Drop helpful tips!
Flight Centre, Lonehill
Assistant
team leader,
Lee Speechly,
answered the
phone. When I
presented my
travel request
he immediately
asked a series
of qualifying
questions. I
didn’t have to
mention the
importance of a
diverse range of activities as
he had already pre-empted
this with his own question.
What was most impressive
about Lee’s sales technique
was his ability to give
knowledgeable
‘insider’ tips
about the
product he was
selling. While
discussing which
airline to choose,
he compared the
potential of deals
for kids with
one airline with
the preferable
flight times of
another. He also
demonstrated his knowledge
of the beaches in Mauritius
by recommending good
options for families, followed
by a discussion about
various accommodation
options. The information
immediately made me feel
confident
that I had found an expert
who could help me book
exactly what I was looking
for. Lee also mentioned a
ball-park figure of the cost
per person and asked if
this fitted my budget. As a
nice touch, he said he
would be in the office the
following day if I wanted
to come and see him and
further discuss possible
options in person. If not, he
let me know exactly when
he would follow up.
Pentravel, Fourways
The agent was warm and
friendly. She was careful to
record all my details before
continuing the conversation.
The agent then asked a
number of qualifying questions
upfront, beginning with how
the rooms would be booked.
She also asked about the time
of year we intended to travel
and when I mentioned that my
Dad’s birthday was in June,
she immediately confirmed our
choice of Mauritius, saying it
was a really nice time of year
on the island. Budget and starrating
were equally important
questions that the agent made
sure to ask. After collating
all the information, she said
she would work on some
quotes and follow up with
some options for me to look
at. Overall, the agent asked
all the right questions, which
made her appear interested
and helpful. However, the
conversation felt rather like a
question and answer session
rather than a personal and
engaging discussion.
Checkout Travel, Dainfern
The phone was answered
by a friendly agent who
immediately took an interest
in my holiday, taking the
time to remark on the
“lovely” idea of organising
a birthday celebration away.
When presented with the
scenario of a diverse group
of travellers requiring a
wide range of activities,
the agent immediately
suggested one particular
resort, which she said was
very family orientated. She
also mentioned that there
were a lot of activities on
offer at this resort and that
many clients who had been
there before had “raved”
about their experiences. The
agent’s knowledge of the
property was impressive;
however, the pitch would have
been more convincing had
she mentioned other options
to consider and compare.
However, she promised to
email me more options,
which she did.
While the agent did ask good
qualifying questions and took
the time to find out about
the different age groups
travelling, she did not really
attempt to find out about
their particular interests to
confirm whether the property
she had suggested did, in
fact, match these interests.
Lee’s top tips for selling Mauritius
Ask questions that have
value, for example about
the client’s needs and
the experiences they
want. It’s important not
to send a client on a
trip that is wrong for
them.
Provide the client with at
least two good options
and explain the benefits
of each.
Make sure you try and
gauge how the client
feels about the quotes
provided.
Take note!
The purpose of the Naked Agent in this series is to access 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.
Are your clients hungry for something different?
THE obvious appeal and
convenience of Mauritius
makes it an easy sell
to first-time travellers, but
the island also has a large
number of repeat travellers.
How can agents sell to these
travellers to clinch the deal?
Agents should establish
early on during the
information gathering process
whether their client has been
to Mauritius before, points
out Joanne Visagie, sales
and marketing manager
for Beachcomber Tours.
“In addition to the other
necessary questions, this
should form part of the
consultation process to
establish what the clients’
needs are and to match them
with the perfect resort.”
It’s worth taking into
consideration that clients’
circumstances might have
changed.
“They might have changed
from honeymooners to young
parents or from a family into
empty nesters,” says John
Ridler, spokesperson for
Thompsons Holidays.
Agents should ask their
clients to tell them stories
from their last travel
experience, advises Cathie
Bester, national sales
manager for World Leisure
Holidays. “If they had a great
experience on their last trip,
the chances are that it will be
a relatively easy sell.”
At this point agents can
also take the opportunity to
advise clients of new resorts,
developments and upgrades,
suggests John.
Leisure clients looking to
revisit Mauritius are possibly
the most challenging group
to rebook, says Karen Camm,
product manager – Indian
Ocean Islands for kulula
holidays. The operator has
found that a luxury selfcatering
apartment option is
working well for that market.
However, some travellers
may be determined to book
another holiday just like their
last one. Many travellers will
have plans to return to the
same resort or area to relive
old memories, says John.
“Mauritius has a lot of
repeat travellers because they
like what they are getting,”
agrees Wanita Kerr, owner of
Denim Travel. She cautions
against trying to fix what isn’t
broken, saying that only if
travellers were unhappy with a
particular aspect of their last
trip then agents will need to
“fix the itch”.
