How to navigate the sports tourism minefield
BOOKING sports travel
for clients may feel like
navigating a minefield
of potential complications
and disasters. If the client
is travelling as a spectator,
how can you be sure the
ticket purchased is from a
legitimate source? How do
you get them from their hotel
to the stadium? What if the
seat is not in line with their
expectations?
Furthermore, booking travel
for sport and adventure
participants – whether it be
a family going on a European
skiing holiday, a corporate
group riding in the 94.7 Cycle
Challenge, or a golfing getaway
– can be just as complex. How
will you transport their sporting
equipment and how can you
be sure that you’ve paired the
client with the perfect sporting
experience?
Ask the right questions
Discussing the most common
complexities when it comes
to booking skiing holidays,
Greg Taylor, md of Pure Tours,
says most problems can be
solved by simply asking clients
the right questions at the
beginning.
“When you look at a ski
package, you’re considering
accommodation, ski hire,
schools and passes, as well
as travel insurance, flights and
transfers,” says Greg. “The
complexities come when it
comes to matching the right
resort to the client. Agents
need to ask questions like:
‘Have you ever skied before?’,
‘where did you ski?’, ‘what do
you want out of a ski holiday?
and, ‘is it primarily skiing or
is it nightlife, shopping or
perhaps a wellness-based
experience?’”
He says that in far too
many cases, agents don’t
find out enough about their
clients’ specific tastes and
expectations. “Each resort
is so different – some focus
only on skiing, while others
have more of a retail offering
or excursion options,” says
Greg, explaining that this
is where the most frequent
‘break in the chain’ occurs.
“When I bump into South
Africans at resorts and ask
them questions about their
experience, it becomes clear
that they have based their
bookings purely on their
agents’ recommendations.”
Agents definitely need to
make sure they know what
their clients’ expectations
are when it comes to golfing
holidays, agrees Rina Cilliers,
gm of sales, marketing and
reservations for Legend
Lodges, Hotels and Resorts.
“If they expect to have a golf
cart or halfway house included,
they need to ensure it is prebooked.
It is also a good idea
to determine the time that
the clients would like to tee
off, to avoid disappointment.
Depending on the number of
players booked and their golf
handicaps, they might play the
course slowly or very quickly.
Agents need to ensure they
plan accordingly and do not
book other activities too soon
after the golf, allowing their
clients enough time to finish
their rounds without having to
rush. Depending on how busy
the course is, and how fast
the group play who are ahead
of your clients, there could be
a bit of waiting time involved,”
says Rina.
She adds that agents need
to be mindful of planning
itineraries that make the most
of their clients’ time. “If the
clients are big golfers, they
might want to play both the
Signature Course and Tribute
Course, as well as the
Extreme 19th hole. Whereas
casual golfers might want to
opt for a round of golf followed
by a safari or spa treatment,”
she says.
All about the ticket
The same rules apply when
it comes to spectator sports
tourism, says Greg. “When
it comes to any spectator
sporting event, the single
most important thing is the
ticket. Whenever there’s a
problem that comes in, it’s to
do with the matching of client
expectations with the right
ticket.” He says that, once
again, by asking three or four
questions, you can avoid most
of these issues, including
finding out which team the
clients support, and where in
the stadium they would like
to sit.
The ticket is the most
emotional aspect of the whole
trip, and is usually all the client
is really interested in, agrees
Nicky Bell, operations director
of Edusport Travel. “Sports
travel is usually a bucketlist
item and a lot of people
save for a very long time to
be able to afford to travel to
Wimbledon or a Grand Prix
event. It’s our job to ensure
it’s seamless for the client,
and we spend a lot of time
developing relationships with
people at the source so that
the client isn’t inconvenienced
or worried about anything.”
She says one of the biggest
issues agents face is the
plethora of websites that offer
cheap tickets, which clients
come across and then want
to know why they are being
charged a higher price by
the agency or tour operator.
“The problem with these
tickets is that they are sold
on the ‘black market’, which
means you can never be sure
that those tickets will ever
materialise,” says Nicky.
Johan van Veelen, owner
of F1 Grand Prix Tours,
emphasises that sports
travel requires specialist
knowledge to ensure that the
client has both an affordable
and memorable experience.
“Event tickets for Grand Prix
and other motorsport events
can become really complex
and making the wrong
choice can ruin the client’s
holiday. Grandstands are
usually located right around a
four- to five-kilometre circuit,
offering covered, uncovered,
high-action, pit-action and
hospitality options, of which
the pros and cons are not
always fully understood by the
travel agent,” he says. “Getting
your clients in and out of
events hosting over
100 000 spectators is not
easy and a high-risk part of
sports tourism,” Johan adds.
The finer details
While the ticket may be the
single most important element
of a sporting holiday, the
logistical details can also
make or break the trip. Greg
says in-depth knowledge
of each event can actually
result in significant cost
savings for your clients as
well. “In some cases, having
the right accommodation
can mean easy access to
both the stadium and centre
of town without having to
catch transfers or take public
transport,” he says. “This is
where a specialist operator
shows real value.”
