Affluent travellers are keen to spend
"LUXURY travel, without
a doubt, is one area
of the travel industry
that is immune to the
economic downturn,” says
Wally Gaynor, md of Club
Travel.
He says the Club Travel
division that deals with
high-end clients is showing
strong growth. “Let’s face
it, if you had over R1bn and
are now down to R900m,
you’re still going to pamper
yourself.”
Luxury clients are not
affected as much by
economic downturns
and rate of exchange
fluctuations, agrees Joanne
Visagie, Beachcomber
Tours sales and marketing
manager. Beachcomber has
seen exceptional year-onyear
growth in the luxury
space. “Trends that affect
the mass market generally
escape the luxury seeker.
They travel on their own
terms and are happy to
purchase lunch and drinks
at their own pace in the
resort,” she says, adding
that high-end travellers are
less concerned with costsaving
measures, such as
going all-inclusive or visiting
local destinations.
Affluent people prioritise
their holidays, says Theresa
Szejwallo, md of Trafalgar.
For the luxury segment of
the market, a holiday is a
‘given’. If they are at all
affected by the economic
downturn, they are likely to
shorten their trips by a day
or two rather than consider
a ‘budget-style’ trip, she
says.
Proof is that Trafalgar’s
top-end range of guided
holidays is doing better
than the company’s budget
product.
“Our high-end product is
up by 27% while the budget
product is flat,” Theresa
says.
Hardworking corporates
want seamless and
pleasurable experiences,
such as one can expect
from four- and five-star
resorts, says Terrence
Goosen, group marketing
manager of Premier Hotels
and Resorts.
“This is the area where
they splurge. Good service,
attention to detail and
convenience are still very
much in demand.”
The cruising industry has
also enjoyed increased
support from travellers
looking for luxury. Janine
Pretorius, general sales
agent for Regent Seven
Seas Cruises, says there
are still many guests who
demand the best and
expect to pay for it.
Austria Connection does
tailor-made luxury itineraries
for Croatia, Prague and
Vienna for clients who want
to stay in top hotels and
have private guides, as they
don’t want to join regular
excursions, says owner,
Inge Dobihal. “There has
always been a demand for
this, and this year we’ve
seen the same.”
The discerning traveller
But whereas the high-end
market continues to value
luxury travel, they are not
spending carelessly.
Michele Abraham,
marketing communications
manager of Anantara Hotels
Resorts and Spas, says
travellers are still treating
themselves to indulgent and
unique getaways but they also
shop around and do their
research. “Particularly when it
comes to considering a new
destination, they are actively
looking at what deals are out
there.”
Zahedah Bhorat, regional
and game lodges product
manager of Holiday Tours,
agrees that most luxury
travellers feel the need to
justify their spend by ensuring
that they are getting value for
their money. “They are looking
for specials and discounts on
their stays.”
Upper-end clients will, as a
rule of thumb, always have the
capital to spend on up-market
accommodation and services,
provided the deal is good
value for money in the price
range they are looking at,
adds Megan D’Arcy, Holiday
Tours Europe and USA product
manager.
There is an expectation to
provide superior product and
service, keeping suppliers
on their toes. “We have a
number of clients who are not
prepared to compromise on
quality,” says Cathie Bester,
national sales manager of
WLH. She says hotels in
general have started offering
better product to cater for
the luxury traveller. “Travellers
have become more discerning
and now that clients have
access to online information
about travel, they are able
to make comparisons on
luxurious product offerings,”
she says.
Experiential travel
The concept of luxury has
changed over the years.
Michele says there is still a
market to travel to beautiful
places and be accommodated
comfortably but the emphasis
is moving towards the
holiday ‘experience’. “Luxury
travellers have the capacity to
be able to indulge in unique
experiences that may be
prohibitive to other travellers
where costs are concerned.”
