How to sell a ‘different’ Europe
WHEN approached to
sell travel to Eastern
Europe, agents often
find themselves dealing with
seasoned travellers who have
already seen parts of Western
Europe.
Visitors to Eastern Europe
are well travelled in all the
more “touristy” destinations
and are now looking for
something more authentic,
says Jackie Adami, md of
Development Promotions.
She says it will also appeal to
travellers who are looking for
an authentic experience from
the outset and those whose
taste veers more to the “less
commercialised”. When selling
Eastern Europe, therefore,
the points agents should
highlight are fewer tourists;
the unspoiled environment;
better value for money; and
the warm, friendly locals.
These travellers are looking
for another taste of the
continent, something that
would offer history, culture
and sightseeing but with
a different flavour, agrees
Theresa Szjewello, md
of Trafalgar, adding that
travellers requesting Eastern
European guided holidays
have generally done the more
traditional parts of Europe
such as France, Italy and The
Netherlands. “Eastern Europe
holds a certain mystique
and offers something a
little different – be it the
cuisine, or the history.”
Theresa says Trafalgar’s ‘The
Highlights of Eastern Europe’
and the ‘Imperial Europe’
guided holidays feature an
array of culturally enriching
experiences. Guests learn
about the Slovenian capital,
Ljubljana, while exploring
the opera house, cathedral,
National Museum, castle and
the Three Bridges Square.
There are also visits to
the concentration camp at
Auschwitz and the Jasna Gora
Monastery in Poland, as well
as the Palace of Culture and
Science. “These two trips
are loaded with cultural and
historical experiences,” says
Theresa.
Inge Dobihal, owner of
Austria Connection, says
Eastern Europe can be
categorised in different ways:
“Politically, it refers to all those
countries behind the Iron
Curtain that, over the decades
were under Communist rule.”
These destinations would
include Slovenia, Serbia,
Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania
and Croatia (formerly part
of Yugoslavia) but would
exclude Turkey. When speaking
geographically, however,
she says Greece should be
included in this list as well.
Other destinations could
include the Baltic States –
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Treasure chest of culture
There is one thing that all
these countries have in
common, says Inge. “They are
treasure chests of art and
architecture, have a highly
interesting history and have
maintained their individual
cultures.” She says when
agents sell Eastern Europe
they should note that most
of the cities are vibrant, with
street cafés, pubs and jazz
clubs and numerous festivals.
Each country, she says, has
specific highlights and that
a prospective client who is
interested in the subjects
featured in each trip, matched
suitably, will love a trip in the
region. For travellers who
are more interested in the
atmosphere and street life,
Inge says the old town of
Bratislava in Slovakia is full of
charm and vibrancy. For those
who prefer the beach, she
says: “Croatia is highly popular
for its picturesque bays and
beaches, the crystal-clear sea
and island-hopping cruises.”
However, Theresa warns
against trying to fit travellers
into boxes. She advises
agents to look at their clients
objectively to ensure that they
offer the product that fits all
the criteria the client is looking
for in a holiday.
Ask the right questions
She says agents still need
to ensure that they ask the
basic questions like ‘Where
have you travelled to before?’,
‘Do you prefer travelling
independently or would you
like all the arrangements to be
taken care of for you?’, ‘What
sort of experiences would you
like to enjoy?’, ‘Is getting the
best value for your rand an
important factor?’, ‘Would you
like VIP access to the iconic
sights?’, ‘Will you be travelling
with family?’, ‘Would you like
to go off the beaten track?’.
Getting around
TRAVELLING by coach is the
most organised and easiest
way to travel through
Eastern Europe.
“Navigating the roads is
not a simple case of hiring
a vehicle and driving off.
One has to be mindful
that the road signs are not
universally English and road
rules themselves may differ
from country to country,”
says Trafalgar’s Theresa
Szejwallo. She adds that
South African travellers
should remember that most
Eastern European countries
drive on the right.
