Get the brief!
Flight Centre Sandton City
An agent with a desk full
of paperwork welcomed me
to her station. She started
by asking me to fill in my
details on a card before
attending to my query. She
then asked basic questions
about dates to be booked
and made enquiries, not
necessarily related to the
brief, about my preferences
regarding accommodation.
She admitted to being
new to her position – she
did not yet have business
cards – and thus did not
have all the necessary
knowledge about the
packages her agency
offered to Mauritius.
However, she promised
to follow up via email
once she had done some
research. The enquiry was
made on a Friday, with the
agent promising to mail
some ideas and quotes
by the following Tuesday.
There was no follow-up
call and the email never
arrived.
Sandown Travel Sandton City
Walking into this ‘concept
store’ (some of the
stations feature agents and
customers sitting on couches
across from each other in
brightly coloured cubicles), an
agent gave a friendly greeting
as soon as I entered. She
didn’t introduce herself but
listened carefully to the brief
and suggested a package
that sounded exactly what
I was looking for, stating
that, coincidentally, she had
received training on it the
week before. She suggested
I sit with the agency’s
Mauritius specialist, but the
consultant was not at her
desk. She soon returned and
asked me to send her an
email, to which she would
reply with some rates. No
notes were taken regarding
my brief, though a couple
of mainstream Mauritius
brochures were presented
to me.
Pentravel Benmore Gardens
Masego
Mokgatha was
one of a number
of agents who
gave friendly
greetings as I
entered this small
shop. I explained
my request to her
and, after asking
some intelligent questions,
Masego displayed the best
understanding of what
it was that I was looking
for – more so than any
of the other agents I met
with for this story. She
took my details on a form
and promised to phone
as soon as she had any
information. Her first followup
call came through the
following morning.
She said she
had found an
excellent resort
on the less-visited
south coast of
Mauritius, which
offered a number
of activities,
including hiking
in the surrounding forested
area, and was also looking
into a package that
combined a stay there with
a visit to Réunion, where
visitors can enjoy a number
of adventurous outdoor
activities, including climbing
the volcano at the island’s
centre.
3 tips for selling Mauritius
1) Act on your promises. If
you’ve told a client you’ll
follow up with quotes,
make sure you do so. If
this isn’t possible, touch
base with them to let
them know that you’re still
working on their request.
2) Listen to the brief. If
a client has a specific
request, do your best
to match it with an
appropriate package
rather than pressing them
to try something else.
3) Provide relevant material.
Brochures – printed or
electronic – allow the
client to read up on
options at their leisure.
Take note!
The purpose of the Naked Agent in this series of ‘Sell more…’ features
is to assess the experience from only a sales skills perspective and not
the effectiveness of the travel agency. TNW believes that sales skills are
increasingly important to travel agents and, in many cases, improvement
in selling skills is the easiest way to increase the prosperity of the agency
and its consultants. The Naked Agent is designed to raise awareness of
the opportunity and build awareness of the need.
Do you really know Mauritius?
MOST South African
travellers view Mauritius
as a traditional leisure
package destination, popular
with honeymooners and
families. However, the island
has a lot more to offer than the
seven-night, all-inclusive resort
packages for the beach-loving
tourist, and more travellers
are expressing interest in
less traditional experiences,
meaning agents need to
improve their knowledge of the
island.
The perception that Mauritius
is a fly-and-flop destination
is still very strong among
the trade, says Chantelle
Browne, product manager of
Holiday Tours. But a number
of tools are available for those
wishing to increase their
knowledge, including websites
like the Mauritius Tourism
Promotion Authority (www.
tourism-mauritius.mu). “These
tools should be used when
consulting with clients,” she
says, noting that they’re useful
when it comes to educating
clients about the varied
experiences on offer.
Vicky Steinhardt, land
product manager of Pentravel,
says more South Africans
are travelling to Mauritius for
work. These travellers may not
be interested in Mauritius’s
famed resorts but rather the
large selection of serviced
apartments and villas offering
flexible self-catering options.
