More money to be made from UK travel – tour operators

WITH the rand’s recent better
performance against the
pound, tour operators say
there has been an increase in
interest in the UK, and there’s
money to be made.
John Ridler, PR and
media manager Thompsons
Holidays, says it has seen a
steady increase as the rand
has strengthened. Megan
D’Arcy, product manager
for USA and Europe kulula
holidays, says they are moving
into the high booking season
for the UK and Europe so are
anticipating an even greater
increase in booking numbers.
According to VisitBritain’s
latest statistics, South
Africans stay longer and
spend more in Britain than
other visitors, spending on
average £1 064 (R17 293)
per visit compared with other
visitors who average £611
(R9 929). SA visitors stay
an average of 13 nights per
visit, compared with a global
average of eight nights. Which
means South Africans spend
on average £82
(R1 334) per day compared
with £77 (R1 252) for other
visitors.
Latest full-year figures show
there were 231 000 visits
from SA to the UK in 2015,
up 7% on 2014, with visitors
spending £24m (R390m), up
7% on 2014.
A VisitBritain spokesperson
says, at the end of February
2017, the UK was 27%
cheaper for visitors from
SA than it was in the same
month last year.
“Clients are looking at
higher category hotels than in
the past and also shopping
for clothes and other
accessories when there,” says
Susan Thesen, operations
director of British T.I.P.S.
“There are a lot of sightseeing
options available for prepurchase.
Agents tend to
leave the clients to buy these
when they arrive, when they
could be earning commission
from preselling them,” she
adds.
But agents don’t seem to be
seeing much of an increased
interest in the destination.
According to a poll on eTNW
this week, 79% of agents
said their clients didn’t spend
more in the UK than at other
destinations.
Michelle Minnaar,
manager of Harvey World
Travel Plettenberg Bay, says
travellers have actually been
avoiding the UK. “The visa
cost and process is not worth
the pain.” She says clients
go to visit children and family,
hence the longer stay.
Lydia Norval, corporate
director of Reynolds Travel
Centre, says while they too
haven’t seen an increase in
interest she says it’s highly
possible South Africans are
spending more than other
nationalities because they
don’t have the whole package
pre-booked and paid for
before they leave SA.
Megan says agents should
be selling sightseeing tours
and entrances to museums
ahead of time. “This way
passengers know exactly
how much they are spending
instead of waiting for credit
card statements to see the
exact spend in rands.
Lydia believes agents aren’t
upselling because they either
have not been to the UK
or lack product knowledge.
Susan says agents are
possibly too nervous to offer
more luxury hotels and then
to also up-sell to a more
inclusive offering.
“The UK is one of
those destinations where
passengers feel comfortable
enough to make their own
bookings,” says Megan.
Tracy Teichmann, manager
at Sure Travel, agrees: “We
have to get in there first.
Commission-earning potential
is huge if consultants up-sell
effectively. Add-ons should
always be included on quotes,
starting with travel insurance
and a couple of must-see
attractions.”