For the independent
traveller who does not want
to travel by guided coach
the travel options vary
says Austria Connection’s
Inge Dobihal. “Whilst it
is easy to travel by train
through the Czech Republic,
Poland, Bulgaria, or mainly
by bus through Croatia,
we suggest that travellers
hire a car for exploring the
countryside in Slovakia,
Slovenia and Hungary.
The best way to explore
Romania is with a private
car and driver or guide,
she adds. “Considering the
enormous advantages of
travelling in this way, it is
still affordable.”
For travellers who do not
like moving around too
much and changing hotels
too often there is the option
of seeing some of the
countryside by using the
main city as a base.
Regular excursions could
then be done from there,
says Inge. This option
would apply to places like
Prague, Budapest, Krakow
and Ljubljana.
Brush up on visa requirements
VISA requirements should
be an agent’s top concern
when booking travel to
Eastern Europe, says
Tessa Hattingh, travel
manager from Sure Etnique
Travel. Tessa sells trips
between Slovenia, Croatia
and Montenegro and says
many of the countries
in the region do not fall
under Schengen and thus
require special care when
arranging the correct travel
documents.
She gives the example
of booking a trip between
Slovenia, Croatia and
Montenegro and says
the easiest way to obtain
a visa is to apply for a
multiple-entry Schengen
visa that would still be
valid for stays in Croatia
and Montenegro. She
emphasises that travel
agents need
to be aware
of the details
when arranging
their clients’
documents: “You
can apply for a
Croatian visa on
the client’s behalf,
but you can’t
do it when applying for
the Schengen visa,” she
says. She emphasises
that embassies
for Schengen
countries do not
permit agents
to apply for
their clients’
visas, even
if the clients
have applied for
Schengen visas
previously. Schengen visas
have to be applied for in
person, says Tessa.
Top Seller
TOP sellers for Eastern
Europe vary from operator to
operator. Trafalgar’s guests
specifically request cities like
Vienna and Bratislava as they
work well together logistically,
says Theresa Szejwallo. On
the other hand, Inge Dobihal
says Austria Connection’s top
destinations include Croatia;
Prague; Budapest; and
Slovenia.
Gm of Lufthansa Southern
Africa, Dr André Schulz, says
Poland is the biggest and
most competitive Eastern
European market and, as a
result, Lufthansa flies to nine
destinations in the country.
Krakow is the best town
to visit in Poland, says Inge,
with buildings dating back to
the 15th and 16th centuries.
“Krakow is a must for people
with a Jewish interest, with the
nearby Auschwitz concentration
camp and the revived [modern
and trendy] Jewish district
Kazimierz.” She says other
highlights include the nearby
Wieliczka Salt Mines, which
reflect a 700-year-old history of
salt mining.
André says his favourite
destination is Budapest, as
he lived there for two years
and says the “so-called Pearl
of the Danube is excellent for
sightseeing”.
Inge advises that to really
see Hungary, travellers should
not restrict their visit to
Budapest. A must-see is the
Puszta (Great Hungarian Plain)
where animals such as sheep,
pigs and horses are bred on
a large scale. She says the
hierarchy that exists among
the herdsmen is of particular
interest with those ranking
the highest being the ones
who look after the horses. The
Ciskos, the Hungarian cowboys
who gallop at full speed,
reining five horses while
standing on two, and a visit to
Esztergom to see the Basilica,
seat of the Roman Catholic
Church in Hungary, are also
not to be missed, Inge says.
Trafalgar offers an Insider
Experience to Hungary where
travellers are invited into
the home of the Schieszl
family, who had their vineyard
taken from them and who
were deported from Hungary
during WW2.
Konrád Schieszl reveals
some of the country’s rich
history by telling the story of
how one of the young boys
his family had rescued during
WW2 later became a lawyer
who helped the Schieszls
return to Hungary and buy
back their land during the
Communist rule.
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