Think outside the box
Thompsons Travel, Durban
AFTER the phone rang
long enough for me to
wonder whether someone
was going to answer or
not, I was greeted by
warm and professional
travel specialist, Christine
Frayne. I felt as though
she was immediately
interested in what I had
to say. Christine absorbed
what it was that I wanted
and then asked me
questions to clarify what
I was expecting. When I
told her that I wanted an
adventurous holiday in
either Réunion or Zanzibar
she quickly explained
the difference between
the two destinations.
She debunked any
preconceptions I had
about Zanzibar being
ideal for an active
adventure-seeking couple
or Réunion being a cheap
destination. She then
suggested Mauritius as
an alternative and when
I was not won over by
the idea she presented
another alternative.
Christine brainstormed a
solution that was outside
the box I had presented
her with but still matched
my expectations of
wanting an active
honeymoon where both
families could meet and
have some holiday time
together.
She suggested a wedding
in Durban (so that
the Capetonian family
could break away from
home), followed by a
short holiday stay in a
lodge in Hluhluwe. Her
suggestion provided a
way that we could have
a wedding that was still
“away” from home and
within budget. As per
Christine’s suggestion,
my fiancé and I would
then travel to Réunion
after the wedding to enjoy
our honeymoon. I felt
as though she took my
request seriously and still
kept me excited about
the wedding despite my
initial expectations not
being met. The only flaw
I could find in Christine’s
sales technique was that
she neglected to get my
contact details at the
end of our chat. She did,
however, give me her
direct number should I be
interested in following up.
FlightCentre, Eastgate
The second my phone call
was answered I felt as if I
were talking to someone
who were willing to help
me as best they could.
The travel agent listened
attentively to my request
and ensured that they
asked me for all my contact
details and posed a series
of qualifying questions in
order to understand my
budget and the size of my
wedding party. However,
when I told the agent what
kind of experience I was
looking for it appeared as
though they hadn’t heard
me; they preferred instead
to focus on selling Zanzibar
to me and I felt as though
my request to go to Réunion
had been ignored, although
the agent absently said
that they would look into it.
The agent demonstrated a
lot of product knowledge
about Zanzibar but it felt
more like they were rattling
off what they had learned
rather than listening to
what I really wanted. The
agent was very helpful in
mentioning when would be
the most appropriate time
to travel, suggesting low
season and not December
as I had requested, saying
that this was likely to save
me money and would more
likely guarantee availability.
This agent, although
promising to get back to me
with a quotation, did not.
Harveyworld, Auckland Park
Although this agent was easy
to talk to, they failed to gain
my trust and make me feel
as though they would follow
through on my request. They
recorded all my contact
details before continuing
with the conversation. I told
the agent what I wanted and
although they asked me to
clarify my expectations they
didn’t ask me any questions
relating to what my budget
was or how many guests
I wanted to have at my
wedding. I felt rather anxious
that the agent didn’t confirm
that they understood that
I wanted them to organise
travel for both my wedding
and honeymoon. However,
when I asked if they
understood, they answered
patiently. I had to drive most
of the conversation; this
travel agent could certainly
learn to ask more questions
pertaining to the client’s
needs. The agent ended off
the conversation saying that
they would send my request
to a tour operator and email
me a quote. A week later I
still had not heard back.
Christine’s top tips
Establish what sort of
honeymoon the couple
is looking for: where do
they want to go? What
kind of activities do they
want to try?
Know the client’s budget
and how to ask for this
information in a way that
doesn’t put the client
off. Christine suggests
asking: “Are you looking
for a three-star or fivestar
holiday?” versus
“How much do you want
to spend?”
Make sure that you
know the number
of people attending
if you want to
recommend wedding
destinations.
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.
Great ideas on how to upsell
AS HONEYMOONS
and weddings are an
emotional sell, couples
are often willing go beyond
budget for that once-in-alifetime
experience. “These
are the clients where you have
the opportunity to upsell,”
says Sue Howells, sales and
marketing manager of African
Synergy.
“We find that weddings
in the bush and weddings
in the countryside are a
favourite. When people opt
for a destination wedding,
they want scenery and
elements that they are not
able to find in the city,” says
Rina Cilliers, sales, marketing
and reservations gm of
Legend Hospitality Group,
adding that this simple fact
gives agents a good base
from which to upsell.
Agents should not assume
that the client can’t afford
the additional and optional
extras, says Alexis Bekker,
LUX* Resorts and Hotels
head of sales and marketing
for South Africa and Africa.
