Agents, you’re missing out
AGENTS’
prejudice
towards
domestic bookings,
which are largely
driven online,
is holding them
back from making
commissionable
sales.
Desmond
O’Connor, head
of kulula holidays, says: “In
terms of SA overall, online
booking is still the biggest
driver, with bookings coming
from both direct and the trade
in this channel.
“Although our product
is positioned so that the
trade can book and earn
commissions, the direct
business is still higher for no
apparent reason. The trade is
able to get exactly the same
deals on the packages and
they are commissionable.
“We have managed to get
aggressive pricing models in
place for all the
main destinations
in SA,” says
Desmond.
“With two airlines
in the group, BA
operated by Comair
and kulula.com, we
have partnered with
hotels and land
partners to drive
exclusive deals
at substantially
discounted pricing. We
have pricing from around
R2 000pp, which includes
flights and taxes, two days’
car hire and two nights’
accommodation.”
The operator is also
looking at driving ‘distressed
inventory’ deals on selected
routes or departures, making
holidays and weekend breaks
more affordable.
“We firmly believe that our
growth in the SA market
will be substantial, with the
programmes and projects
that we are working on,
and we aim to become one
of the largest providers of
discounted holidays in SA,”
says Desmond
“A lot of the deals in place
are exclusive and all are
available to the trade through
our online booking system or
our call centre, so we hope
to see growth in this channel
too,” he says.
Agents who embrace online
bookings can add value to
existing and new clients.
FlySafair processes the
vast majority of its bookings
through its website.
The airline’s head of sales
and distribution, Kirby Gordon,
says the trend towards
mobile devices is growing
aggressively. “We do see
more CPT, JNB and DUR
bookings coming through
on the GDS systems for
the trade, but that is to be
expected as a lot of that
would be corporate travel,
so I wouldn’t attribute it to a
change in shape on leisure
travel for those routes.”
Gaynor von Loggenburg,
sales and marketing executive
at Bidvest Car Rental, says
customers are increasingly
utilising platforms such as
Rentalcars.com.
She says once they’ve
shopped, they then compare
with the rates on Bidvest’s
website to ensure they are
getting the best deal.
Domestic travellers are
increasingly independent, says
a spokesperson for Tourism
KwaZulu-Natal.
Information, she says, is
still gathered through sources
such as the Internet, word
of mouth and social media,
but online booking is on the
increase.
Roslyn de la Hunt, Gold
Travel Counsellor in Centurion,
has found that tech-savvy
locals who have the time will
research and book online.
“It is the older generation
and people who do not have
the time to research and put
together an itinerary, as well
as my regular clients, who
make use of my services.
Leverage events to boost business
Packaging events on the
local social calendar is not
only a way to encourage
domestic travel sales, it
also adds to the experience
of a destination, says
Gomolemo ‘Lerato’ Manche
of Lerato Travel, in Fourways,
Johannesburg.
Gomolemo ‘dresses
up’ events for VIP travel,
such as the Durban July.
She aims the event at
corporates who want to
entertain valued clients and
stakeholders, and avid fans
of the sport who want a
weekend with all the frills.
The Lerato Travel Durban
July Concierge Package
comes with lashings of
glamour, even a make-up
artist for the day of the race.
In addition, a complimentary
voucher is offered ahead to
all female clients who want
a custom-made dress for
the event from the clothing
store La-Manche Clothing.
“We package the
experience from the Friday
of the July weekend. There
are usually pre-parties
and we source tickets for
those.” On race day, clients
are accommodated in one
of the marquees, and are
shuttled to and from the
venue. On the Sunday, a
boat cruise is organised, or
an after-party. A cab service
is on call all weekend.
Spike in interest to E Cape
WHILE SA’s large
metros account for
much of domestic
travel, the Eastern
Cape through to the
Garden Route is
enjoying an upsurge
in interest and
traffic, say industry
stakeholders.
Kirby Gordon of
FlySafair offers
statistics for arrivals
at Acsa airports.
The data shows
“some pretty aggressive
growth” between 2014 and
2015. Those that FlySafair
operates to were up by an
average of about 14%. George
and Port Elizabeth both stood
out with domestic passenger
arrivals increasing by 18%.
