Travellers flock to the US while the going is good
NOW seems to be the
perfect time to send
clients to the US.
Bookings are booming and
travel experts say it’s largely
the result of a stronger rand.
While the rand has
recently taken a few knocks,
it is generally much stronger
than it was two years ago
(currently it is R13,30 to the
dollar). Consider that at the
start of 2016 the rand was
almost R17 to the US dollar,
while at the start of this
year it was just over R12 to
the dollar.
“It’s definitely easier for
clients to travel to the US at
the moment, with the rand
being a lot stronger against
the dollar,” says Travel
Counsellor, Nicole Barrett.
“We have seen a 60%
increase in bookings to
the US for travel in 2018
compared with 2017,”
agrees Janine Pienaar,
sales and marketing
manager at the Globus
Family of Brands, adding
that it’s not as expensive
to travel to the US as
it was last year.
She says the stronger
rand, together with good
airfare deals this year,
has played a part in the
increase in bookings.
“Most of our bookings
have been with Cosmos
Holidays, which is our value
brand, and which includes
the key components of
travel that you expect from
a guided holiday. It is a
good and affordable way
to explore the US,” Janine
comments.
At the moment Globus’s
top seller is the Eastern US
and Canada Grand Vacation.
The price starts from
US$2 269pps (R30 250)
for a 15-day tour. The
tour covers New York,
Boston, Quebec City Area,
Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto,
Niagara Falls, Lancaster,
Washington DC and
finishes in Philadelphia. “It
includes guided sightseeing,
accommodation and
transportation, as well as
the services of a qualified
tour director for the duration
of the tour,” Janine says.
Annemarie Lexow, sales
and marketing manager at
Travel Vision, agrees that
the rand has played an
important part in the US
booking boom, though she
says there are probably a
number of other factors
involved, including the
increase in consumer
confidence.
Consumer confidence
rose to an all-time high
in the first quarter of this
year, with the First National
Bank Bureau for Economic
Research Consumer
Confidence Sentiment Index
jumping eight points from
the previous quarter to
reach 26 points.
South Africa also recorded
improved business
confidence in 2018. The
South African Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
reported that in the first
quarter of 2017, the index
was 95,7, compared with
98,7 in the first quarter
of 2018.
Discover the best of the US on a budget
IF YOUR client has a tight
budget, there are many ways
to help them to save.
Cruising is a cost-effective
way to visit a number of
different places, says
Thaybz Khan, marketing
executive at Cruises
International. “The value
for money in terms of
inclusions like dining
and entertainment is
exceptional.” She says with
a cruise holiday travellers
can maximise both time and
money spent on a vacation.
Thaybz points out that
cruising is a particularly
good option for clients
travelling with families,
especially those looking
to make a stop in Walt
Disney World, Orlando.
“A Disney cruise option
is both a cost-effective
and convenient option for
families,” she says.
Currently, Cruises
International’s most popular
itineraries are its Eastern
and Western Caribbean
cruises, which depart
from Miami and Orlando
respectively.
When choosing the right
cities to stay in, travellers
can save by staying close to
popular tourist areas rather
than in them. For example,
says Thompsons Holidays
PR and media manager,
John Ridler, when visiting
New York, stay in New Jersey
rather than Manhattan.
“Rates and taxes are lower
and you have easy access
to Manhattan just across
the Hudson.”
He says it’s not difficult
to find good hotel chains
that offer very good rates,
comfortable and clean
accommodation and also
include a basic breakfast in
their rate.
Travel Vision’s Annemarie
Lexow agrees, saying threestar
hotels in the US tend to
be very reasonable.
To get around, Travel Vision
recommends self-drive
packages. “Car hire is very
reasonable and includes
unlimited kilometres,
GPS, waivers and more,”
Annemarie comments.
Another way to save money
is to take an all-inclusive
guided tour, says the Globus
Family’s Janine Pienaar.
With Cosmos Holidays, this
includes accommodation in
hand-picked hotels, a variety
of transportation options
and guided sightseeing.
A round-up of convenient air connections
Direct to the US
THERE are many different
ways of travelling to the
US – possibly one of the
most popular being Delta Air
Lines, which, along with SAA,
offers the only direct services
between South Africa and the
States.
“Non-stop travel is clearly
preferable, as customers
reach their destination in
the shortest time. From our
hub in Atlanta, customers
can access more than
200 destinations in North
America, Latin America
and the Caribbean, making
it easy and convenient to
get anywhere in this part
of the world,” says Jimmy
Eichelgruen, Delta sales
director Africa, Middle East
and India.