“This is their honeymoon or
wedding and they want it be
special.”
She suggests agents start
by selling premium hotels
(instead of the less expensive
options), saying that once the
agent has suggested this they
can then look at upselling the
meal plans on offer or even
possibly look at selling an allinclusive
offering. With LUX*
Resorts and Hotels, agents
earn commission off each
package sold, including allinclusive
packages. “We offer
commission on flights and
the accommodation and work
according to commission on
extras booked,” says Alexis.
Agents can even upsell the
client’s room type, agrees,
Joanne Visagie, sales
and marketing manager of
Beachcomber Tours. Agents
receive their standard
commission percentage on
the FIT package they book as
well as the wedding package,
if applicable, when booking
with Beachcomber Tours.
Sue suggests that when
agents sell a junior suite
(entry level room) at
Constance Ephelia Resort
that they inform the client of
the other available options.
“Tell them that there are
private villas available,
show them images, let
them understand the full
potential of the higher room
categories.”
Agents can suggest a split
stay and upgrade the resort
for the latter portion of the
clients’ honeymoon if they
cannot afford or choose
not to do it for the entire
honeymoon, adds Joanne.
When booking a cruise,
agents can increase the
commission earned by
offering their clients an allinclusive
package or by selling
the auxiliary requirements,
including accommodation
before and after the cruise,
flights and transfers, says
George Argyropoulos, md of
Cruises International.
He adds that when an agent
sells a cruise brand from the
Cruises International portfolio,
commission is earned in
dollars. “With the current
rate of exchange, agents are
guaranteed to earn at least
R15 for every one dollar of
their commission,” he says.
Couples want adventure
Experiential add-ons can
be an additional source
of income for agents,
says Sue.
“Not all couples want
to toast themselves in
the sun for a week,” says
John Ridler, pr and media
manager of Thompsons
Holidays. He stresses the
importance of suggesting
destinations that offer
day tours and adventure
activities to wedding and
honeymoon clients. “This
could be a day cruise on
a catamaran, a cooking
course, an adventure
park with challenges like
abseiling and rope bridges
over gorges, kite surfing,
or diving lessons.”
Thompsons Holidays
allows agents to pre-book
these activities.
“After the events of a
busy wedding, beach time
is a must to just have feet
in the sand and relax in
the sun. But, then after
a few days, couples find
their zest again and off
they go to experience all
sorts of activities from
biking to water-skiing,”
agrees Alexis.
Honeymoon and wedding
clients often book these
activities direct when they
are at the destination.
“Rather the agent prebook
and get the
commission,” says Sue.
“Agents should offer
clients some romantic
ideas, tours around the
island or private boat
trips.”
Bring the family!
Travel agents can also
earn more commission by
booking the travel of family
members who are attending
the clients’ wedding.
“Agents can suggest the
couple take their vows at
the same destination as
their honeymoon and invite
family and close friends to
join, thereby increasing the
numbers who travel and the
commission earned,” says
John. He says Thompsons
Holidays specialises in
weddings at a number of
destinations and takes care
of all the arrangements,
including proving a suitable
preacher for the ceremony.
Cathie Bester, national
sales manager of World
Leisure Holidays, says
agents could also earn cash
off the package by charging
a service fee.
How to turn quotes into bookings
SOUND product knowledge
will help agents clinch
the deal.
Agents need to ensure
they are as up to date
as possible with their
product knowledge so that
clients feel confident in
dealing with them, says
Cruises International’s
George Argyropoulos.
“Consult with your client,
do not be an order taker. It
is up to you as the agent to
match the client’s lifestyle
to the cruise brand that is
suitable. Agents are the
experts and they need to
own that,” he says.
Agents should
continuously update what
they know about their
suppliers by remaining open
to extensive training as it’s
not always possible to get
first-hand experience of a
destination, says African
Synergy’s Sue Howells.
“Knowing your product
confidently helps clinch
the deal.”
Even a destination that
agents know and sell often
can cater to a different
market, so it is worth
always updating oneself
with product developments,
agrees Lesley Simpson,
spokesperson of the
Tourism Authority of
Thailand.
She says that although
Thailand offers mainly
three-star packages and
is geared more to young
honeymooner couples that
want to lie on the beach
during the day and party
at night, specifically in
places such as Phuket
and Phi-Phi, there is also
an emergence of a market
that wants something
different. Elephant Hills,
a luxury tented facility
situated next to Khao Sok
National park in Thailand,
is one such example and
offers accommodation that
would appeal to outdoor
enthusiasts.
