IT MAY not be as popular
or well-known as other
destinations in the
region, such as Mauritius
or the Seychelles, but
the recent move to scrap
the visa requirement for
SA passport holders has
spiked tourist interest in
Réunion, and those familiar
with selling and marketing
the destination expect
this momentum to keep
growing.
Hélène Bezuidenhout,
manager of the tourism
agency Atout France, says
the move has seen a
tremendous boost for the
destination, with tourist
numbers from South Africa
on a denite increase.
John Ridler, media and
public relations manager
for Cullinan Outbound
Tourism, agrees that there
has been a distinct spike
since the visa requirement
was dropped. “We have
experienced a 70%
increase in bookings.”
According to Lenél Vining,
Air Austral manager South
Africa, Réunion’s prole
as a holiday destination
is now on a par with
the other Indian Ocean
islands and the absence
of visa formalities means
passengers can decide
today to go there and travel
tomorrow.
Hélène says: “We
receive daily requests
for information. I believe
Réunion is not a difcult
destination to sell, it just
needs to be better known,
and now we see that not
only the general public but
the tourism trade are keen
to know more about the
destination and to travel
there.”
Overall, Lenél says
bookings are up 54% yearon-year.
“We plan to grow
that as Réunion becomes
better known and South
Africans continue to look
for fresh and more exciting
destinations.”
John says the charming
island is “almost on our
doorstep and offers thrilling
adventure activities,
awesome landscapes
and superb beaches with
aquamarine waters”.
To boost visitor numbers
even further, Hélène says
Atout France will strengthen
the marketing campaign
embarked on last year.
“Réunion must be top of
travellers’ minds so we
will be present in all the
media. We are maintaining
our training programmes
with travel agents and
encouraging them to take
up the opportunity of a
discovery trip special with
Air Austral for a ight and
hotel combo.”
The Air Austral ight and
hotel combo special
comprises one free
ticket for bona de travel
agents (airport taxes of
approximately R2 250 at
own cost), and one ticket
at 50% off the lowest fare
(MSX1 from R1 435 plus
airport taxes) on selected
travel dates. Some 20
hotels are offering South
African travel agents
incredible rates for
maximum stays of three
nights at any one hotel.
See Travelinfo for full
details.
Best time to travel
LENÉL Vining says: “Being
a 90% leisure destination,
seasonality has always
been a factor and loads are
traditionally very much in line
with school holidays, especially
those in Réunion. The Easter
period is a very popular holiday
time for South Africans yet not
for Réunionese – this is the
perfect time to visit Réunion
with good availability and great
weather.”
The island’s climate, says
Hélène Bezuidenhout, is
pleasant all year and the
seasons are not too different
from each other. “The
tropical heat is moderate
(24°C-33°C) all year round.
Hiking enthusiasts prefer the
Southern hemisphere winter
or the period between the
two main seasons (April-May
and September-October),
which doesn’t stop them from
making the most of the Indian
Ocean. Beach lovers are more
likely to opt for the Southern
hemisphere summer and make
the most of the mountains to
cool down.”
Lenél says the leisure
market generally y economy
but some travellers enjoy Air
Austral’s premium economy
class, taking advantage of
inclusive packages with
preferential airfares. “Most
stay for one week, although
10-day stays are also popular
as there is enough to see and
do on the island.”
Air Austral recently cancelled
a number of ights in February,
May and June due to aircraft
maintenance. According to
Hélène, the ight cancellations
were well thought through so
that they don’t affect visitor
numbers. They come “just
after the very high December/
January season and before the
March/April rush.
Did you know?
At the beginning of June every year,
the Sakifo Festival takes place over
three days at Saint Pierre. The international music festival is a celebration
of the musical cultural landscape of the island, showcasing the many
strengths of the island. Last year the festival included names like Oxmo
Puccino and Manu Chao. Visit www.sako.com for more information.
What Réunion has to offer...
Hélène Bezuidenhout
highlights Réunion’s key
selling points:
Only a four-hour ight from
Johannesburg, it is a French
island in the Indian Ocean
– French with a touch of
exotic;
It is an island full of avours:
mixed people, mixed
cultures, mixed food. It
offers an array of colours,
tastes and textures;
It is a paradise of
biodiversity. Lush tropical
vegetation (with a rain
forest), impressive volcanic
landscape (with an active
volcano), a lagoon with 550
species of sh and 150
species of stony coral;
Up to 42% of the island is
classied as a Unesco World
Heritage Site;
Great weather all year round;
Friendly, welcoming and
helpful people;
Breathtaking scenery, from
the highest summit in the
Indian Ocean to lush green
calderas and beautiful
waterfalls, beaches and
vegetation;
Endless adventure with an
activity for everyone, from
extreme sports to leisurely
paced walks or just lying on
the beach.
Self-drive is a great option
THOSE familiar with Réunion
say that, with all its sights
and experiences the best
way to take it all in is from
the seat of a hired car.
This explains why self-drive
packages are becoming more
and more popular.
John Ridler says Réunion
offers a number of exciting
outdoor activities, from
parasailing and canyoning to
hiking and quad cycling (a
unique form of pedal quad
bike). In between all the
activity, John says “tourists
are urged to join a day tour
or rent a car and drive into
the mountains with expansive
views and quaint villages that
are stuck in an earlier age”.
Hélène Bezuidenhout,
agrees: “Réunion Island is an
ideal self-drive destination.”
She advises, however, that
South Africans do need an
international driver’s licence
and will have to adapt to
driving on the right.
She suggests making carhire
reservations in advance,
at the time of booking the
rest of trip, to ensure that the
vehicle is waiting on arrival at
the airport.
“Réunion is not a place
where you want to stay in one
spot, so it makes sense to
be mobile. Visitors will want
to explore and perhaps not
stay in the same hotel for the
whole trip.
“Self-driving allows them
to explore the island at their
own pace, stopping when and
where they want. But don't
be in a rush to get there,”
cautions Hélène.
She says that while the
coastal roads are in good
condition and almost as wide
as a highway, the roads inland
follow the bends of the hills
and mountains. “For example,
the road from Saint Louis to
Cilaos is called the ‘road of
420 bends’.”
While driving in a foreign
country might be daunting for
some, Hélène says, “if you
are with someone else who
can assist you with directions
and make sure you don’t
divert from the right side,
or you have a GPS, it is well
worth it”.
Lenél Vining says Réunion
has excellent infrastructure
and medical care, making
it a very safe destination,
especially for families with
children.
“It is a unique destination
for the client who wants
more than an average beach
holiday.
Pick a package...
Thompsons Holidays is
offering a package for
a self-drive tour around
Réunion. From R21 200
it includes ights from
Johannesburg with taxes,
car rental, seven nights’
accommodation around
the island with breakfast
daily. It also includes
a kayak excursion and
paragliding over the
coral reef.
Island Light Holidays
is offering a sevennight
stay at the Hotel
Le Recif, overlooking
the Hermitage Lagoon
in Saint-Gilles, from
R14 534 per person
sharing. The package
includes ights
from Johannesburg,
taxes, transfers and
accommodation with
breakfast daily.”
Rich history and scenery
AUSTRIA Connection
is recommending a
combination of Croatia
and Slovenia for
travellers to Eastern
Europe this year. Both
destinations have depth
of history and exquisite
scenery.
Two products worth
consideration are a
nine-day coach tour
from Dubrovnik to Split,
the Plitvice Lakes, the
Postojna Cave, Bled,
Ljubljana and Zagreb,
and a 10-day self-drive
programme that can
be done either from
Dubrovnik via Slovenia to
Zagreb or the other way
around.