Angela Wood, general
marketing manager of Cullinan
Outbound Tourism, says there
is growing demand from
business people who want to
purchase two- or three-night
packages in Port Louis or
Cyber City. Some corporate
travellers are even choosing to
spend their time at the various
resort hotels and travel to the
city centre for their meetings,
she says.
Repeat leisure travellers are
also looking for ‘something
more’ from their Mauritius
experience. Vicky says she has
seen an increase in travellers
asking for tailor-made travel
options to Mauritius in order
to attend various sporting
events on the island, such as
mountain biking, kite-surfing,
fishing or golfing events.
Cathie Bester, national sales
manager of World Leisure
Holidays, has also noticed
a change. “We’re receiving
requests for shorter stays
at our resorts and people
are making their own flight
arrangement using their
frequent flyer points.”
Self-drive holidays are also
growing in popularity. Gail
Gilbert, sales and marketing
manager of Africa Stay, says
Mauritius’s roads are in good
condition, making it easy for
people who wish to experience
different parts of the island
– perhaps splitting their stay
between different resorts – to
do so by car.
When it comes to lesserknown
attractions, Vanessa
Butler, Flight Centre’s
destination leader for Africa
and the Indian Ocean Islands,
says Mauritius’s mountain
resorts are hidden gems.
These resorts are smaller and
more intimate than the beach
resorts and give travellers a
unique eco-tourism experience.
She adds that travellers often
opt to spend two or three
nights in the mountains,
followed by four or five nights
at a beach resort.
Tailor-made holidays are not
necessarily more expensive
than package holidays, she
adds. Mauritius also has a lot
to offer foodies. “There are
some amazing restaurants
dotted around the island. As
an agent, if your clients are
staying at a resort, you could
arrange a trip to another beach
resort with an exceptional
restaurant,” she says.
Which part of the
island is best?
Travel agents should
remember that the various
parts of the island offer very
different holiday experiences.
“It is essential that travel
agents truly understand
what their clients want from
their Mauritius holiday; what
activities they want to pursue,
what they would like to see. If
they select a stay on the east
coast, for example, they need
to take into account the cost
of transport to destinations
like Grand Baie and Port
Louis,” says Joanne Visagie,
sales and marketing manager
of Beachcomber Tours.
Thompsons Holidays’ Angela
Wood describes the north
coast as “the vibey part of the
island”; it’s here that Grand
Baie, with its numerous shops,
is situated. This part of the
island has an abundance of
restaurants and nightclubs.
Grand Baie is also excellent
for sailing activities and scuba
diving.
Pentravel’s Vicky Steinhardt
agrees that, for clients looking
for shopping and nightlife, the
north coast is definitely the
answer. Other attractions here
include Cap Malheureux, the
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
Botanical Gardens, the
Pamplemousses Botanical
Garden, Triolet Shivala, the
Paul et Virginie Monument and
some of the finest beaches
in Mauritius, such as Trou aux
Biches, Mont Choisy, Grand
Baie and Pereybere cove.
There are many interesting
sights to observe in and
around Mahébourg on the
south coast, including the
fascinating National History
Museum and the Naval
Museum, says Angela. At
Vieux Grand Port, the oldest
settlement in Mauritius,
visitors can also observe
the ruins of the first Dutch
fortifications. Besides its rich
history, the south coast also
features several beautiful
beaches, including Blue Bay
and Gris Gris. Key landmarks
here are the Naval Museum
and the Frederik Hendrik
Museum, while the Mahébourg
Market is considered one of
the most authentic markets on
the island.
The east coast offers
exquisite white sandy beaches,
hidden coves and emerald
lagoons. It is dotted with
charming little villages nestled
between the mountains and
the sea, says Angela. Among
the must-sees are the Victoria
1840, a restored sugar mill;
Flacq Market and Ile aux Cerfs,
a privately owned island.
