TRAVEL Vision has
enhanced its partnership
with Access to Africa – a
destination management
specialist for Africa – to bring
agents more competitive rates
and destination expertise for
travel into Africa.
Faced with various
challenges brought about
by the current economic
situation, greater emphasis
has been placed on cutting
costs, says gm of Access
to Africa, Stephen Jordaan.
The two companies have
therefore identified synergies
to eliminate unnecessary
costs and improve their
offering in the South African
market. “The partnership
allows us to increase volumes,
which will serve as leverage
in negotiating with suppliers,”
he says.
The partnership, which
became effective on May 1,
is an extension of the joint
venture, which Travel Vision
and ATA entered three years
ago. Dharmesh Kooverjee,
ceo of Travel Vision adds
that through the new venture
Travel Vision will be able to
offer agents an expanded and
more holistic offering for both
corporate and leisure travel in
and around Africa. Fully-made
itineraries are also available
for travel within South Africa.
ATA’s network of partners
and ground handlers are a
significant advantage when
it comes to the challenges
experienced when booking
travel in Africa – in West Africa
in particular, says Stephen.
Together, Travel Vision and
ATA are now able to offer
a comprehensive set of
expertise from flights to hotels,
transfers, private drivers and
security.
In many African destinations,
payments are a particular
challenge. Dharmesh notes
that agents will now be able
to contact someone in South
Africa to handle these sorts of
issues as opposed to having
to go back and forth with
suppliers based in another
country.
Part of the expanded offering
will include tapping into the
leisure market as well as
extending Travel Vision’s
reach to Indian Ocean Island
destinations, says Dharmesh.
This includes the meetings,
incentives, conferencing and
events market.
As part of the new venture,
ATA will move on site to
Travel Vision’s offices and will
undergo a slight change of
branding to become ‘Access
to Africa powered by Travel
Vision’.