A significant advantage
for travellers flying Delta
is that the flights between
Johannesburg and Atlanta
both leave in the evening,
meaning passengers get
a full day in the city. “This
is particularly important
for business travellers who
naturally want to maximise
their time on the ground,”
comments Jimmy.
Orlando – home to Walt
Disney World – has long been
one of Delta’s most popular
destinations. Currently
the airline offers more
than a dozen daily flights
from Atlanta. “It’s easy for
customers to connect to
Florida from our Johannesburg
flights and make the most of
their time there rather than
having to overnight in Atlanta
first,” Jimmy points out.
Connecting via the UK
The UK has also always
provided local travellers
with a convenient
connection to the US.
Virgin Atlantic’s VS 602
from Johannesburg,
for example, arrives at
London Heathrow at
06h35. This means it
connects seamlessly to
all the airline’s US flights,
destined for Atlanta,
Boston, Las Vegas,
Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, Orlando, San
Francisco, Seattle and
Washington DC.
As it’s currently the
Northern hemisphere
summer, Virgin Atlantic
will offer more direct
flights between the
UK and US through its
partnership with Delta.
“Together we have over
five million seats available
between the UK and US,”
says Liezl Gericke, head
of Middle East and Africa
at Virgin Atlantic.
She reveals that the
airline recently announced
a number of new routes
and services between
London and the US,
most notable of which is
its flight to Las Vegas,
launching on March 31,
2019. The new service
was available on the GDS
from May 19, 2018.
“We will also be adding
a second daily Boston
service,” Liezl comments.
Also convenient for
travellers connecting
on Virgin Atlantic is the
airline’s launch of three
different ways to fly
economy.
“Recognising that
one size doesn’t fit all,
from spring 2018 Virgin
Atlantic will introduce
‘economy delight’,
‘economy classic’ and
‘economy light’.
These three new ways
to fly allow customers
to choose the product
that suits their budget
and travel style – but
never compromise on
inclusive food and drink,
unrivalled service, and
inflight entertainment,”
says Liezl.
Connecting via Europe
Europe is another
convenient stopover for
South Africans bound for
the US.
KLM is a natural choice
when connecting to the
North Atlantic because of
the daylight flight on the
return from Amsterdam,
says Tracy Armitage,
marketing for Air France
KLM in SA. “Passengers
can connect swiftly
in Amsterdam when
arriving from the US, thus
avoiding the necessity of
waiting until the evening
to catch their flight back
to South Africa.”
KLM and Air France
offer numerous
destinations to which
travellers can connect.
Together, the airlines fly
direct to 12 major cities
in the US from their
respective hubs. Due to
the airlines’ codeshare
with Delta Air Lines, they
have access to a further
six US cities direct from
their hubs.
“What’s more, our
codeshare partnership
with Delta extends to
its entire US domestic
network. All Air France
KLM fares are valid on
Delta so that removes
the need for separate
tickets, which can be
costly,” adds Tracy.
The most convenient
city to connect to using
Air France KLM is
definitely New York’s JFK
International Airport. This
Northern hemisphere
summer, Air France has
28 weekly flights to New
York and KLM has 20.
Codeshare partner Delta
offers a further 21 flights
from the AF KLM hubs,
as well as seven flights a
week from Nice to JFK.
RwandAir heads to the US
RwandAir recently
announced that South
African travellers departing
from Johannesburg and
Cape Town now have even
more options to reach the
US, as the airline has been
granted a licence to start
direct services to the US.
RwandAir revealed that it
will fly from Kigali to New
York and confirms that it will
be operating an A330 with
full on-board connectivity.
Another advantage will be
the minimum connecting
time through RwandAir’s
hub, which the airline has
planned carefully to ensure
short layovers.
Photocap: Ziplining at sea
Cruises International’s newest offering, Symphony
of the Seas, will homeport in the Caribbean from
November, conducting seven-night Eastern and
Western Caribbean itineraries.
Beyond bright city lights, the price is right
AMERICA’S major cities
will always be a massive
drawcard for South African
travellers. But there’s a great
deal to explore beyond the
bright lights of the cities –
and sometimes at a more
affordable price.
“Portland, Maine, is a jewel
with its array of lakes, and
St Hood, which is great for
skiing,” says Annemarie
Lexow of Travel Vision. She
points out that a city like
Miami can also be a good
option, because, although
South Beach is expensive,
if travellers stay behind
the port, it is far more
reasonable.