Nicky says having the right
contacts can even mean
getting clients behind the
scenes at certain events,
making the experience extra
special. “In some cases
where we have larger groups
attending a big event, we have
a celebrity join them for the
trip so that they can share
their insights and first-hand
knowledge about the event.”
Three useful tips...
SPORTS travel comes
with a very specific set
of risks that don’t apply
to run-of-the-mill holidays.
John Ridler, pr and media
manager for Thompsons
Holidays, offers a few
helpful suggestions for
your clients:
Encourage clients to take
out travel insurance when
they book their holiday,
not at the last minute
the week before they
travel. If they take out
a sports travel-specific
policy, then they can rest
assured that not only
their equipment, activities
and travel are covered,
but they are also covered
if they need to cancel
their trip through injury,
for example.
Scan important
documents like
passports, travel
insurance information
and boarding cards
before leaving for the
trip, and store these on
smartphones or tablets.
Get the largest size of
carry-on case and put
your event essentials
in there so you can
participate, even if your
suitcase doesn’t make
it. This includes running
or cycling shoes and
kit, underwear, cycling
helmet, etc.
Avoid ambush marketing
MANY companies want to
run competitions linked to
international sporting events,
or offer top performers
or clients an incentive
that incorporates a major
tournament. However, Nicky
Bell of Edusport Travel,
warns that in some cases
this is a strict no-no, as it
can be construed as ambush
marketing.
She explains that
companies pay huge
amounts of money to have
the rights to be associated
with an event. “In some
cases, companies that have
no official association with
a sporting event want to
use marketing logos, which
they are not allowed to do. It
can get people into a lot of
trouble, as many events are
very strict with their policing.
“At Edusport, our job is to
inform people as to what
they can and can’t do, and
we guide them accordingly.
Ambush marketing is a very
big issue and we need to
make sure our clients stay on
the right side of the line in
terms of that,” she says.
Nicky says to avoid
overstepping the mark, it’s
essential that competitions
are not open to the general
public. “When it comes to
incentives, if it’s internal then
companies can get away with
a bit more, but as soon as it
hits the public domain, you
cannot infringe those rights,”
she says.
Book it!
F1 Grand Prix Tours is offering packages for the Malaysia Grand
Prix from R15 121pp sharing. Rate includes economy-class return
flights (inclusive of taxes) from Johannesburg, four- or five-star
accommodation (located in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur),
all service charges and hotel taxes, breakfast daily, return group
airport-hotel transfers, return circuit transfers for Saturday and
Sunday, covered Grandstand F weekend race tickets, Friday night
cocktail party (including canapés, soft drinks, wine and beers),
hospitality desk for tour duration, on-site South African tour
director and bonus pouch with lanyard and protective earplugs.
Did you know?
On Air Mauritius, sports equipment – other than surf equipment,
golf bags, diving bottles and hunting trophies – is included in the
free baggage allowance, provided it does not exceed 200cm in
dimension (length + width + height) and does not weigh more
than 23kg for economy class and 32kg for business class. One
golf bag containing only golf equipment is carried free of charge,
provided the bag does not exceed the maximum weight of 20kg
per passenger.
Six major events not to miss
1. English Premier League (August2016 to May 2017)
The fixture schedule for
the English Premier League
football tournament has
just been released and
Edusport has seen a lot of
interest from South African
travellers, particularly for the
Manchester and Liverpool
matches, says Nicky Bell.
Pure Sport’s Greg Taylor has
noticed an increasing trend
for corporate travellers to
add on a football game as a
weekend extension to their
business travel to the UK.
There are a total of
380 games scheduled,
with the first taking place
on August 13 and the final
game at the end of the
season on May 14, 2017.
2. Ferney Race Mauritius (September10, 2016)
The fixture schedule for
the English Premier League
football tournament has
just been released and
Edusport has seen a lot of
interest from South African
travellers, particularly for the
Manchester and Liverpool
matches, says Nicky Bell.
Pure Sport’s Greg Taylor has
noticed an increasing trend
for corporate travellers to
add on a football game as a
weekend extension to their
business travel to the UK.
There are a total of
380 games scheduled,
with the first taking place
on August 13 and the final
game at the end of the
season on May 14, 2017
3. Singapore Grand Prix (September18, 2016)
Taking place in the Marina
Bay Street Circuit, in
Singapore, this Grand Prix
event is one of the most
popular events as it takes
place at night. The route
travels between the city’s
towering skyscrapers, lit
up by bright floodlights. It
is truly a ‘white-knuckle’
race, due to the high
speeds, lack of daylight
and bumpiness. Winners
celebrate amidst bright
lights and fireworks.
Various packages are
available from F1 Grand
Prix Tours, Edusport Travel
and Pure Sport, most
of which are three-night
itineraries.
4. Malaysian Grand Prix (October 2, 2016)
Greg says the Malaysian
Grand Prix is the most
affordable of the Grand
Prix events, which is
what makes it a popular
choice for South African
F1 enthusiasts. Set on
the Sepang International
Circuit, Edusport
describes the race
as “one of the most
technical circuits on the
F1 calendar”, saying
the complicated track,
with its long high-speed
straights and tight twisting
complexes, makes for a
thrilling, action-filled race
that is sure to keep you
on the edge of your seat.
