Understand your clients!
Pentravel, Eastgate
An agent welcomed me into the store
with a warm smile and invited me to
take a seat. I told her that I was looking
to travel with a group of friends to
Victoria Falls. She looked through her
system, and found one option, which
she thought would be of interest to me
and my friends. Although she smiled
and was friendly, she did not ask about
my budget or any special preferences.
I felt that she was searching for options
at random. She handed me a brochure
and asked whether anything excited
me. The service was adequate and the
agent friendly but I did not find the visit
very informative or helpful. The agent
followed up with an email about an
hour after I left the store.
STA Travel, Eastgate
When I walked into the branch, I was
greeted with a blank stare and a
cold “Hi”. I asked if they offered any
packages to Victoria Falls. The agent
asked when I would like to travel.
I responded: “Over any weekend
in November, as I have to work
in December.” Her response was
impatient, insisting that I give her a
specific date in November. Without
further engagement (she didn’t ask
me for my name or preferences), she
went straight on to her system to
check for packages. When I told
her I had been quoted around
R6 900 per person at another
agency, she looked at me
condescendingly and said I wouldn’t
find anything that cheap. She also
couldn’t seem to find any transfer
services for me. I left feeling annoyed
and that she hadn’t made any effort.
Lusoglobo, Bruma
I was greeted by an agent
who immediately came
across as an experienced
travel professional. Senior
travel consultant, Sonia
Da Rocha, appeared
confident, and asked
me where I was looking
to travel. When I briefed
her that I was part of a
group of 20-somethings
looking to travel to Victoria
Falls, she got to work immediately.
Without my having to explain, Sonia
immediately knew that we were
looking for fun and a lot of activities
to fill our days because she
understood the clients in question.
She suggested river cruises, bungee
jumping and a number of
other fun add-ons. Sonia
also took special interest
in the individual wants
and needs of everyone
who would be travelling.
She asked if anyone in
the group enjoyed golf,
animals and so on. She
searched for a package
that would cater not only
for the entire group but
also each individual within the
group. She seemed to know exactly
what she was doing and was a very
good listener.
Sonia’s tips for selling Victoria Falls
1.Agents should focus on the
adventure aspect when selling
Victoria Falls to young groups. For
example, there are sunset cruises,
helicopter trips over the Falls,
bungee jumping over the Victoria
Falls Bridge, bridge swings and
bridge slides.
2. Sonia says agents should highlight
that South African passport
holders do not need visas for
Zimbabwe as this will entice them
to visit the Victoria Falls.
3. Agents can also upsell trips to the
Victoria Falls by adding a day trip
to Zambia. Viewing the Falls from
the other side offers travellers a
whole other experience.
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.
Will increased access
change the way you sell?
RECENT price increases have
created a considerable barrier
for South Africans wanting to
visit Victoria Falls.
John Ridler, Thompsons Holidays
pr and media manager, says the
increases are a result of the recently
implemented VAT of 15%, as well as
rates being charged in US dollars,
even for South African residents.
However, travel experts speculate
as to whether prices may fall as a
result of the expansion and upgrade
of the Victoria Falls airport.
The Victoria Falls International
Airport expansion project, which
includes the construction of an
additional terminal and runway,
is set to welcome 1,2 million
passengers a year. The existing
terminal building is being upgraded
and will become the domestic
terminal, while the existing runway
is being strengthened for use as a
full-length taxiway.
The project is costing an
estimated R1,6 billion and will
include a new landside and airside
road network as well as new car
parking.
“The upgrade to the Victoria Falls
airport is much needed. It will be
a welcome addition to the Victoria
Falls experience,” says John.
What’s more, SAA spokesperson,
Tlali Tlali, points out that the
upgrade of Victoria Falls airport is
being done almost simultaneously
with upgrades at Livingstone airport.
“Hence there will be more flights
and increased capacity at both airports"
More capacity, lower airfares
airports.”
Tlali highlights that
whenever there
is an increase in
air capacity, there
is likely to be a
resultant reduction
in airfares.
“However, the
increase in seats
could be a result
of the increase in
demand, meaning
that fares could
remain as they are
or even increase,”
he says.
African Sun
regional manager
of sales and
reservations, Lindi
Mthethwa, is certain that the
increase in seat capacity will
result in lower prices for flights
and holiday packages, as well
as more airline options. With
the development of the new
terminal at Victoria
Falls Airport, there
will be more seat
capacity directly
because of more
airlines entering
the market.
