guaranteed tours
such as Robben Island
before the client travels.
That way, the tour is already
paid for and not included in
the on-holiday budget.”
Travel agents should also
make sure that all the carrental
logistics of the trip
are arranged.
“When booking car rental,
ask if the client needs a
GPS or a baby seat. If it
is for a couple, suggest
that they hire a convertible
vehicle for the duration of
their stay,” says Rachael.
For the flight, travel agents
should make sure to check
pre-seating, she says. “Offer
to check in all passengers,
especially when booking
for families travelling with
children or larger groups.”
Travel agents can add real
value by making sure the
client has all the facts that
will allow them to plan their
holiday properly. “Check
if the hotel offers airport
transfers. This is often
cheaper than a point-to-point
or hiring a vehicle. Many
hotels also offer transfers
into town,” says Rachael.
Sport and music events
are a great inspiration for
South Africans to pack their
bag and explore the country,
according to SA Tourism.
It’s a good idea to give
clients an event timetable
for the destination they are
visiting, agrees Rachael.
“They’ll like to know which
markets, music concerts,
local events and seasonal
attractions like waterparks
to look out for."
Where to send your clients this December
THE December holidays
are just round the corner
and there are a number of
exciting local destinations
and itineraries travel
agents can suggest to their
clients.
“The travel agent must
complete a needs analysis
with the client to ascertain
what type of property
to sell them,” says
John Ridler from
Thompsons Holidays.
“Families need safe play
areas for kids and other
distractions like a beach,
while couples and those
wanting peace need a
smaller boutique hotel. The
super-active need
mountains and possibly
more remote areas for
hiking, cycling and other
sports of their choice.”
For families
It’s important to consider
different itineraries for
short breaks for families as
opposed to long holidays,
says Nicholas Barenblatt,
group marketing manager of
Protea Hotels.
A bush break could be the
ideal answer. Premier Hotels
& Resorts’ Mpongo Private
Game Reserve is ideal for
families with children. It has
a treasure trove of activities
that will strike a chord with
visitors with a passion for
the outdoors, including
game drives, horseback
safaris and mountain biking,
and trail running for those
who want to keep extra
holiday kilos at bay.
“Thanks to its abundance
of game and bird life,
Mpongo is a special place
for the whole family. Little
ones will no doubt enjoy
learning more about the
environment at the resort’s
Edu-Centre. Family fun
activities range from playing
on the jungle gyms and
enjoying some table tennis,
to the interactive kids’ zone
and game drives where
they can get up close and
personal with animals,”
says Grant Sandham,
group sales and marketing
manager at Premier Hotels
& Resorts.
The beaches of KZN are
another popular option
for family travellers in
December. “On the way to
the coast, stop off at some
of the many family-friendly
spots along the Midlands
Meander: mountain-biking
or ordinary cycling in a
range of spots, play puttputt
in Balgowan, take a
kite along and you’ll find
plenty of places to try it
out on the green lawns,
or enjoy adventure at
Karkloof Canopy Tours,”
Nicholas suggests.
For active travellers
The Drakensberg, with its
deep gorges, pinnacles and
saw-edged ridges and caves
is an adventure tourist’s
playground. There are game
sanctuaries, Bushman rock art
sites, challenging peaks and
cascading waterfalls, and it
is a magnet for hikers. More
adventurous adrenalin junkies
also won’t be bored, with a
range of thrilling experiences
from zip lines, to hikes,
abseiling, helicopter flips and
quad biking.
The Garden Route is also
a firm favourite with active
travellers, says Sure Maritime
Travel’s Rachael Penaluna.
She says it offers beautiful
scenery and zip line and
canopy tours.
Blackwater tubing in the
Storms River in the Garden
Route, is also popular.
The Wild Coast is attractive
for adventurers. “A range
of exciting activities awaits
travellers to the Wild Coast,
from an 18-hole challenging
championship golf course that
stretches along the expansive
coast, flanking the Mtamvuna
River, to rugged, unspoilt
beaches,” says Karen TerrellKramvis
of SunSales.
For quiet travellers
Finding the right itinerary
for quieter, more reserved
travellers during the
December holidays can be
a challenge. “The December
and January periods can
be frenetic at many of the
top tourist destinations in
the country, so if you are
looking for something quieter,
choosing a small town
can be the answer,” says
Nicholas.
He says Nature’s Valley
on the Garden Route has
a wonderful and quiet
beach. The West Coast
region outside Cape Town
also doesn’t attract large
numbers of tourists. “Spend
time at Langebaan Lagoon
or further north where you’ll
have a really relaxing time in
a town like Velddrif or at the
Clanwilliam Dam. Darling and
Riebeek Kasteel are also
both quaint country towns
known for their food, craft
beer and wine,” Nicholas
suggests.
For romantic travellers
Combining a Blue Train trip
with a spa destination in
the winelands is always a
winner. “A Blue Train combo
is a memorable and unique
holiday for romantic travellers,
especially when combined with
a hotel stay,” says Rachael.
“The Blue Train is perfect for
celebrations – honeymoons,
special milestone birthdays,
and anniversaries. It is elegant
and chic with every detail
taken care of!” agrees the
train’s Themba Masheula.
Cape Town also offers the
ideal setting for romantic
travellers, according to
Rachael. “Look for something
exclusive, like Le Franschhoek
Hotel and Spa.”
Nicholas says there are
some amazing spots for
watching the sunset while
sipping a glass of local wine.
“Try Signal Hill in Cape Town or
Beta Beach in Camps Bay.”
Book it!
Kulula holidays is offering a special of R1 729pps for the Falaza Game Park in Hluhluwe in KZN. The
package includes two nights in a luxury tent and breakfast daily. Travellers staying three nights will receive
one complimentary Umfolozi/Hluhluwe game drive per person during their stay. The special is valid for
SADC residents only and for travel between November 1 and April 30.
