TC reveals big plans

MLADEN Lukic, gm of
Travel Counsellors SA,
believes that in its first
ten years, the company has
fundamentally influenced the
shape of the industry in South
Africa. “We’re entering the next
ten years with a bang.”
Travel Counsellors has two
important developments
coming on stream in 2017.
One is the inception of a Cape
Town-based IT development
team. “This will serve TC’s
need for bespoke development
– TC frequently develops its
own solutions, especially in the
client-facing space – and it will
also serve our ever-increasing
IT maintenance needs,” says
Rob Snelson, chief technology
officer.
Mladen says although TC
is a global company, every
region has its own flavour
– for South Africa it is a
high proportion of corporate
business. “SA corporate travel
is well developed; it employs
sophisticated systems, often
using similar or better tools
than those available in the
UK. SA history has created
a culture of inventiveness,
especially in the financial
sector. SA agents also
understand the complexities
relating to operating in a
long-haul destination, plus
the problems and solutions
around visas, lodge cards and
payment methods.” Mladen
believes that through the Cape
Town IT team, the global TCs
will benefit from the high level
of sophistication present in the
SA travel business.
The other big development
is a collection of direct
relationships with sub-Saharan
African DMCs. Chris Iuel, who
has many years’ experience in
the inbound business, and is
former product and contracts
manager of Akilanga, has
been appointed commercial
manager at TC SA. He is
tasked with managing TC’s
business with suppliers in
sub-Saharan Africa. Mladen
says this is the first time
a retail travel company
will control the end-to-end
experience of the traveller.
“Accommodation providers are
concerned that their products
are properly represented
to potential customers. By
removing the middle part from
the transaction, we have full
control of every touch in this
high-touch business.”
High touch is what will be
important in the future, says
Mladen. He says by 2027, the
number of companies still in
business will be a fraction of
what it is today. “Companies
like Google will dominate the
transactional space – Google
Travel has entered the travel
space at the end of 2016.”
He says this will result
in fewer players in travel.
But at the opposite end
of the spectrum from the
transactional arena, there
will be the high-touch
business – and that is where
Travel Counsellors will be
working. “There will always be
customers who are focused on
the transaction, and those who
are focused on the experience.
TCs understand we are not
fixated on the transaction,
but on outcomes of the
conversations we have.