Thebe launches ‘travel now, pay later’ card

FLIGHTSITEAGENT is
tapping into a new market
– South Africa’s rising
black middle class – through a
new television reality show.
‘Holiday Swap KZN’, takes
two teams of three friends on
a different adventure every
week where they compete for
the ultimate dream holiday
in KwaZulu Natal. Sponsors
KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and
Thebe Tourism Group have
created holiday packages
featuring places visited and
activities undertaken during
the TV show.
After the show, audiences
can contact FlightSiteAgent
and plan their dream holiday
using a pre-paid or travel now,
pay later credit plan using the
Thebe Travel card. Travellers
can pay for their holiday
packages via monthly cash
instalments before departure
or opt to repay the card after
their trip. The card is available
through FlightSiteAgent or
online via the Thebe Tourism
Group directly.
FlightSiteAgent national
networking consultant, Chris
Arnott, said the TV show
would serve as a case study
for the travel card, after which
it would be explored whether
the payment facility would be
expanded to include other
destinations and activities.
Thebe Tourism Group ceo,
Jerry Mabena, says: “It is
important to us as a company
that we make travel affordable
and accessible for everyone.
The Thebe Travel Card makes
travel accessible in an
instant. We are committed to
supporting small businesses
through the involvement of
FlightSiteAgent as our booking
agent in the Holiday Swap KZN
travel packages on offer.”
Ndabo Khoza, ceo of KZN
Tourism, says: “The majority
of South Africans have never
experienced a holiday. Through
Holiday Swap KZN, we believe
that many people will see
opportunities and activities
that they never knew existed
in KwaZulu Natal. This show
will attract new travellers to
our beautiful province and
also highlight some of our
hidden gems. The packages
will give viewers a one-stop
shop option, where all their
needs are taken care of – from
transport, to accommodation
and activities.”
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for
Economic Development,
Tourism and Environmental
Affairs, Michael Mabuyakhulu,
says: “Our focus now is to
increase the culture of travel
amongst the majority of South
Africans and to effectively
compete for disposable
income. Travel and tourism
have increasingly faced stiff
competition in the pecking
order of how people spend
their disposable income.
Therefore, with this initiative
we are encouraging people
to choose travel over many
other competing demands. We
are doing this by packaging
and selling experiences that
resonate with our customers
in the manner in which the
majority of South Africans
buy and or make buying
decisions. Transforming the
tourism sector is not only
about changing the profile
of the owners of the tourism
businesses; it is also about
changing the profile of the
travellers as well.”
FlightSiteAgent, a subsidiary
of Club Travel which is owned
by the Thebe Tourism Group,
gives independent agents
access to competitive nett
fares to sell on to others
under their own brand via a
web-based platform.