Theresa agrees that luxury
travel has moved away from
purely ‘travelling in style’, with
customers putting more value
on the actual experience
their trip provides. This is
one of the reasons Trafalgar
launched its Hidden Journeys
product. “The five-star hotel
and business-/first-class
ticket are still very much in
play but we find our guests
are looking for something
more important – the kind of
experience that is unique and
off the beaten track.”
The trend can be seen
among travellers to Mauritius,
with clients asking for more
than just the typical ‘luxury’
experience. “Beachcomber
encourages its guests to
engage with local culture and
experiences incorporating, for
instance, local Creole cuisine
and themed evenings. Even
our younger guests engage
with the local culture, dressing
up for sega theme evenings,”
says Joanne.
“The demand for luxury
travel has become more
complex,” says Terrence.
“Luxury now has many
different facets to it; for
example, we have found
customers want high-end
coffee brands as well as
boutique-brand alcoholic
beverages and drinks, such as
craft beer and coconut water.
Opulence in the air”
THE demand for premiumclass
air travel is on the
rise, with airlines noting
an increase in demand as
luxury products become
more accessible to
travellers.
Bookings for business
class on Air Mauritius
flights have increased
year on year, says Wouter
Nel, sales and marketing
manager. It helps that Air
Mauritius makes luxury
travel more accessible to
passengers, he says, with
last-minute upgrade offers
at the airport of R1 600
one-way, subject to seat
availability.
“This is very popular and
exposes the product to a
wider range of consumers.
In general, luxury travel has
become more obtainable.
Travel was a grand affair
in the past and something
everyone aspired to. It was
expensive and deemed
only for the rich, but
globalisation has changed
this,” he says.
On long-haul routes,
such as South Africa,
passengers will always be
willing to pay a premium
for a luxury experience,
says Andrea Carlyle,
brand manager of SWISS
International Air Lines.
“In Europe, an ageing
demographic – the
so-called ‘Best Agers’ –
has been identified. These
customers are well off
and like to spend their
money on luxury travel
experiences, including
comfortable flights in
business and sometimes
even first class, especially
on long-haul flights
between Europe and South
Africa.”
Which cities have the most expensive hotel rates?
MELBOURNE, Sydney and
Singapore have the most
expensive average hotel
room rates, according to
the 2014 HRS Annual Hotel
Price Radar.
Based on data collected
from all hotel bookings
made via the HRS hotel
portal in 2014, the analysis
looks at per night room
rates and found that
hotel rates fluctuated
widely across Asia-Pacific
throughout the year.
Closely following
Melbourne is sister city,
Sydney, which takes the
second spot on the hotel
rooms rate list.
“Hotel room rates are
a key indicator of both
tourism and business travel
levels throughout the year
and our analysis shows that
companies have confidence
in the APAC region and
are continuing to push for
global growth,” said Todd
Arthur, md of APAC at HRS
Book these specials!.
1. luxurious lodging
African Hotels and
Adventures’ (AHA)
Thakadu River Camp
(right) in the Madikwe
Game Reserve is running
a winter special, from
R1 720pps per night. The
offer is valid from May 1
to September 30.
Rates include bed and
breakfast, lunch and
dinner and two game
drives daily. Rate
excludes beverages and
gate fee. Children pay
50% of the adult rate.
Ivory Tree Game Lodge
and Shepherd’s Tree
Game Lodge in the
Pilanesberg Game
Reserve recently joined
AHA’s portfolio, which
has increased the number
of properties suitable
for luxury travel. Other
luxury properties include
Gondwana (Garden
Route), Makalali Private
Game Lodge (Hoedspruit)
and Azanzi Beach Hotel
(Zanzibar).
2. Unlimited golf at Paradis
and Dinarobin
Beachcomber Tours
is offering unlimited
complimentary golf
at Paradis’s 18-hole
championship golf
course for guests
staying at a villa at
either Paradis Hotel and
Golf Club or Dinarobin
Hotel Golf and Spa. The
special is valid from May
10 to September 30.