“Keep in mind the mantra
‘west is best’ when selling
Mauritius,” says Joanne. She
explains that the cold trade
winds blow from the east
directly on to the beaches of
the east coast, especially in
the winter months, making for
more temperate conditions
on the west coast. “The west
coast is also more developed
and offers a range of diverse
experiences within a short
distance of most resorts,
such as catamaran departure
points, shopping and
entertainment. The east coast,
on the other hand, is quieter
and more secluded.”
Just off Tamarin Bay or Flic
en Flac, travellers will be able
to see the dolphins that come
to these waters to rest and
breed, says Angela. The west
coast also features Morne
Mountain, a World Heritage
Site. Slightly inland, in the hills
around Chamarel, travellers
will find the rum distillery as
well as the Black River Gorges
National Park, home to highly
endangered native plants and
animals.
The Chamarel Coloured Earth
and Casela Nature Park are
other noteworthy attractions in
this area.
Avoid the cyclones
Vicky says travel agents
should advise their clients
that the cyclone season
runs from January to March.
“If a cyclone hits, clients can
be stuck in their hotel for a
few days. Travel insurance
therefore is essential.”
Choose the right resort
Agents should have a good
idea of their client’s budget
so that the operator can
quote a few options within
their price expectations,
advises Africa Stay’s Gail
Gilbert. “There are many
different accommodation
options on the island,
ranging from self-catering
to five-star. There are also
many different resorts
in Mauritius: some are
popular with certain
nationalities, some do not
allow children, some have
a dedicated children’s
programme.
Upsell!
Mauritius is a relatively easy
destination to upsell, say
industry players, as there is a
wide variety of room categories
as well as a broad option of
activities on offer.
Holiday Tours’ Chantelle
Browne recommends
suggesting an excursion that
could be booked online – tours
to lesser-known attractions are
particularly intriguing.
Travel agents should also
try to upsell to all-inclusive
packages to avoid unpleasant
surprises for their clients when
at the destination, such as
high prices for food and drinks.
Upgrading room types, for
example from garden-facing to
sea-facing, is another way to
upsell.
Tour ops: What sets them apart?
Ample activities
What sets Holiday Tours
apart is the various
excursions and experiences
that travel agents can book
online, says Chantelle
Browne. These include
activities such as private
picnics in scenic locations,
cocktail-mixing demonstration,
and scuba diving. “These are
pre-bookable only through
Holiday Tours and have
been tailor-made to ensure
a unique and memorable
experience.”
Family-friendly
Beachcomber Tours’ range
of resorts are child-friendly
and therefore attractive
to families, says Joanne
Visagie. Each Beachcomber
resort has a free Mini Club
open daily for three- to
12-year-olds. Parents can
relax while a trained team
look after their children.
Some Beachcomber resorts,
such as Trou aux Biches,
also have a specific teens’
club. Parents with babies can
access a flexible babysitter
service.
Value-for-money
Angela Wood, explains
that, as the largest South
African tour operator, Cullinan
Outbound Tourism’s greater
buying power means clients
get excellent deals. Angela
adds that, with a 37-year
history, the company has
earned a trusted reputation.
Product knowledge
“What sets us apart is our
staff product knowledge and
wide range of accommodation
options,” says Gail Gilbert.
Gail says Africa Stay offers
everything from self-catering
to boutique hotels and from
two-star through to five-start
deluxe resorts.
Exclusivity
“WLH is unique in that we are
owned by Sun Resorts and
are its exclusive distributor
in Africa,” says Cathie
Bester. She says WLH has a
property to suit all travellers
to Mauritius, from families
and corporate travellers to
those wanting to get away to
celebrate special occasions,
honeymooners and
companies wanting to have
a conference or incentive trip
for their teams.
News flash!
Thompsons Holidays
recently introduced a
selection of ‘Bonus Plus’
offers for its Mauritius
Collection Hotels, which
highlight the added values
and ‘in-resort savings’
offered to guests at each
of the hotels. These can
range from free-of-charge
waterskiing, afternoon tea/
coffee and pancakes, to
WiFi, glass-bottom boat
excursions and catamaran
cruises.