From 2015 to 2016, the
number sobered a little due
to the economic situation,
says Kirby. “There is still a
positive growth of about 3% to
airports we operate to, so it is
at least moving in a positive
direction and doesn’t indicate
a loss on the ground gained
previously. The airport that has
grown healthily, though, is East
London, which has
increased arrivals
by 9%, well above
the average. Port
Elizabeth is the one
that saw a slight
correction with a
1% decline.”
Kirby speculates
that this growth
has to do with the
aggressive players
in the LCC arena,
and the resultant
decrease in the
cost of domestic flights.
“It’s also fair to say that, for
the first time in a long time,
the aviation industry is starting
to challenge the bus industry
in terms of pricing. We still see
a very large proportion of firsttime
flyers, especially heading
to the E Cape, which is a
traditionally strong bus route.”
With the E Cape “growing
nicely”, FlySafair, which already
links ELS and PLZ to JNB and
CPT, will now launch two new
routes connecting DUR to ELS
and PLZ. Flights are already
available for sale, and services
commence on November 27.
Acsa has also earmarked
Port Elizabeth International
Airport – which saw 1,6m
passengers passing through
in the last financial year
– for development, upping
its capacity to four million
passengers annually.
Garden Route growth
Desmond O’Connor of kulula
holidays, says kulula.com
has also seen a large take-up
on its packages into George
and the surrounding areas,
while Gaynor von Loggenburg
of Bidvest Car Rental, says
the only area outside the big
cities where increased car-hire
bookings are noticeable is the
Garden Route.
John Ridler, Thompsons
Holidays pr and media
manager, pinpoints the Garden
Route/Eastern Cape as an
area attracting increased
attention.
“Travellers are looking for
alternatives to the Kruger,
simply because of pricing
and lack of availability. There
are a number of well-priced
‘Big Five’ reserves along the
Garden Route and in the
Eastern Cape.
Asata, SAT promote bleisure stays
A JOINT campaign by Asata
members and SA Tourism
to boost domestic tourism
among business travellers
is now halfway through its
second year of activation.
The ‘bleisure’ campaign
encourages local business
travellers to add a leisure
segment on to a business
trip, leveraging on an
already existing market. It
showcases experiences that
make it worthwhile staying
on, possibly encouraging
their families to join them.
The first phase of the
promotion ran from AprilDecember
2016 and
targeted 20 corporates. The
second phase is now in play
until year end with a goal of
reaching 40 companies.
Marketing and display
materials are placed in
corporate locations. Says
Asata gm, Kim Koen:
“There are various types
of activations that the
corporate may select
from, from a full 6 x 9m
stand with all the bells
and whistles, to a pop-up
stand for those who want to
incorporate the activation
with a health and wellness
day. Each is accompanied
by brochure hand-outs and
before and after marketing
campaigns.”
The length of each
activation is corporatespecific,
ranging from one
to three days. Corporates
can also select pre- and
post-activation messaging
methods, such as email,
pamphlet distribution,
escalator advertising and
poster display. Some
activations may even include
the prize of a leisure break.
Experiential leisure
add-ons have featured
prominently in the
campaign – kayaking up
Storms River Mouth, biking
in Namaqualand, beer
tasting in the Midlands and
gastronomy in Joburg..
Signature Lux plans four new hotels
SIGNATURE Lux Hotels will
add over 700 rooms to its
capacity in SA in the next
two years, with four new
properties.
Hotels at the V&A
Waterfront (80 rooms);
Umhlanga (310 rooms) and
Johannesburg’s Melrose
Arch (200 rooms) will open
in 2018. In 2019, the group
will open a 114-room hotel
in Woodmead, Sandton, to
join its existing Sandton
property in West Street in
the heart of the CBD.
The Woodmead hotel will
be a new build, and the
three others are conversions
of former business blocks.
Accommodation will sell
from R795-R1 100 per
room per night, depending
on location.
“South Africa has been
saturated with high-end
hotels for over 10 years,”
comments Paul Kelley,
Signature Lux Hotels md.