The southern states
offer a wonderful experience
and exceptional value for
money, says Thompsons
Holidays’ John Ridler.
For a more relaxed pace,
where everyone greets
you with ‘y’all’, Annemarie
recommends South
Carolina. Myrtle Beach, a
city and vacation resort on
the Atlantic coast, has a
beautiful promenade and has
been the inspiration for many
Nicholas Sparks novels, she
says. “Do visit Brookgreen
Gardens, a national historic
landmark and America’s
first sculpture garden. The
preserve has more than 1
700 works on display, as well
as a Butterfly House, which
opens between April and
October.
Journey through time
John advises those
interested in beautiful
beaches and fantastic
golfing opportunities to
experience Charleston, the
South Carolina port city, and
Savannah, the oldest city
in Georgia. Annemarie says
these cities will also take
you on a historic yet hip
journey through time with
beautifully restored buildings
and plantations. On the other
hand, Missouri is a must for
wine lovers,” she comments.
“The mountains of Georgia
also have spectacular
autumn foliage and beautiful
small towns,” adds John.
“After the bright lights of the
cities, small town America
is a must – perfect for a
relaxed, self-drive holiday and
the best way to get to meet
the people.”
The magic of music
If your clients love music,
then they cannot miss out
on Nashville, Tennessee,
or Birmingham, Alabama,
advises Annemarie.
“Many South Africans are
interested in our Dixieland
& Rhythms Cosmos tour,
which includes highlights
near and dear to music
lovers’ hearts,” says Janine
Pienaar of the Globus Family
of Brands.
In Nashville, travellers
can visit the Country Music
Hall of Fame, with its rare
instruments and RCA
Studio B, Nashville’s oldest
recording studio. “This is
where Elvis Presley, Dolly
Parton and many more
stars recorded their biggest
hits,” comments Janine.
She says in Memphis,
travellers can see where
the film, Walk the Line, was
filmed and visit Graceland,
Elvis’s palatial estate.
“Other tour highlights
include a trip to the top
of the Gateway Arch in
St Louis. There travellers
can experience a ride on
the Amtrak City of New
Orleans train from Memphis
to New Orleans. In Louisiana,
they might enjoy an optional
boat cruise through the
swampy waterways,”
says Janine.
The 11-day tour starts from
US$1 829pps (R24 820)
How to choose the right Disney experience
DISNEY remains a firm favourite for
South African travellers. In fact, Travel
Vision’s Annemarie Lexow says the
majority of the tour operator’s enquiries
at the moment are all for Disney.
Travellers should choose their Disney
experience (Disneyland or Walt Disney
World) depending on which side of
the US they are touring, says Travel
Counsellor, Nicole Barrett.
“Walt Disney World in Florida is
closer to South Africa being on the
east coast. It is also bigger and offers
more than Disneyland in California,”
says Thompsons Holidays’ John Ridler.
Annemarie says the size of the
respective theme parks and length
of time travellers want to spend
experiencing Disney also play an
important part in which experience
they choose. “Disneyland is a
maximum two-day visit, whereas Walt
Disney World has four parks and two
water parks, so we advise clients to
have a minimum stay of seven nights,”
she says.
“I would recommend seven days at
least, especially during the summer,”
agrees Nicole. “Aside from Walt
Disney World’s two amazing water
parks, it now also has the new
Pandora Park (World of Avatar).”
For Walt Disney World, she
recommends that travellers purchase
the Park Hopper package, as it allows
them to visit more than one park in a
day. “The FastPass also allows guests
to skip the line for selected attractions,
shows and character greetings,” says
Nicole.
In terms of accommodation, Nicole
says travellers should stay in a Disney
hotel in the resort as this involves
additional benefits, such as extra
park hours for guests and dining
packages. “Travellers can also have
any items bought at a store delivered
to their hotel rooms, and access to
the Memory Maker, which includes an
unlimited selection of photos taken at
the various attractions by the Disney
PhotoPass photographers,” she adds.
Nicole also suggests that travellers
take advantage of the special events
that take place in both Disneyland and
Walt Disney World year round. “Around
Halloween, Walt Disney World has
a ‘Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween
Party’ and around Christmas it has
a ‘Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas
Party’ with holiday parades, live
entertainment and awesome fireworks.
Christmas is also super festive at
Disney and one of the best times to
travel to the US.”
Exciting new attractions for
travellers to take note of, advises
Annemarie, include Toy Story, which
opened this year at the Disney
Hollywood Studios Park in Walt Disney
World, as well as the Star Wars Galaxy
Edge, a new themed experience
opening in both Disneyland and Walt
Disney World in 2019.
