Even more affordable for SA travellers
THE strengthening of
the rand early this
year, followed by its
stabilisation, has made
many destinations more
affordable for South
Africans, including everpopular
Mauritius.
According to Terry Munro,
md of Beachcomber Tours,
this has been clearly
illustrated by the increasing
number of South Africans
travelling to the island.
“Prices are cheaper with
the stronger rand and
bookings taken in January
were 23% up on last year
for Beachcomber, so we are
expecting a great year in
2018,” says Terry.
John Ridler, PR and media
manager of Thompsons
Holidays, agrees that
Mauritius continues to be
a “hot seller and favourite
for SA travellers”. “The
exchange rate has improved
our package pricing, making
the island even more
accessible to travellers.”
European decline
Another factor that could
result in attractive pricing
for the South African market
has been the recent decline
or sluggishness in travellers
from some of Mauritius’s key
markets in Europe.
For example, arrivals from
France (Mauritius’s top
source market) were largely
stagnant with just 0,5%
growth during 2017 when
compared with 2016. This
year has started more
positively, with the big
markets of France, the
UK and Germany showing
modest growth in January and
February, but South Africa,
which follows behind in fifth
place in terms of arrivals (just
behind China), has shown
double-digit growth of 17,7%.
It is possible that this
could translate into more
specials and packages being
released to the SA market
to entice travellers. John
points out that any downturn
from European markets
can only spell even better
prices for SA travellers so
that hotels can balance their
occupancies.
Sales director for World
Leisure holidays (WLH),
Brenda Mitchell, explains
that the company works
with room allocations at
all its products and when
there is additional capacity,
WLH is advised so it can
assist wherever possible in
filling the rooms. “We are
constantly working with our
partner properties to offer the
best value for money to the
travellers in Southern Africa,”
she adds.
But Beachcomber says
it’s unlikely to have a major
impact. Joanne Visagie,
Beachcomber Tours sales
and marketing manager says:
“Beachcomber hotels are
running at good occupancies
so I doubt that they would
reduce prices or introduce
more specials.”
More rooms
With several big renovations
taking place last year, there
are more rooms to sell, which
could also result in attractive
packages. For example,
the new-look Canonnier
Beachcomber Golf Resort
and Spa opened along
with the adults-only wing at
Victoria Beachcomber Resort
and Spa with 40 additional
rooms. “These developments,
plus the drop in sales from
Europe, bode well for our SA
market and we expec.
Did you know?
Each year, MSC Cruises offers just one cruise to Mauritius –
an 11-night New Year’s cruise to Port Louis (pictured) where
the ship docks for three days. This year, the cruise departs
Durban on December 27 and spends the following days at sea
before arriving at Port Louis on December 31. The cruise then
departs Port Louis on January 2, arriving at Pointe des Galets,
Réunion, on January 3 where it docks for two nights, departing
on January 5 and arriving back in Durban on January 7, 2019.
This cruise is very popular with South African travellers and
usually sells out well in advance of season start.
A busy sporting calendar for winter 2018
MAURITIUS has long
been associated with
days spent sipping
cocktails while lazing on
sun-drenched loungers
overlooking the ocean,
but the island is fast
becoming one of the
region’s most exciting
new sport tournament
destinations.
Whether participating or
simply spectating, many
operators and resorts are
offering special packages
targeting this new breed
of active Indian Ocean
island traveller, and in
some instances even
sponsoring the events.
TNW rounds up some
of the sporting events
coming up over the next
few months.
May
May 12, Royal Raid:
The 13th edition of
this trail race will take
place on May 12. The
event actually comprises
three races that are run
simultaneously – an
80km route which must
be completed in under 20
hours, a 25km route in
under nine hours, and a
15km route. Participants
will run through some of
Mauritius’s most scenic
areas, including Yemen
Nature Reserve, Black
River National Park and
Bel Ombre Nature Reserve
and its sugar cane fields.
The race is organised
by Mauritius’s running
association along with
LUX* Sports.
May 17-19, Mauritius
Tour Beachcomber (MTB):
Nature-loving mountain
bikers can discover
Mauritius on a set of
challenging routes across
the island. There will be
four races in total: 65km,
40km, 22,5km (night ride)
and 63km. Beachcomber
is offering a special
package for participants,
starting from R19 550pps
in a superior double or
twin at or R24 730 for a
superior single room at
Shandrani Beachcomber
Resort and Spa. The rate
includes return airfare
from Johannesburg and
approximate airport taxes,
airport transfers and
transfers to the starting
point on race days, four
nights’ accommodation
with three meals a day
and drinks, land and water
sports, race fee, entry
to the race village and a
souvenir T-shirt.