Suggest alternatives
It can still be a good idea,
though, for agents to make
suggestions that their clients
may not have thought of
before. Travel Counsellor,
Nicole Barrett, says while
a lot of people tend to stick
to the west coast because
of the sunsets and because
it’s sheltered from wind, the
east coast is a great option
too. “Sure, it’s a lot windier,
but the beaches are beautiful
and those sunrises are
incredible!”
Mauritius is very diverse,
says Karen. “So if travellers
are looking for the beach
experience they should go to
the west coast, where The
Sands, InterContinental and
The Westin Turtle Bay are
located. For a more lively
and vibey feel the Grand
Baie area is best. Our top
seller in that area is Coin de
Mire. The south side of the
island is quieter and tends to
be unspoilt and we find our
passengers prefer that. Our
recommendation for this is
The Outrigger and Sofitel So.”
Agents should enquire
whether there are parts of the
island that their clients have
not yet explored, suggests
John. “This will provide an
excellent opportunity to inform
them of experiences that
include catamaran cruises,
places of interest, cooking
courses or an unusual subscooter
to view the rich
marine environment. If agents
pre-book these excursions
they can enhance their
commissions too.”
Get crafty, offer
unusual activities
REPEAT travellers may
appreciate experiencing more
of the Mauritian culture says
Travel Counsellor, Nicole
Barrett. “When I was in
Mauritius on The Holiday
Factory educational last year,
I got to experience a lot more
of the culture, which I’ve
never done on previous trips.
It provides an interesting
experience. Learning fun
things like Sega dancing, how
to speak Creole, or cooking
classes are all great options.”
Kulula holidays’ Karen
Camm agrees and says
cultural tours, holistic and
wellness experiences are
always popular with the more
spiritually inclined. “The
island also offers amazing
golf courses, local delicacies,
sugar, vanilla and wonderful
rum experiences.”
When it comes to travellers
looking for a lot of activities,
Denim Travel’s Wanita Kerr
says Club Med is a good
choice. She says the food at
Mauritian resorts is generally
of a high standard, giving
agents the opportunity to
make a great pitch for foodies,
depending on their tastes. “It
will always come back to what
the client’s particular needs
are,” she emphasises.
While it does depend on
what the client is looking
for, Beachcomber’s Joanne
Visagie says generally guests
are happy with the resort’s
offering when it comes to
dining, water and land sports,
evening entertainment, and
daily activities for both adults
and children.
Alexis Bekker, LUX* head
of sales and marketing for
South Africa and Africa, agrees
and says each of the LUX*
resorts on the island offers
free and unlimited water-skiing
as well as a selection of land
and water sports, which are
complimentary. In addition, she
says LUX* Belle Mare offers a
fantastic morning cycle out to
a quaint fishing village, visiting
places along the east coast.
LUX* Le Morne offers a hike
up Le Morne Brabant peak
and LUX* Grand Gaube offers
an exciting kayak outing in the
Grand Baie area.
Suggest something new
While some clients tend to
stick to the same hotels
on repeat visits, Nicole
recommends that they try
other hotels too. Cathie
agrees, saying that WLH has
a number of resorts around
the island, so there can
be a unique and different
experience every time
travellers visit.
LUX* hotels are in strategic
locations across the island,
says Alexis. “We have LUX*
Belle Mare on the east
coast, LUX* Le Morne in the
southwest at the foot of Le
Morne mountain – a Unesco
World Heritage Site – and
LUX* Grand Gaube in the
northeast – a few minutes
from the vibrant Grand Baie.”
Long Beach, in particular, is
a great option for clients who
are looking for something a
bit different. Wanita says while
many of the other resorts
on the island have a similar
“flavour”, Long Beach offers a
slightly more eclectic feel.
However, Joanne also points
out that, should a client
choose the same hotel as
their previous trip, agents
can ask the Beachcomber
reservations team about their
previous booking and offer the
clients something similar if
that is what they are looking
for, or offer them an upgrade
to a different room category or
different area of the hotel for a
more varied experience.
It is always important to get
information on which resort
the client has stayed at before
– this way the consultant will
understand the client’s needs
and have a good indication
of what they are looking for,
agrees Alexis.
“Repeaters are particular in
their requests and, should a
particular room, for instance,
not be available due to any
number of reasons, they can
become unsettled.”
Work from the beach!
ROLLED out in South Africa
earlier this year, Amadeus
Selling Platform Connect
allows travel agents to work
from anywhere, including
the sun-soaked beaches of
Mauritius.
Amadeus Selling Platform
Connect offers a fully
online, completely mobile
reservation system and is
the travel industry’s only
fully cloud-based booking
and fulfilment platform.
Travel agents only need an
Internet connection and
their user credentials to
access the platform.