Ask specific questions
AGENTS should spend as
much time as possible
consulting with their clients.
“Couples will go see a
destination at a wedding
expo or in a bridal magazine
and then ask three different
agencies to provide them
with a quote and the one
that offers the best service
at the end of the day will
be successful,” says WLH’s
Cathie Bester.
“Taking time to ask clients
what their likes are and
what they anticipate from
their honeymoon or wedding
lets them know you are
truly interested and makes
you more accurate in your
choice of hotels that you will
recommend and quote on,”
says Sue.
Lesley agrees that it is
important agents ask their
clients questions that are
as specific as possible, for
example: “Are you a night
person? Do you want to go
and lie on the beach? Are
you the type of person who
would want to go walk down
Bangla Road in Thailand and
see all those lady boys?”
She says by knowing the
specifics, agents can give
clients the best possible
honeymoon.
“Your honeymoon is
the most memorable
holiday of your life,” says
Beachcomber’s Joanne
Visagie, adding that the best
way an agent can ensure
they have a happy client is
by selling from the heart.
She adds that knowing your
product inside-out helps you
sell more confidently and
personably.
Go the extra mile
TO HELP clinch the deal
agents should inform their
clients of the extras that can
be arranged to help make
their wedding or honeymoon
travel more special, says
Alexis Bekker from LUX*.
“Weddings in Mauritius
are also recognised as
legal and official so should
the couple want to do the
full traditional wedding on
the island, this can all be
arranged legally without
having to wed in South
Africa prior to departure.”
Agents also need to be
able to give their clients
the most viable product
to suit their budget, says
Cathie. “They’ve seen
pictures featured of a
wedding at Shangri-La’s
Le Touessrok but they can
only afford Veranda and
agents need to manage
those expectations.” She
says agents who are
unsure of what to advise
the client have to learn to
ask questions from others
who do know. Some tour
operators will meet with
their travel agents to go
through the pros and cons
of its properties to help
agents capture the sale.
Great deals on offer
1. Affordable flights
Air Mauritius is offering
a special to Mauritius,
departing Johannesburg,
for R2 100, excluding taxes,
for travel until July 31
(excluding school holidays).
During the airline’s Travel
Smart season (low season),
honeymoon couples receive
an extra 20% discount
on the bridal fare when
travelling to the island.
A very popular product
is the airline’s last minute
upgrade to business
class, for only R1 900 per
person on the A340,
couples can start their
honeymoon on board by
experiencing the airline’s
lie-flat product with French
champagne and full service.
The offer is subject to seat
availability on the day
of departure.
2. Honeymoon gifts
Beachcomber Tours offers
honeymoon specials,
including a 30% discount
on the land package portion
ot the trip per person.
Honeymoon gifts are
also given to the couple,
which include a bottle of
French champagne, tropical
fruit platter and a daily
complimentary lunch. The
couple also receives a gift
voucher for redemption at
the Beachcomber boutique.
3. Anniversary specials
Constance Ephelia Resort
is offering honeymooners a
60% discount for the spouse
on the meal plan for all
rooms except villas. Villas
receive a 30% discount for
the spouse on the meal
plan booked. The package
is valid for travel up to
12 months from the date
of the wedding.
Wedding anniversaries
for each five-year interval –
that is five, ten, fifteen-year
anniversaries, etc – also
qualify for honeymoon
specials but travel must not
be later than six months
from the date of the
anniversary.
On arrival honeymoon
extras include: Ephelia
signature confectionary, a
beach bag, one bottle of
sparkling wine at turndown
and one voucher with a 30%
discount on a selection of
spa treatments per couple
to be used once during
their stay.
The package is valid for
travel until July 31 and from
August 24 to December 26.
4. Aboard a love boat
Royal Caribbean is offering
two cruises ideal for
honeymooners. The sevennight
Western Mediterranean
cruise on board Vision of the
Seas sails on August 13.
Ports of call include Venice;
Kotor in Montenegro; Corfu;
Athens (Piraeus); Mykonos;
Argostoli and Venice. Ocean
view cabins start from
R11 780 pps, including
taxes, fees and gratuities.
The seven-night Western
Caribbean cruise on board
Allure of the Seas departs
on November 13. Ports of
call include Fort Lauderdale,
Florida; Cozumel, Mexico;
Falmouth, Jamaica; and
Labadee, Haiti. Ocean
view cabins start from
R13 408 pps, including
taxes, gratuities and fees.