June
June 15-17,
Beachcomber World
Rugby 10s: Beachcomber
is inviting rugby
enthusiasts to travel to
Mauritius to watch six
of the world’s best clubs
compete in the World
Rugby 10s, combined
with a beach holiday.
Guests will stay at the
same resort as one of
the teams and will even
be able to play a game
of touch rugby with some
of the biggest names in
the sport, followed by
cocktails. Rates start
from R14 120pps for a
five-night stay at Mauricia
Beachcomber Resort and
Spa in a standard double
room or R19 730pps
for a five-night stay at
Paradis Beachcomber
Golf Resort and Spa
in a deluxe double or
twin room. The package
includes return airfare
from Johannesburg
and approximate taxes,
airport transfers,
breakfast and dinner,
land and water sports,
game tickets for all three
days and a souvenir gift.
Valid for set departure
June 13-18.
July
July 15, LUX* Mauritius
Marathon: This event
includes a full 42km
marathon, a 21km half
marathon and 10km fun
run. The routes include
20km of coastal road in the
south of Mauritius, and take
runners through coastal
villages before finishing on
the beach.
July 22, Kiteival Mauritius:
This event is open to all
levels of kite surfers and
takes place at the best
kiting lagoons in Mauritius.
The locations vary according
to weather conditions, but
festivities include parties, a
freestyle competition and an
awards ceremony.
July 27-28, UTRB:
The Ultratrail Raidlight
Beachcomber event is a trail
run that includes four scenic
routes that zig-zag through
the Mauritian landscape.
Each route varies in length
and for the first time it
will include a 100km race
as well as 47km, 25km
and 10km events. For the
100km race, participants
can run solo or as a team of
two for those who prefer to
run in relays. Beachcomber
is offering participants
special rates from
R17 750pps in a superior
double or twin or R22 930
for a superior single at
Shandrani Beachcomber
Resort and Spa. The
package includes return
airfare from Johannesburg
and approximate airport
taxes, airport transfers
and transfer to race start
on race day, four nights’
accommodation with all
meals and drinks, land
and water sports, entry to
the race village, T-shirts
and medal as well as an
invitation to the closing
gala on July 30.
Golf still a highlight
BRENDA Mitchell of
World Leisure Holidays
says golf has always
been a popular sporting
activity in Mauritius. “WLH
actively promotes the
golfing packages that are
unique to our Sun Resort
properties – you can stay
at any one of the resorts
and play free at Ile aux
Cerfs,” she says. “Guests
who stay at Long Beach
can also play golf free
at Anahita and guests
of Sugar Beach have
complimentary access to
Tamarina.
Don’t forget about insurance!
IF YOUR clients
are planning
to take part in
a sport event,
it’s important
to check that
they will be
covered by their
travel insurance
policy, should
they be injured.
Simmy Micheli,
manager of
sales and
marketing for
TIC, says: “Most
leisure sporting
events are
covered, but
there are some
restrictions for
competitive,
professional
or hazardous
and high-risk
events.”
She adds that
it’s important
for clients to
consider the
level of cover
they’re planning
to take. “Some policies
might restrict the benefit
limit considerably for
sporting activities. Opt
for a product that offers
the full medical limit,
including evacuation and
repatriation costs when
they are participating in
sporting activities. Then
they will have the peace
of mind that should
something happen, they
won’t be left with a
possible co-payment,”
she says.
Activities with a twist
COMING up with
creative itineraries for a
destination that’s already
so well known can be a
challenge, but there are
many exciting add-ons to
liven up repeat visitors’
Mauritian itineraries.
Fine dining in a
submarine. Blue Safari
Submarines offers
guests the opportunity
to enjoy lunch and fine
wine at 35m below
the Indian Ocean on
board the BS600. This
five-seater submarine
features a large
panoramic window at
the front and the pilot
can take guests to see
local reefs or the wreck
of the Star Hope.
Tea-tasting at Bois
Chéri. Dating back
to 1892, this tea
plantation offers tours
through its factory and
lands, as well as a
visit to a museum that
chronicles the history
of tea in Mauritius.
Bois Chéri produces
a range of flavoured
teas, including vanilla
and caramel, which
visitors will be able to
taste. The museum
is open from Monday
to Saturday. Guests
can even overnight at
the Bubble Lodge – a
transparent eco-friendly
structure that enables
travellers to sleep under
the stars in luxury.