The platform has been
adapted to fit any hardware
the agent prefers, whether
it is a smartphone, a
tablet, a laptop or a
desktop computer. It is
also accessible on all main
operating systems and fully
certified to work with all the
latest versions of the main
Internet browsers (Internet
Explorer, Edge, Firefox,
Chrome and Safari).
Besides air travel,
Amadeus Selling Platform
Connect also allows travel
agents to book extensive
hotel content, rail journeys
and hire cars, as well as
local services such as
activities and transfers.
The new platform allows
them to book a wide and
continuously growing range
of merchandising content
from airlines globally.
News flash!
Air Mauritius’s operations to Maputo and Dar es Salaam have
been scheduled for May this year. What’s more, as part of its key
expansion strategy into Africa, the airline is set to launch a oncea-week
service between Mauritius, Maputo and Durban from May
4. Flight MK847 departs Mauritius on Wednesdays at 08h50 and
arrives in Maputo at 10h55. Flight MK848 departs Maputo, also
on Wednesdays, at 11h40 and arrives in Durban at 12h45. The
return flight departs Durban at 13h35 and arrives in Mauritius at
19h25. The airline will run a special from Maputo to Mauritius,
starting from MTS26 000 (R11 328) inclusive of taxes. Air
Mauritius also plans to launch a regional African airline, with the
intention of reinforcing connectivity between Africa and Asia. The
new airline will be established as a subsidiary of Air Mauritius and
will increase the Air Mauritius network, adding an additional eight
points in the African region.
Book it!
Beachcomber is offering a repeat guest special that includes a
5% saving on land arrangements, applicable for any second stay
at a Beachcomber property (excluding the Royal Palm) within an
18-month period, or for five stays and more.
For travellers who want to explore...
WHILE many travellers
head to Mauritius for an allinclusive
resort experience,
some travellers want to
experience as much of
the island as possible.
What activities can agents
suggest to clients who
are interested in variety?
Enid Maullin, group sales
executive for Beachcomber
Tours, spoke to TNW about
an incentive group that the
operator recently hosted.
The brief:
Beachcomber was
approached by an
incentive agent based in
Johannesburg to host a
group of 110 corporate
travellers between the ages
of 30 and 40. The group
requested a number of offsite
excursions and wanted
specifically to explore
the island. Le Victoria
in the Grand Baie area
was chosen as the base
hotel from which travellers
would embark on various
excursions. Beachcomber
put the programme together
as follows:
Day 1:
Travellers arrived at the
hotel the day before
and were ready to begin
exploring. Beachcomber had
prepared a full-day cruise
to the north islands, which
not only featured lunch in
the form of a barbecue on
board, but also involved fun
activities like swimming with
the dolphins.
“When they returned,
travellers stopped at a little
beach house venue, which
has very pretty surrounds,”
says Enid. “There they had
cocktails on the beach
and then proceeded to the
restaurant for dinner which
consisted of a snack-type
menu.”
Day 2:
The second day afforded
a choice of activities. The
more adventurous group
members had the option
of an undersea walk, which
Enid says involves guests
putting on a special helmet
and walking among the
marine life on the ocean
floor. Alternatively, they
were able to use undersea
scooters for something a bit
more unusual.
Members of the group
who were more interested
in Mauritius’s shopping
offering were taken
shopping in the Grand Baie
area at the Grand Bazaar.
Day 3:
A mini beach Olympics at
the hotel awaited travellers
on day three. This was
followed by lunch on the
beach. Afterwards, the
ladies on the tour were
whisked away for spa
treatments.
Day 4:
The final day of the incentive
involved a completely
different experience.
Enid says the group wanted
to explore the south of the
island. They were taken
to Bois Cheri, which she
says is a tea plantation
and a lovely stopover for
travellers. There, travellers
can view the plantation’s
staff at work picking
the leaves wearing their
traditional hats. The group
also took part in a tea and
scone tasting, during which
they were presented with a
variety of teas.
Gala dinner:
Finally, the gala dinner was
a major ‘do’, held on the
beach as a ‘feet-in-the sand’
experience for guests.
The atmosphere was set
by a deejay also positioned
on the beach who played to
guests under the starlight.
Top tips for your clients
WHEN clients are booked
on an all-inclusive basis,
they tend to stay at the
resort all the time, says
Travel Counsellor, Nicole
Barrett. “But I recommend
that guests explore a bit.”
Nicole suggests a
catamaran cruise or a
hike, as some hotels
will put together a picnic
basket if guests ask
them.
She says travellers can
also spend the day
at the markets by the
harbour, in Port Louis or
in Grand Baie.
Nicole also points out
that there’s a lovely
restaurant in Grand Baie
called the Beach House
Restaurant and Beach
Bar, which is owned by
an ex-South African rugby
player, which is great for
South Africans.