5. Proposal packages
The Legend Hospitality
Group offers an Extreme
Proposal package for clients
wanting to propose to their
partner at Legend Golf
and Safari Resort in the
Entabeni Reserve. Valid
until October 31, the
proposal package is valued
at R5 690 and includes
helicopter flights, sparkling
wine and a romantic picnic
for two atop the Hanglip
Mountain in the Entabeni
Safari Conservancy.
Selling special events with passion
BY UNDERSTANDING
how precious weddings
and honeymoons are to
their clients, agents can
increase their bookings.
This is the opinion of ITC
and owner of Dash Travel,
Rosa da Silva. She has
a penchant for booking
and arranging wedding
and honeymoon travel.
“Those first few days of
married life will never
come again and that’s the
passion I portray to my
clients. Then one client
who tells another who tells
another, and that’s how
I end up booking a lot of
honeymoons.”
Agents must remember
that the venue and setting
is the most important
element when booking
wedding or honeymoon
travel. “People have a
picture in mind of what
they want their wedding
to look like and we have
to make their dreams
come true.”
Another important aspect
is budget, says Rosa, and
trying to make everything
as special as possible
within the client’s budget.
When asked if she can
do a honeymoon on a
R10 000 budget Rosa
confidently says: “Yes, then
it will be a trip to Durban.”
Travel agents should
focus on adding small
details to the client’s trip
to make it more special.
For example, Rosa ensures
she informs the airline
that her clients are on
honeymoon before flying.
“The airline staff will make
sure that somewhere
on the trip they will do
a little cake or bottle of
champagne.” She says
Singapore Airlines and
Emirates will offer this
service free of charge.
Even if the airline doesn’t
offer a cake or champagne,
Rosa says there are other
ways airlines are willing
to make a wedding or
honeymooning couple’s trip
special. Kulula, on request,
is willing to change their
inflight announcement to
include a mention of the
honeymooners. She says
these little bits and pieces
are what make honeymoon
and wedding travel more
special than any other
travel and are what
will ultimately make it
memorable for the couple.
How to work with budgets
TURNING a couple’s
wedding or honeymoon
dream trip into a reality
requires that agents
understand how they can
use their client’s budget
to accomplish this vision.
Rosa emphasises the
importance of managing
the couple’s expectations
according to their budget.
She says the two most
important questions travel
agents should ask are:
“Where do you want to
go?” and “What is your
budget?”
Sometimes clients only
have an idea of what they
want their wedding or
honeymoon to look like
but no clue of where they
want it to take place.
At other times clients
are very specific and
have the so-called perfect
destination already
picked out. “They want
to go all over the world
on a budget of twenty
thousand,” says Rosa.
Travel agents need to
be prepared for these
challenges. She says the
best way travel agents
can give their clients
that “dream come true”
holiday is to dispel the
unrealistic notions they
have about travelling
to Bora Bora on a
R20 000 budget as
soon as possible.
Rosa does this by
getting to the facts as
quickly as possible. In
this case, she would
explain the airfare alone
would be more than the
budget, that the journey
would not only be long but
fraught with connecting
flights and that to fly such
a distance for a week’s
holiday would not be
worth it.
By knowing the client’s
budget Rosa can match
the romantic ideas
her clients have with
something more suitable.
“You have to change the
client’s dream in such a
way that they can still
be excited about it.
So the Bora Bora client
could then be swayed
to choosing Mauritius
or Zanzibar.”
It’s not all about commission
TOO many agents focus on selling a
product because they are going to
get commission, instead of caring
about the client and their needs,
says Dash Travel’s Rosa da Silva.
“Sometimes people have been
saving that R60 000 for years to
go on holiday – how dare that agent
sell the client something that’s not
appropriate just for commission?”
Rosa says she gives her client the
quote and lets them walk out the
door to think about it. “Because
I know if I have done my job, they
will come back to me.” Although it’s
hard work, Rosa puts everything into
the quote that she gives her clients
because that will determine whether
the client chooses to book with her
or not. Once the client chooses to
book with her, they tend to stay with
her, she says.
Rosa says the commission she
then earns is based on the business
relationship that she has built with
that person. Instead of earning
commission off a one-time booking,
she has earned a long-term client.
“If I don’t get that booking, then I
didn’t deserve that booking.”
Clients’ feedback is what ultimately
keeps Rosa in business. “My clients
always say: ‘I went to three or four
different agencies but it’s that
passion for my booking that made
me choose you.’”