Guests at the villas
will also be entitled to
welcome gifts such as a
golf shirt, three Paradis
Golf Club balls and a
bag of tees; bottled
water; golf carts and
practice balls; and
free green fees for a
game at Tamarina Golf
Estate and Heritage
Golf Club. They will also
receive a complimentary
upgrade from bed and
breakfast to half-board
basis when booking
their holiday, for travel
between May 10 and
July 31, and September
1 to 30
3. More-itius
World Leisure Holidays
is offering a seven-night
special at the five-star Sugar
Beach for R15 490pps. This
special includes return direct
flights from Johannesburg to
Mauritius on Air Mauritius,
return coach transfers and
breakfast and dinner daily.
Kids under 12 stay free
when sharing with adults
and a maximum of two
children between two and
11 years old fly free. This
special is valid for travel
between May 4 and May 26
and between May 31 and
June 24.
Holiday Tours is offering a
seven-night special for
St Regis Mauritius
Resort and Spa from
R25 500pps. The special
is valid for travel from May
1 to September 30, with
block-out dates between
June 25 and July 20. The
special includes return
flights on Air Mauritius
from Johannesburg;
accommodation in a
Deluxe Ocean View room;
breakfast, lunch and dinner
daily; return airport-resort
transfers and all pre-payable
airport taxes and fuel levies.
4. Just cruising
Encore Cruises is offering a
Verona Opera and Cruise that
includes a 10-night sailing
on the Seven Seas Mariner
around Italy and through the
Adriatic. The Deluxe Veranda
Suites are US$7 629pps
(R89 527) and the Concierge
Suites are US$8 829pps
(R103 610).
Included are ship-hotel
transfer, two nights B&B at
the Palazzo Victoria Hotel,
Verona, gold tickets for Don
Giovanni at the Arena di
Verona and a two-hour guided
walking tour of Verona. Guests
also receive special VIP
entrance to Arena di Verona,
private area for pre-opera
dinner, a backstage visit
prior to the show, an opera
programme book, and drinks
throughout the evening.
5. Easter fun
Legend Lodges is offering
an Easter holiday special
from R2 800pps at
Dugong Beach Lodge in
Mozambique. It includes
accommodation, three
meals daily, selected
beverages during dinner, all
non-motorised water sports
and a sundowner dhow
cruise. The offer is valid for
travel until June 30.
Legend Golf and Safari
Resort is offering a special
from R990pps, including
accommodation (B&B) and
two game drives. Valid
from March 25 to April 30.
6. The ultimate spoil
Holiday Tours is offering a
three-night special at the
Oyster Box in Durban from
R5 569pps, from March
1 to May 31. The special
includes accommodation
in a sea-facing Cabana,
breakfast daily, return
economy-class flights from
Johannesburg and return
airport transfers. Guests
will also receive welcome
canapés and a glass of
Moët & Chandon on arrival,
a R750 spa voucher per
person to enjoy during their
stay, a seafood dinner for
two in The Grill Room, and
breakfast in bed served by
their own private butler.
7. Hidden
Canada
Trafalgar’s Hidden Journey
in Canada focuses on
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Priced from R42 900pps, it
includes Insider Experiences
such as a local expert telling
the story of Signal Hill, where
Marconi’s first transatlantic
wireless signal was recorded.
8. Go east in
style with MK
Air Mauritius has a special
business-class fare of
R18 100 (excl. taxes of about
R6 900, route dependent) on
flights from JNB to Perth, Hong
Kong, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur,
Mumbai and Delhi. Included
is a free stopover in a fivestar
hotel, with transfers and
selected meals.
New premium srevice on HL
LUFTHANSA passengers
can now experience the new
first-class service on all longhaul
flights from Munich on
the A340-600.
“The retrofit of the new firstand
business-class cabins
on the remainder of the longhaul
fleet will be completed
this summer. By the end of
2015, all Lufthansa longrange
aircraft will feature
the new premium economy
cabin,” the airline said.