A floating beach. If your
guests have a hard time
deciding which beach
in Mauritius offers it
all, then perhaps you
should suggest they
try out Z’ile Beach –
a ‘floating island’ or
platform moored in the
middle of the lagoon
in Mont Choisy, about
500m from the main
shoreline. It comes
complete with sand and
artificial greenery and is
accessed via a shuttle
boat service. Umbrellas,
seats, showers and
ablutions complete
the offering, which can
accommodate up to
80 people on a shared
basis or for a private
rental.
FLYn’Dive-Board. Clients
with superhero
dreams can live out
their fantasy on the
FLYn’Dive-Board at
Grand Baie Beach.
The device is connected
to a powerful water
pump by a hose
that creates a water
jet that sends the
participant into the air.
An instructor will help
them to master the
basics and, according
to FLYn’Dive-Board
company, 95% of firsttimers
learn how to ‘fly’
in just a few minutes
and can steer and
control their elevation.
Did you kow?
Air Mauritius launched its new Mauritius to Amsterdam service on March 26. It will serve the route twiceweekly
(Mondays and Fridays) with a third-weekly flight being introduced on Wednesdays in July and
August. The airline will operate the route with its A340-400.
Top specials from Travelinfo
From Thompsons’ Costsavers comes
a Mauritius special at the three-star
Pearle Beach Resort & Spa, offering
seven nights ex-JNB and ex-DUR from
R15 776pps; and ex-CPT from
R16 840pps. Valid from June 23-
July 14 it includes return flights on Air
Mauritius, including airline levy; return
seat in coach airport-resort transfers;
accommodation in a Deluxe Garden
Room and breakfast and dinner daily.
Bonus services include free WiFi
throughout the hotel; complimentary
tea/coffee and pancakes served daily
between 15h00 and 17h00; Happy
Hour at the hotel bar between 18h00
and 19h00 daily with a ‘buy one, get
one free cocktail; fruit skewers on
the beach daily; 15 minutes’ free use
of sauna and Hammam; and water
sports including pedal boat, kayaks,
glass-bottom boat excursion and
snorkelling.
Beachcomber Tours is currently
advertising a 20% early-booking
special for travel from July 23-
September 27. Five-night packages
start at R14 380pps and seven
nights at R17 240pps. Rates are
inclusive of return Air Mauritius Travel
Smart Programme airfare ex-JNB;
approx. airport taxes; return transfers;
breakfast and dinner daily for all
resorts except Shandrani, which is
premium all-inclusive; and free land
and motorised water sports as per
brochure.
A Mauritius and Réunion Island
combo is on offer from LUX* Resorts
& Hotels for travel until October 31.
Accommodation is at the LUX* Saint
Gilles or Hotel Le Recif in Réunion
and LUX* Grand Gaube in Mauritius.
A free meal plan upgrade is offered
at the Mauritian property. Rates
are from R20 840pps and include
return economy fights ex-JNB on Air
Mauritius, return airport transfers,
four nights in Mauritius and three
nights in Réunion with breakfast
daily. Bonuses include free WiFi, and
unlimited water-skiing and snorkelling.
To the point
Club Med has announced plans to renovate La Pointe aux Canonniers in Mauritius,
expanding it with 108 new rooms. Current rooms will also undergo upgrades and the resort
will feature a new spa, family pool, Zen space and transformed speciality restaurant.
Photocap: Here comes The Test Kitchen
Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa in Mauritius will host the wellknown
Cape Town fine-dining restaurant, The Test Kitchen, for a six-week
culinary promotion at its Republik Beach Club & Grill. The Test Kitchen’s
Chef-Patron, Luke Dale Roberts, and a team of 20 are taking their gourmet
talents to the island from April 11-May 26. The dining experience echoes the
restaurant’s Dark Room/Light Room theme in Cape Town, and guests will
start their evening at the Republik Bar area for tapas and cocktails and will
continue on to the beachfront restaurant where two five-course set menus
are on offer. Getting into the culinary mood are Elinda van der Merwe (left)
and Mischa de la Pierre sales executives at World Leisure Holidays, which is
currently promoting The Test Kitchen Experience.
Book it!
World Leisure Holidays is offering special discounts for repeat guests with rates from
R14 800pps for a five-night, all-inclusive stay in a Superior Garden Room at Ambre
from May 19 to September 8. Package includes return flights ex-JNB, return coach
transfers and approximate taxes.
Travel Rendezvous, Roodepoort
Travel Rendezvous, Roodepoort
Within five minutes of
sending my request via
the contact form on Travel
Rendezvous’ website, I had
received a response from
Brian Jackwitch advising
me that his business
partner, Jenny Jackwitch,
and co-owner of Travel
Rendezvous, would assist
me with my booking.