People talk about their holidays and
honeymoons more than they would
talk of other events in their lives.
Agents who provide good service
will be referred by previous clients,
she says. “My honeymooners are
my clients of the future.” Rosa also
says that the honeymoon is often
the first big holiday that a couple
will take together and that if agents
can secure these bookings that it
is likely that they will retain their
business in the future.
Did you know?
Air Seychelles offers discounts for honeymooners or couples that plan to wed in the
Seychelles: 25% off the base fare of the couple’s tickets. When booking the ticket,
the couple needs to present proof that they will be on honeymoon or that they plan
to marry. In addition, if there is mention in the booking that the soon-to-be married
couple is onboard, the airline offers champagne, cake and other surprises.
Photocap: Romantic Réunion
LUX* Resorts and Hotels is offering honeymoon packages to Réunion Island
that include return economy flights to the destination, return airport-hotel
transfers and seven nights’ accommodation at the selected hotels with
breakfast daily. The package excludes airport taxes. Stay at Hotel Le Recif
between July 9 and August 19 from R13 387 pps departing Johannesburg,
R14 416 pps departing Durban and R15 082 pps departing Cape Town.
Alternatively stay at LUX* St Gilles in Reunion Island between July 9 and
August 19 for R17 724 pps departing Johannesburg, R18 752 pps departing
Durban, and R19 419 pps departing Cape Town. Travellers can also upgrade
to half board: R665 per person per day for any number of nights (no minimum
or maximum required) at Hotel Le Recif. Upgrade to half board: R821 per
person per day for any number of nights (no minimum or maximum required)
at LUX* St Gilles.
Be a “fixer”
PEOPLE don’t always know
the answers to what they
want, so travel agents have to
be open to thinking creatively
and problem-solving. Dash
Travel’s Rosa da Silva
describes an instance when
a South African bride and
American groom wanted to
get married but didn’t have
enough budget to fly to
America. The American family
didn’t want to, especially
given the expensive airfares,
fly all the way to South Africa
for only a wedding ceremony.
The problem was resolved
by arranging a holiday for the
American family where they
did activities separate to the
wedding. She first booked
accommodation for them at
the V&A Waterfront and then
booked a three-night package
in Stellenbosch, where the
wedding was held.
Sometimes finding a
solution to the client’s
requirements includes
playing along with the
groom’s request to keep the
honeymoon a surprise for his
wife. Rosa once planned a
honeymoon for a gentleman
who wanted to surprise his
wife with an 11-night cruise
through Italy. His wife, a
South African passport holder,
needed a visa to travel to
Italy, an application process
requiring biometrics. So in
order to keep the itinerary a
secret and thus retain the
element of surprise for the
wife. Rosa’s husband, who
is also her business partner,
handled his wife’s visa
application. He ensured that
she did the fingerprints while
he handled the paperwork
with the consulate. “We
couldn’t trust the visa
company that we usually work
with, because we were afraid
that their courier company
would ruin the surprise.”
Additional opportunities
Agents should also remember
to check if the client needs
any extras. Rosa once had
a client who wanted a red
carpet for the wedding but the
hotel where the wedding was
being held couldn’t arrange
it. Rosa saw the opportunity
and organised it herself. She
has also earned commission
on arranging transportation of
fairy lights to the wedding’s
destination and by organising
Sega dancers on arrival for
Mauritian weddings. Extra
income can also be earned
by possibly arranging a DJ
or other entertainment for
weddings.
Rosa says agents have to
pay attention to the dates
that clients may request for
their weddings as most often
this is during the December
period, which is high-season.
“The hotels don’t want a
wedding at that time, it’s
hard work. They will fill
those rooms anyway on the
individuals holidaying there.”
The logistics regarding the
wedding, such as possibly
closing a jetty or advising
the other guests that a
wedding, which is likely to
cause a disturbance, will be
held is additional effort that
the hotels don’t necessarily
need or want to make during
peak seasons, says Rosa.
Agents should then be aware
that they may have to warn
their clients that their ideal
dates may not be available
or that they would have to
suggest an alternative. She
adds that resorts in the
Seychelles are less likely to
have a wedding in December,
whereas Mauritius has
enough properties to cater to
a wedding in high-season.
Agents need to clarify with
their travellers that “allinclusive”
does not mean that
the food for their wedding
would be catered for. Agents
have to advise their clients
that this would be a separate
charge as she has often
noticed that clients think
that “all-inclusive” includes
everything. Travel agents
need to explain the logistics
and costs to their clients in
detail.