“There is certainly a major
gap in the marketplace to
introduce a new, unique
and exciting select-service
brand, providing the space
of a three-star-plus hotel
room and delivering an
exceptional high-quality
experience.”
Paul says the brand’s
model applies the
disciplines of no-frills, lowcost
airlines to the
accommodation sector,
removing unnecessary items
and hidden costs to provide
a consistent service with a
luxury feel at a budget price.
“Our hotels offer selfservice
check-in, a first of its
kind in Africa.” Guests can
use smart phones as room
keys. Rooms are technically
advanced with specialised
lighting and mood music,
and provide free highspeed
Internet connectivity.
“We will be pushing the
boundaries by offering
transit and overnight rates
to travellers,” says Paul.
Exciting shore excursions for Crystal Symphony
PASSENGERS who choose to sail on
the Crystal Symphony’s South African
cruising season this December, will find
an extensive menu of shore excursions
at all ports on the itinerary.
Departures that call at local ports
include the 13-night ‘Around the Cape
of Good Hope’, the 16-night Cape TownCape
Town ‘South African Holiday’,
and the 15-night ‘Jewels of the Indian
Ocean’. These cruises also include
other countries in the region such
as Réunion, Mauritius, Mozambique,
Namibia and Madagascar.
In Cape Town, there is a choice of no
fewer than 15 shore excursions, from
sundowners on Signal Hill, to forays
into the Winelands, to helicopter flips,
picnics and shark-cage dives, and even
a voluntourism stint at a children’s
home.
In Richards Bay, there’s Lake St Lucia
to view, cultural villages like Dumazulu
and Shakaland to visit, private game
reserves such as Zulu Nyala and Thula
Thula to explore and a reptile park to
experience.
Durban offers just as varied a
selection, with coastal drives, the Valley
of a Thousand Hills, Howick Falls, Tala
Game Reserve and the Karkloof Forest
Zipline to choose from.
In East London, passengers can take
the Fossil Fish and Footprints tour to
learn about the coelacanth and the
Nahoon footprints.
They can have a Xhosa cultural
experience or take game drives at
Mpongo or Inkwenkwenzi Private Game
Reserves.
There are more game parks to visit
from Port Elizabeth (Lalibela, Kariega
and Addo Elephant), townships to
explore and walking tours of the city.
KZN properties smarten up
TOURISM KwaZulu-Natal says
township experiences, the Mandela
Capture Site at Howick, and
restaurants offering African cuisine
are attracting domestic visitors.
At Max Lifestyle and Eyadini in
Umlazi, shisa nyama and music
make relaxed locations to while away
a Sunday or celebrate an occasion.
Hospitality resorts that have
engaged in sprucing up include:
y Thonga Beach Lodge on the
Elephant Coast, which has
renovated its 24 bedrooms.
y Isibindi Zulu Lodge in Zululand,
which reopened in August after an
extensive refurbishment to rooms,
bathrooms and public areas.
y Midlands Saddle and Trout, a stud
farm managed by First Group,
which has undergone a head-to-toe
refurbishment costing R16,7m. All
59 chalets will be completed by
year-end.
The eBandla Hotel in Ballito will
open a new property in Jozini at the
end of the year. The hotel will have
50 rooms, conference facilities and
a VIP restaurant and bar.
Bidvest plans Snappdrive leisure launch
SNAPPDRIVE, Bidvest Car Rental’s app
for domestic corporate travellers, will be
launched to the leisure market by the
year end, says Gaynor von Loggenburg.
The app, now usable at George,
Lanseria and Bloemfontein airports
as well as OR Tambo, King Shaka,
Port Elizabeth and Cape Town airports,
makes car rental a keyless and queuefree
procedure. Via a smartphone GPS,
renters can locate their rented vehicles,
unlock and start the engine without a
physical key. When the car is due back
at Bidvest Car Rental, an SMS is sent
to the renter in good time, so that the
rental can be extended if required.
With the benefit of telematics, the
car-hire company can track vehicles,
collecting data on mileage and fuel
usage with advantages for real-time fleet
management.
The app, a year in the making, is
available from Apple’s App Store and
Google Play store .