First-class passengers can
look forward to individual
service and a wide selection
of top-quality food and drinks.
The eight seats recline to
become a 207cm lie-flat bed.
The new business-class
seat converts into a 198cm
lie-flat bed. Passengers can
choose from the expanded
inflight entertainment
programme and view it on
their personal 38cm monitor.
“During the course of this
year, Lufthansa will offer its
business-class passengers
a new, more personalised,
restaurant-style service,” the
airline added.
The new premium economy
class offers 50% more space
than economy class and
passengers can check in two
items of baggage.
Premier
buys Sani
Pass Hotel
PREMIER Hotels and Resorts
has purchased the Sani Pass
Hotel in the mKhomazana
Valley at the foot of Sani Pass
in the southern Drakensberg.
Premier’s plans for the
hotel include upgrades to
the facilities and the addition
of new hotel rooms, chalets
and conference venues. The
existing entertainment and
sporting facilities, which
include a nine-hole golf
course, volleyball and tennis
courts, bowling greens, and
a wellness centre, will also
receive extensive upgrades.
Regent Seven Seas
welcomes new ship
REGENT Seven Seas
Cruises’ Seven Seas
Explorer will sail on its
maiden voyage and
inaugural season as part
of the summer 2016
schedule.
There are ten categories
of suites (a total of 375
suites), featuring “the
largest verandas in the
cruise industry”. Each suite
has “European king-sized
Suite Slumber Beds and
oversized bathrooms with
rich marble and decorative
tiles,” the cruise line said
in a statement. All suites
include a private balcony,
with 93% of the verandas
extending beyond 7,7 sqm.
Accommodations range
from 28 sqm entry-level
Veranda Suite to the lavish
360 sqm Regent Suite.
“Carrying only 750
guests, Seven Seas Explorer
will boast one of the
highest space ratios in
the cruise industry and an
exceptionally high staff-toguest
ratio.”
Destroyed lodge to be rebuilt after fire
TINTSWALO Lodges Group
will rebuild its Tintswalo
Atlantic Lodge after fires
in the Cape Peninsula
destroyed it earlier this
month. The lodge is
expected to reopen on
December 1.
Due to public interest,
Tintswalo will document
the rebuild, which can be
followed on its Tintswalo
Atlantic rebuild blog. Gaye
Corbett, Tintswalo Lodges
Group owner, will be
contributing to the contents
of the blog, giving a
personal account of what is
happening on the ground.
Staff will remain employed
and will be assisting in the
rebuilding of the property.
An office has been set up
in Hout Bay as their central
hub for the next months.
As a token of their
appreciation towards
the City of Cape Town
emergency services,
NSRI, the fire department,
volunteers and Hout Bay’s
community, Tintswalo will
host an annual charity
event on March 2 (the
date the property was
destroyed).
New ownership for Crystal Cruises
NIPPON Yusen Kabushiki
Kaisha (NYK), Crystal
Cruises’ parent company
since its inception in
1988, has entered into an
agreement with Genting
Hong Kong (GHK), under
which Crystal Cruises will
be acquired by GHK. The
acquisition is expected to
close in the second quarter
of 2015.
“With the support of
GHK’s financial strength and
expertise in ship design,
Crystal Cruises’ fleet size
will expand with a new ship,
elevating the standard of
luxury cruising,” says Edie
Rodriguez, president and coo
of Crystal Cruises. Crystal’s
fleet currently features
Crystal Symphony and
Crystal Serenity.
“The new ship will offer
a number of innovations
in design, public areas,
accommodation, dining,
entertainment and wellness,
which will appeal to both
our traditional and ‘new to
Crystal’ clients. In addition,
a third ship will allow us to
offer a far wider choice of
destinations and imaginative
itineraries,” he said.
Cruises International
represents Crystal Cruises
in South Africa.
