Get excited!
Flight Center, Clearwater mall
the agents were busy
when I walked into the office
but one greeted me with a
smile, offered me a seat and
said that someone would
be with me shortly. Once
free another agent came
over to assist me and after
listening to my requirements,
advised that it would be
best to travel next year as
the ski season would aready
be over. She handed me
brochures about alternative
destinations. The agent did
not introduce herself or ask
me for my name until I was
leaving, when she took my
contact details. She was
friendly and helpful, although
she didn’t follow up to find
out if I had changed my mind
about the type of holiday I
was looking for.
Makro Sure Travel, Strubens Valley
This agency’s location is a
bit obscure. Even if you are
familiar with the area, its
location inside an office park,
with little signage, means that
it’s hard to find. Nonetheless,
Makro Sure Travel is a clean,
cosy agency with a friendly
receptionist. After telling her
that I wanted to go skiing,
she directed me to the
appropriate agent. Sadly, the
consultant in question had
an unfortunate manner: she
wasn’t friendly, didn’t smile
at all and, when she heard
my request, told me abruptly
that the ski season was
over and I wouldn’t be able
to travel this year. I waited
for her to offer some more
information or alternatives;
after a few minutes she
said she could give me
some Contiki brochures to
look through. There was no
exchange of contact details,
visa information or budget
indicators, and I left 10
minutes after arriving.
Pentravel,
Clearwater Mall
Cleo Geldenhuys
shouted, “hey
babe” as soon
as I walked into
Pentravel, and
I felt like I was
sitting in front of
a friend. Instead
of trying to
dissuade me from
choosing a skiing
holiday altogether,
she asked me
if I would be interested in
travelling a little later when
the ski season reopened.
She said that the first
week of January would be
cheaper and that December
was a festive time of year
in South Africa, “so why
leave?” Once she had me
on board, she got out a pen
and paper and began noting
airline preference, budget
details, and reasons for
travelling. She suggested a
Contiki package
and talked
me through
the tour she
recommended,
explaining why
it was the best
option. As an
addition, she
suggested we
spend three
nights in London
before going on
to Austria to ski, making
the most of the two visas
we would have to buy in
order to fly via London. Half
an hour after leaving the
agency, I received a call
from Cleo to tell me that
she had found something
but it was out of my budget
and that she had requested
a quote from a second
operator and would get
back to me as soon as she
received it, which she did.
Cleo’s tips for selling skiing
1. Make your client feel
comfortable: get involved
and share their excitement
about their upcoming travel
experience.
2. Profile the client correctly to
ensure that you are offering
them the best holiday option.
Find out what they would
prefer – an all-inclusive resort
or one known for its après-ski
activities, for example.
3. Skiing is a niche market
so be sure to provide key
information, such as the
best time to ski and the sort
of risks involved in such a
holiday.
Take note!
The purpose of the Naked Agent in this series of ‘Sell more…’ features
is to assess 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.
Do you know what you’re selling?
SKIING used to be viewed
as an exotic holiday
option for South African
travellers but the niche is
gaining interest, and although
sales can be lucrative, it’s also
an area where a significant
amount of knowledge is
required.
The rapid growth of South
Africa’s middle and upper
classes is fuelling the demand
for luxury holidays, says Greg
Taylor, gm of Pure Skiing.
Vicky Steinhardt, land
product manager at Pentravel,
has also observed the trend.
She says ski sales have grown
“incredibly” over the past year.
“More clients are requesting
quotes for ski packages as the
pricing is similar to Mauritius
at certain times of the year.”
When selling ski holidays,
agents need to be on top
of their game and know
their stuff. For example, the
location of a ski resort is very
important. South Africans
are usually reluctant to use
public transport to arrive at
the ski slopes, says Greg, so
the resort should be located
near the slopes. The distance
to the airport should also
be taken into account; most
South Africans balk at the idea
of spending too much time in
transit to a ski resort after a
long plane trip.
The size of the ski area is
also vital. For example, parents
holidaying with their children
may be concerned about the
possibility of their children
crossing country borders, as
is often the case in larger
resorts.
Travellers’ abilities must also
be taken into consideration.
Often, larger resorts that
cater for the more advanced
skier are considerably more
expensive and not necessarily
suitable for beginners.
When it comes to helping
travellers budget for their
holiday, agents should be
aware that seasonality has
a significant effect on price.
Greg says that New Year is
considered peak season for
a skiing holiday and the price
will be considerably higher
during that time. However,
South African families can still
enjoy a value-for-money skiing
holiday during early December
or late January. These months
are, in fact, ideal for skiing.
March is also an excellent
option, thanks to warmer
weather, while many resorts
offer April specials.
A skiing holiday presents
several opportunities for
up-selling. Agents could, for
instance, persuade clients
to enrol in advance skiing
lessons, either private or
in groups “Although basic
equipment is included in
ski packages, you could
also encourage clients to
hire professional gear,”
Greg says. Although agents
cannot earn commission on
these extras, they enhance
the client’s experience,
increasing the likelihood of
repeat business. Agents
should also inform clients
of additional entertainment
options, from tobogganing to
welcome dinners and farewell
parties, which can be booked
through them. Other avenues
for additional income include
private transfers and superior
accommodation categories.
Where to go
SOUTH Africans largely
prefer Austrian destinations
like Saalbach, with their
beautiful surroundings and
fantastic après-ski activities,
says Claus Martin, director
of Pure Skiing. Livigno in
Italy is another favourite as,
in addition to good snow
conditions, it is a tax-free
town offering great shopping
opportunities.
France is also popular as
it is the largest skiing area
in the world, says Hélène
Bezuidenhout, regional
manager of Atout France.
Courchevel, Meribel and
Val Thorens are particularly
famous, with the latter
recently being named the
Best Ski Resort in the
World in the 2014 World
Ski Awards.
‘Insurance is
non-negotiable
“MICHAEL Schumacher’s
freak skiing accident shed a
spotlight on skiing safety, and
highlighted how badly things
can go wrong,” says Simmy
Micheli, sales and marketing
manager of TIC. Schumacher
reportedly struck his head on
a rock while skiing without
wearing a helmet.
Admitting that her company
is kept very busy managing
ski claims during peak
season, Simmy advises that
keen skiers must understand
that insurance is nonnegotiable
on a skiing holiday,
because of the dangers
associated with the sport.
“Damaged knees are the
most common injury, followed
by shoulder and then wrist or
hand injuries.”
Remember, too, that if a
traveller is participating in a
tournament or competition,
this would require a sports
extension for special cover
and terms at an additional
premium, Simmy says.’
News flash
ATOUT France’s ‘Ski in France’ workshops present useful
educational opportunities for agents. The workshops will be hosted
in Johannesburg at the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel on May 18, at
Durban’s Elangeni Hotel on May 20, and at the Forum V&A Hotel
in Cape Town on May 21. Contact info.za@atout-france.fr for more
information.