This will result
in lower fares for
flights and holiday
packages, she
says.
Glenn Stutchbury,
Cresta Hotels ceo,
agrees competition
creates lower fares
and Cresta eagerly
awaits the airline
announcements for
new or increased
routes into the region.
Tlali reveals that SAA will
increase frequencies to Victoria
Falls to 10 flights a week from
its current seven flights per
week “in the very near future”
Could Zimbabwe become the
fav entry point?
There are three primary air
routes in the Victoria Falls
region, says Tlali.
“There are almost an
equal number of flights from
Johannesburg to Livingstone
and from Johannesburg to
Victoria Falls.” He says people
also frequently travel by road
from Botswana to Victoria Falls,
and Livingstone through the
Kasane or Kazungula border
posts.
These diverse points of entry
make the Victoria Falls an
attractive destination. “Dual
visit tourists who enter through
one airport and exit from the
other, make Livingstone and
Victoria Falls interchangeable,”
comments Tlali.
As Glenn points out, the
Univisa has made it much
easier for visitors to experience
both countries (Zambia and
Zimbabwe), especially in the
dry season when viewing of the
Victoria Falls is only possible
from the Zimbabwean side.
“With the new developments
at Victoria Falls International
Airport I foresee people
accessing Zimbabwe directly
rather than travelling through
Zambia, which happened in
the past due to a shortage
of capacity on the Zimbabwe
side and cheaper flight options
on the Zambia side into
Livingstone,” says Lindi.
Top selling tips
AGENTS should sell
Victoria Falls as an
experience rather than a
destination, advises Tlali
Tlali. “They should extend
activities and expand
the area to be visited
to include neighbouring
countries and their
attractions, such as the
world-famous Hwange
National Park, Matusadona,
Lower Zambezi, and
Luangwa. There are a
number of attractions on
both sides of the Zambezi
River.”
Glenn Stutchbury agrees
that there is much for
travellers to enjoy in the
area. "Victoria Falls is a
destination with over 40
activities available for
visitors, so there is a lot
to do. It is a good idea
for agents to give visitors
a wide choice of options.
Importantly, agents need
to be educated on the
destination, which will
benefit the agent, client
and the hotel industry,”
says Glenn.
“Agents should consider
offering fully inclusive
packages, and look to
include more value adds
to offer clients a more
attractive package,” adds
Lindi Mthethwa.
Book it!
Cresta Sprayview is offering a once-off special for a two-night minimum
stay, where travellers can enjoy a rate of US$79pps (R1 087) per night,
on a bed and breakfast basis. The offer includes one sunset cruise per
person per stay. The offer is valid for stays until December 15, and advance
reservations must be made. he 65-room Cresta Sprayview is 1,4km from
the Falls and 20 minutes from Victoria Falls International Airport. The hotel
also has two conference facilities, one able to accommodate up to 80
delegates cinema style, and the other 12 delegates in a boardroom style.
Take advantage of seasonality
VICTORIA Falls is an all-time
favourite destination for
most of our source markets,
says Tlali Tlali.
“There is always an
interest in Zimbabwe,
particularly Victoria Falls,”
agrees John Ridler. He adds
that some of Thompsons’
most popular Zimbabwe
packages include short
stays, weekends away and
conferences.
Glenn Stutchbury says
Victoria Falls is on most
visitors’ bucket lists, making
it very popular, especially
when tourists are already
travelling in Southern
Africa. “Victoria Falls is so
simple to add on to existing
Southern African packages.”
As Lindi Mthethwa points
out, the Victoria Falls is
one of the Seven Natural
Wonders of the World, with
abundant wildlife, and over
30 adventures (in the air,
on water, and on land). “The
incredible surroundings
set the scene for an
unforgettable experience for
all travellers who visit the
Victoria Falls.”
“The Victoria Falls are
very seasonal in terms of
the water level, which is
determined by the intensity
of rain in the catchment
areas along the entire
length of the upper Zambezi
and its tributaries,”
notes Tlali.
Agents need to take
advantage of the seasonality
of the Victoria Falls.
Changes in water and
weather not only mean a
change in what travellers
can expect, but also a
change in package prices.