A premium family resort
LOCATED on the east coast
of Mauritius, Long Beach
nestles on the edge of one
of the island’s longest and
widest natural beaches.
Contemporary and chic, the
resort has been built around
the concept of ‘Italian life’,
going big on food and fun for
the whole family.
Gourmet delights
The resort has five
restaurants and focuses
on making dining a culinary
experience. Its buffet
restaurant, Le Marché,
is almost overwhelming
with its unique daily
array of delights. It offers
themed evenings where
guests can look forward to
something new each meal.
The Japanese restaurant,
Hasu, has two set menu
options that bring authentic
Japanese tastes to the
table and Sapori offers
top-class Italian dining with
crusty pizzas. The beach
restaurant, Tides, specialises
in fresh seafood, with guests
seated at tables on the
beach, while the Chinese
restaurant, Chopsticks,
offers great ambience, with
chefs preparing dishes in a
display kitchen inside the
restaurant.
Entertainment and
activities
Every night there is live
entertainment in the
central Piazza. Bluesy local
bands and fiery flamenco
dancers are just some of
the entertainers. A disco is
open on Friday and Saturday
nights for those looking to
dance through the night.
Long Beach offers guests
the longest stretch of private
beach in Mauritius at 1,5km
with a good combination of
swimming areas and coral
reefs. Snorkelling is easy,
straight off the beach but
guests need to bring their
own snorkelling gear. The
resort has three swimming
pools – a heated, main pool
with large shallow areas for
young children; an adultsonly
infinity pool looking on
to the beach; and a training
pool at the sports centre.
A chip-and-putt golf course,
climbing wall, gym and
games centre are some of
the activities on offer at the
resort, while a water sports
centre on the beach has
paddle boats, windsurfers,
and sailing boats available
free of charge to guests. The
glass-bottom boat goes out
twice a day.
Get a room!
Alessandro Schenone,
Long Beach’s gm, says the
resort has some of the
largest standard rooms
on the island at 60sqm.
Every room, even standard
rooms, has a sea view
– also a unique selling
point. He says the resort
was built to suit modern
family requirements. It
offers 138 interconnected
rooms and 29 family rooms.
The architecture – quite
different from the Mauritius
norm – is a contemporary
Mediterranean style.
As with all five-star resorts
in Mauritius, drinks and
lunch are expensive: a
point to consider for priceconscious
customers.
Sexy selling points
Golfers can enjoy free access
to play at Le Touessrok
golf course, including free
transfer.
Experienced babysitters are
available during the day and
night, perfect for parents who
want a date night out at one
of the five restaurants.
Well-equipped kids’ and teen
clubs with daily programmes.
The resort can arrange
weddings on the beach at
short notice.
A professionally run, on-site
spa.
Ambre – all-inclusive,
adults only
UNIQUE in World Leisure
Holidays’ offering, Ambre
is an adults-only (ages
16+), four-star, all-inclusive
resort. Clency Romeo, gm
of Ambre, says the no-child
option offers travellers
a chance to really relax
without the disruption that
often comes with familyorientated
resorts.
The resort has a 700m
stretch of beach and has
unusual protection from the
wind. That said, travellers
should ask about kite
surfing training, which is not
offered by the resort but is
available nearby.
The three restaurants
include a main restaurant
with a buffet offering; La
Dolce Vita – an Italian
eatery; and La Plage, where
you sit with your feet on the
beach. Halal food is offered.
Dolores Lamarque, sales
co-ordinator at Ambre, says
another unique selling point
is the resort’s disco club,
which is open four nights
a week. This adds to the
resort’s vibe and orientation
around adults.
More capacity, more Mauritius
SAA has deployed additional
capacity on its non-stop
route to Mauritius, driven by
an increase in demand. The
airline operates daily flights
on the route with a recent
9% increase in frequency,
resulting in twice-daily
operations on Thursdays,
Saturdays and Sundays.