Tip to upsell
Upsell on the park tickets
by offering tickets with more
options, says Annemarie.
Always sell clients the dining
add-on as it’s fantastic value for
money, suggests John.
Save clients money by
suggesting Value Resorts, the
least expensive accommodation
in Disney World, Annemarie
advises.
Advise clients to download the
Disney app before they travel,
says John.
Globus covers the US
Essential Hawaii
This island vacation
encompasses the very best of
Hawaii. From Honolulu to Maui,
the tour provides a good mix
of sightseeing and free time
to enjoy the soothing pace of
island life.
Travellers will take a tour
of Honolulu, including a
sightseeing cruise through
battleship row at Pearl
Harbor followed by a few
days of relaxation or optional
sightseeing. Once in the
‘Valley Island’ of Maui,
travellers will explore the
island with a tour of the
Iao Valley, and can opt for
whale watching, zip-lining, or
attending a traditional luau.
New England and the
Hudson Valley
A guided tour of New England
and New York’s Hudson
Valley introduces travellers to
America’s historic east coast.
The trip begins in the Big
Apple, where travellers will see
iconic sights from Broadway
to the Empire State Building.
They’ll also visit the Hartford,
Connecticut, homes of
legendary American authors,
Harriet Beecher Stowe and
Mark Twain.
Continuing north to
Lexington, Massachusetts,
travellers will experience the
scene of the first battle of the
American Revolution. They’ll
journey through history in
Concord and Boston, and see
the Old North Church of Paul
Revere’s famous midnight
ride. They’ll encounter the
setting of the infamous Salem
witch trials, visit a legendary
lighthouse on Portland’s
rocky shore, and view New
Hampshire’s covered bridges.
Next up is the picturesque
countryside of Vermont, where
travellers learn the art of
making maple syrup. They’ll
spend two nights at the Essex
Culinary Resort and Spa,
and visit a local vineyard and
heritage park reminiscent of
old New England life. They’ll
then take the Lake Champlain
ferry for a scenic crossing into
New York, and travel through
the Adirondack Foothills to
Lake Placid – host city of two
winter Olympic Games.
On the way to the Berkshires,
travellers will stop in Saratoga
Springs for a tour of the spa
setting. They’ll also visit the
Norman Rockwell Museum in
the Berkshires and travel along
the Hudson River to the lavish
Vanderbilt mansion, then to
West Point to learn about the
famous military academy.
Finally, travellers will stay
overnight in the mythical
locale of the Legend of Sleepy
Hollow, before returning to New
York City.
America’s Greatest
Treasures
This affordable American
vacation through Colorado,
South Dakota, Wyoming, and
Utah takes travellers west
for adventure and treasure.
From Denver to the lofty peaks
of the Grand Tetons, they’ll
experience the Wild West with
its stunning vistas and historic
lore.
Travellers will pass through
the black hills of South
Dakota, where the legends of
the frontier made their mark,
and stand at the national
monuments to presidents
at Mount Rushmore, and to
Native American legend, Chief
Crazy Horse.
The tour follows the trail of
pioneers and history-makers
to Wyoming – home of Buffalo
Bill and the natural splendour
of Yellowstone National Park
– visiting Old Faithful and
thundering waterfalls and the
desert of the Great Salt Lake.
Spirit of the American
Wild West
This guided tour of the
American West spans
Colorado, South Dakota and
Wyoming, allowing travellers to
follow in the pioneering spirit
of the wild frontier.
It begins in the ‘Mile
High City’ of Denver, where
travellers are invited to take
in historic sites at the foot of
the Rocky Mountains, including
Red Rocks Amphitheatre and
the Buffalo Bill grave and
museum.
The tour then heads north to
Rocky Mountain National Park
for an exploration of the alpine
vistas from Trail Ridge Road
over the Continental Divide.
Travellers will experience the
old-world charm of an overnight
stay at Estes Park’s Stanley
Hotel – inspiration for Stephen
King’s thriller, The Shining.
They then continue on to the
black hills of South Dakota to
see the famous monument of
four US presidents carved into
Mount Rushmore.
Travellers will also be
introduced to the rich history
of the Native American tribes,
including the Lakota people,
as they travel through the
Badlands of South Dakota
to Custer State Park and the
Crazy Horse Memorial.
The tour next visits the Wild
West town of Deadwood –
known as a lawless frontier
town during the legendary gold
rush days.