Shortly afterwards, Jenny
was in touch and I was
very impressed that she
immediately requested our
bicycles size and weight
so that she could enquire
from the airlines about any
additional charges. Jenny
was the only agent to do this
– and showed real thought
and attention to detail.
While she followed up with
the operators and airlines,
she sent through some
information on mountain bike
passes in the Black River
National Park in southwest
Mauritius so that I could do
some background reading.
Jenny constantly let me
know how far along she was
in the process, so I never felt
like she had forgotten about
me. Once she had spoken to
the airlines, she sent through
comprehensive
details about how
the bikes should be
packed and advised
that while both SAA
and Air Mauritius
would accept the
bicycles, she said
one seemed slightly
more flexible in
terms of the size of
the bike bag. Jenny
also sent through
the flight times
and details about whether
tickets would be refundable
and asked me to select an
airline. Based on this she
said she would provide the
quotes.
She then sent through five
different options, all within
budget and situated close
to the Black River National
Park. She knew all the
hotels well and was happy to
recommend them. Another
extra she had taken into
consideration was including
private transfers so that we
wouldn’t have any issues
transporting our bicycles
from the airport to the hotel.
She recommended that we
go for an all-inclusive option
and said we should request
the hotels to
pack us picnic
lunches if we
were out for
rides during
the day and
could miss
lunch. A final
aspect that
impressed me
was that she
emphasised
that the
package rates
included a special airfare
that would expire and urged
me to make a decision as
quickly as possible or risk a
price increase.
Overall, I felt that Jenny
had really applied herself
when it came to the details
of my request – assessing
each aspect of the brief
and ensuring that the final
quotation took all my needs
into consideration while at
the same time respecting
my budget limitations. She
also asked me of plenty of
questions which enabled her
to offer such an exceptionally
high degree of personalised
service.
Keep it personal!
SCENARIO: A seven-night
mountain biking holiday
for a couple in Mauritius.
Both are regular mountain
bikers who would like to
stay somewhere with easy
access to some long and
challenging trails.
The hotel should be four to
five star to allow for postride
relaxation. Travel
should be outside the
school holidays in either
May or June, with a budget
of R20 000pps.
The couple would like to
take their own mountain
bikes along on the trip.
Pentravel, Clearwater
For speed of response, this
agent was unbeatable, sending
through quotations and details
within two hours of receiving my
booking request. She definitely
factored in that cycling was the
main purpose of the trip and
said she had quoted us on
hotels near areas that would
provide us with easy access
to trails. She also quoted
us on private transfers as
shared coach transfers would
be problematic. A nice extra
was that she had done online
research and found a website
with great information on some
of the island’s best cycling
routes.
The agent provided an
impressive five options, which
all fitted our budget. Some
were all-inclusive packages
while others were half board –
but it was nice to have a choice
of both. She also included a
quote on travel insurance which
would cover us in the case of
an accident while taking part
in adventurous activities, which
was an excellent plus. She
followed up a few days later to
find out whether I had made a
decision. The only negative was
that she didn’t advise me on
the logistics of transporting our
bicycles, but it’s possible this
would have been addressed
during the finalisation of the
booking.
Club Travel Corporate
I received a short response
within a few hours of sending
my request, saying the
agent would be working on
it. The next day she sent a
few options, and that she
recommended Paradis for
cycling, although it would be
quite a lot over our original
budget. The other options
however fell within our
guideline of R20 000pps.
I would have liked a few
more suggestions in terms
of cycling opportunities –
recommending potential trails
or routes. Also, the packages
included coach transfers
which could potentially be a
problem when transporting
our bicycles. Overall, I didn’t
feel that she had truly
factored in that the main
focus of the trip would be
cycling, and instead offered
fairly neutral packages that
would suit a general traveller
to Mauritius.
What I appreciated, though,
was that she offered to
assist with travel insurance
– which could potentially
be an important factor, as
we would be embarking
on an adventurous holiday
with opportunity for injury.
Additionally, travel insurance
could come in handy should
there be any damage to our
bicycles during the flight.
Jenny’s top tips
Ask questions and get
as much information as
possible from your customer
before you quote. It saves
them frustration and you a
lot of time.
Go the extra mile. Don’t
expect the worst from
people just because a few
treat you badly. Generally,
people treat you as well as
you treat them.
Give the customer a choice
of hotels but not so many
that they cannot make up
their minds.
Google what you don’t know
or phone/email someone.
Research is king. People
expect a travel agent to
know more than they do.