The airline first introduced
flights between Johannesburg
and the Indian Ocean island
in 1957 as a refuelling stop
en route to Perth, with direct
end-point flights commencing
eight years later.
“Mauritius has remained
an important destination for
SAA throughout its history,”
says SAA acting ceo, Nico
Bezuidenhout. “Recent
frequency additions on several
key African routes, including
Mauritius, hold strategic
commercial value for the
business. Mauritius remains
one of the fastest growing
economies on the continent,
with consistent demand-side
growth in both business and
leisure travel.”
With growing trade and
economic development driving
business travel outside of
traditional seasonal leisure
trips, the airline has seen a
positive growth in loads, Nico
says. “Mauritius has enjoyed
consistent real GDP growth at
an aggregate of 5,9% since
1995.”
Photocap: It all started…
On November 25, 1957, SAA introduced a fortnightly DC-7B service across the Indian Ocean
from Johannesburg to Perth in partnership with Qantas, stopping at Mauritius and the Cocos
Islands. This flight took 25 hours and was known as the ‘Wallaby service’. On May 7, 1965, the
SAA DC-7B service to Australia via Mauritius was increased to a weekly service. The DC-7B
was retired from the SAA fleet in 1967 and Mauritius became an online station from 1965.
On March 29, 1967, SAA started operating the B707 to Australia via Mauritius only. The Cocos
Islands stop was removed and on May 17, the B707 set a new record for the flight between
Mauritius and Perth, covering 3 740 miles in just five hours and 32 minutes.
New aircraft
The Mauritius route is
served by the Airbus
A320-200, the latest
arrival in the SAA fleet.
The aircraft is configured
with 24 business-class
and 114 economyclass
seats. Business
class offers more legroom,
with a seat pitch
of 99cm. Seats are
arranged two either
side of the aisle (four
abreast) offering more
seat width, compared
with the five seats
abreast on the B737s
and A319s. “Businessclass
seating offers a
10% improvement in pitch
compared with our current
business-class offering
on narrow-body aircraft,
giving our competitors in
the domestic market a
run for their money,” Nico
says. Every seat has a
leg rest and an adjustable
headrest, with a recline of
about 18cm.
Seating in economy
class offers a pitch of
79cm, with shared USB
and PC power points and
an adjustable headrest.
All seats (except for
the first row) have space
to stow a PC tablet with
a USB PowerPoint that
keeps a tablet powered
during the flight, and PC
power points in the centre
console for additional
power.
As a future innovation,
SAA is testing new
technology where content
will be streamed on
board to customers’ own
devices.
Mixing local with luxury
OPEN for only just over a
year, Zilwa Attitude resort on
the north coast of Mauritius
has all the latest amenities
and luxury features that a
guest could want. More than
that, the hotel has a strong
focus on ‘the Mauritian way
of life’.
In Creole, ‘zilwa’ means
an ‘islander’ and the hotel
goes to great lengths to
offer guests an authentic
experience, focusing on
the smallest of details.
Instead of slippers, rooms
have a pair of Mauritian
typical ‘savate Dodo’ for
guests to take home. The
contemporary, rustic chic
architecture and Mauritian
design of the hotel take
inspiration from traditional
old seaside bungalows.
Unique ‘Otentik Attitude’
activities allow guests
to experience Mauritian
hospitality with a homecooked
dinner in a local
home, a day trip to the local
market, or a sunrise boat
trip with a local fisherman,
to name a few activities.
The hotel offers 214
rooms in three main
categories – Superior, Family
and Couple; six themed
restaurants and a ‘Dine
Around’ concept; a full spa
with a complete range of
facilities and treatments;
numerous activities,
including volleyball, kite
surfing, stand-up paddle,
etc.; and a kids’ club that
offers 09h00 to 21h00
babysitting services and
entertainment for children,
including a proper treasure
hunt on Crusoe’s island.