Packages are available
from F1 Grand Prix
Tours, Edusport and
Pure Sport.
5.Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (November 27, 2016)
Set on the Yas Marina Circuit,
the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is
another favourite with South
Africans. It is the final F1
race for 2016 and the event
is known for being the first
ever day-night race, starting in
the late afternoon and using
floodlights to illuminate
the circuit into the night.
A wide variety of packages
with options in terms of
inclusions and level of
accommodation are available
from F1 Grand Prix Tours,
Edusport and Pure Sport.
6.Castle Lager Outgoing Tour (November 2016)
Following the Springbok
rugby team on their
international tours is a
bucket-list activity for
many South Africans. In
November, the team will
head to the UK for the
Castle Lager Outgoing
Tour, playing matches
against the British
Barbarians, England, Italy
and Wales. Nicky says this
annual event generates
a lot of interest, with the
England vs South Africa
game at Twickenham being
a particularly popular
choice. Packages are
available from Edusport
Travel and Pure Sport.
Three must-do MTB experiences
1. Cradle of Humankind Mountain Bike Rout
The Cradle of Humankind is
widely considered to be the
‘Mecca’ of Gauteng cycling.
Here, an 18km Gateway 2
Gateway mountain bike trail
has been completed within
the Cradle of Humankind
Unesco World Heritage Site.
It comprises a five-kilometre
beginner trail, which extends
for a further 13km for more
experienced, technical riders.
Signage has been added
all along the route, which
has been designed as a
‘single direction’ trail for
safety and user enjoyment.
Afterwards, cyclists can
enjoy a meal at the various
restaurants nearby, or stop
over at the Visitors’ Centre
at Maropeng to learn more
about mankind’s origins.
The Cradle of Humankind
is managed as part of
the Gauteng Tourism and
Cradle of Humankind
management authority, and
the development of this
new trail is a joint venture
with government aimed
at promoting safe and
responsible cycling.
2. Tour of Legends
Set to take place over
three days from August
7-9, the annual Tour of
Legends is an event
where mountain bikers
can explore 33 000
hectares of Big Five
Limpopo bushveld at
the Legend Golf & Safari
Resort in Entabeni
Private Nature Reserve in
the Waterberg Mountains.
Participants enter in tworider
teams in either the
men’s, ladies’ or mixed
categories. The teams
of two must remain
together for all three
stages and reach the
finish line by 13h00 daily.
Full-service facilities
are offered during the
event, including luxury
accommodation, meals,
feed points along
the route, USN race
nutrition, post-race leg
massages, basic bike
services and washes,
and entertainment.
Riders can expect to ride
between 30km and 55km
each day.
3. Nedbank Tour de Tuli
The annual Nedbank
Tour de Tuli multi-stage
mountain bike event is set
to take place from July 28
to August 2. This year’s
tour will see 350 riders
cycling across 275km of
challenging and remote
terrain in Botswana,
Zimbabwe and South
Africa. The route includes
unmanicured single track,
where riders are likely
to encounter a variety of
wildlife and interact with
local communities along
the way. “We are excited
to deliver yet another
life-changing and one-of-akind
experience to all our
participants, from seasoned
regulars to first-timers.
Cyclists can look forward
to plenty of adventure,
camaraderie, and total
immersion in some of
Africa’s most pristine and
spectacular wilderness
areas, along with the
incredible hospitality that
has become synonymous
with the Nedbank Tour de
Tuli,” says tour director,
Nicola Harris. All funds
raised by the tour are
channelled directly into
Children in the Wilderness,
a non-profit organisation
that runs sustainable
environmental education
programmes to bridge
the divide between
communities and the
adjoining wildlife areas they
live next to.
Premier eyes lucrative sports market
THERE has been a growing
interest in South Africa’s high
performing sporting facilities,
such as the Stellenbosch
Academy of Sport. As such,
hospitality brands like
Premier Hotels & Resorts are
targeting the lucrative sports
tourism market.
Alan Campbell, group brand
manager for Premier Hotels &
Resorts, says these facilities,
along with the plethora of
sporting events for local
teams, have created great
benefits for the hospitality
industry. Premier Hotels has a
specific room configuration for
sports teams, which double
up as family rooms for their
mainstream business.
The group is also focusing on
menus, but this is part of
a broader trend toward a
general greater consciousness
of healthy lifestyle and
nutrition.
“We already see a huge
amount of business around
SA events, like the Cape Argus
and Comrades Marathon, but
there is a growing opportunity
to cater for South Africans
travelling to other events, like
the Durban July and J&B Met,
and we want to tap into these
markets, while at the same
time, being mindful of not
alienating our core market of
family groups,” adds Alan
Did you know!
World Leisure Resorts says its Sun Resorts properties in Mauritius
offer golfers unlimited complimentary green fees at Ile Aux Cerfs golf
course. Guests staying at Long Beach also receive complimentary
green fees at Anahita Golf Course, while Sugar Beach guests receive
complimentary golf at Tamarina Golf Course.
