Travel News Weekly - 25 November 09

SOuTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

November 25 2009 I No. 2085

INSIDE

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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NEWS

OR TAmbO cuss

NEWS

fEaTurE f

Follow TNW’s cruise ‘tweets’

Gearing up for 2010

cAR RenTAL

OAsis Of The seAs

Self service lags – SITA Page 4

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bsP ZA freefall slows Natalia thomsoN

bsP ZA – past the worst?

Jan -21%

Feb -27% Mar -20%

Apr -35% May -33% Jun -24% Jul -28% Aug -28% Sep -21% Oct -20%

-20

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Happy to be hitched?

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we are past the very worst of the declines. The real debate now is about the speed and strength of the recovery.”

David predicts the industry will probably experience a “relatively slow and weak recovery”. The strength of the rand, he adds, has helped Cathay during the recent months by helping to make up the revenue shortfall.

Yields, says Qantas manager Africa, Michi Messner, will be an immediate area of focus. “We have reduced the number of tactical fare campaigns with a view to stabilising the fares between SA and Australia and focus on our yield.”

Michi says it is too early to conclude that we’ve reached the bottom but that the airline, like its counterparts, is seeing

positive signs in the “near future”.

“We are noticing a significant change in forward bookings with consumers booking further in advance, whereas more recently, consumers tended to wait for last-minute specials.”

“Forward booking for the Christmas period is looking very strong,” adds David.

Air France KLM meanwhile has taken a bullish stance about the SA route. “This is why we keep on investing and will deploy our most advanced and environmentally friendly aircraft, the A380, from February 4 on the JNB route, with a slight increase in seat capacity. This aircraft is likely to remain on the Johannesburg-Paris route after the World Cup as well.” n

Beachcomber has launched its new wedding anniversary special effective November 1. Couples celebrating a wedding anniversary in multiples of five qualify for the same percentage saving on the wife’s accommodation as a bride would receive when on honeymoon. Anniversary couples celebrating anniversaries of five years, 10 years, 15 years and so on, qualify for this special. For details of the special, visit Travelinfo’s Beachcomber pages.

And remember that this special is also combinable with the Early Bird booking special, so your clients can get unbeatable value for money, say sales executives Morne Duraan and Nikki Fonzari Photo: Tijana Huysamen

Air Austral joins A380 family Natalia thomsoN AIR Austral this week placed an order for two A380s that it intends to operate on the Réunion-Paris route, joining only 16 other airlines that have ordered the super-jumbo.

Seating about 840 passengers in a single-class configuration, the aircraft will be used for the airline’s new

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LCC subsidiary, Outre Mer 380, in 2014.

Outre Mer 380 will cater for travellers who want to pay the lowest fare to travel overseas from mainland France.

Air Austral operates two flights a week on Thursdays and Sundays between JNB and Réunion using a B737 with 18 seats in premium economy and 91 in economy class. n

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E’RE over the worst but not out of the woods.

The freefall decline in BSP ZA sales recorded this year appears to have levelled out with October showing a 19,7% drop in sales in this market.

This is compared with the 21% drop seen in September, the 28% in August and the low point in May when sales in 2009 were 33% lower than in May 2008.

Globally, says Iata dg and ceo, Giovanni Bisignani, it is too early to call the steadying demand a “recovery”. “The worst may be over in terms of the fall in demand, but yields continue to be a disaster and costs are rising.”

While local airline bosses agree it’s too early to conclude if the decline has bottomed out, the near future appears to be positive in the BSP ZA market.

“Air France KLM forward bookings are developing in a more positive way, especially in the economy cabin for the holiday season, but also thereafter,” says commercial director Southern Africa and Angola, Ralf Karsenbarg.

The Johannesburg-Hong Kong route, adds Cathay Pacific country manager David Ryan, continues to perform “exceptionally well” for the airline. “I think it is clear that

086 11 00 424

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NEWS

Airlines to register for new border control system Hilka Birns

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HE Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has urged all airlines flying to South Africa to sign up as soon as possible for the new Advance Passenger Processing (APP) border control system currently being implemented for added security ahead of the FIFA World Cup. APP, a product of aviation IT specialist SITA, allows airlines to collect passenger data at check-in in their home countries and transmit this to South Africa before boarding. This allows the South African government to check its watch lists and give immediate thumbs up, or down, to passengers before take-off. If everything is in order, visitors do not have to go through immigration checks on arrival in South Africa, speeding up their arrival process and saving

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the government the expense of returning unauthorised visitors.

DHA director of ports of entry, Marie Greyling, told a Cape Town media briefing recently that 31 of the 41 airlines flying to South Africa had so far signed up for APP. She said a large number of them had begun with the testing and certification procedures of the system.

She said the first phase of implementation involved the international airports at Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Phase two would see APP implemented at the remainder of the country’s international airports and in the maritime and rail environments. The scope for implementing APP for road transport was limited, said Marie.

She said the key driver of APP internationally had been international events such as the FIFA World Cup,

where enhanced security was required in a manner that imposed no additional burden on airlines. South Africa is the first country in Africa to adopt APP. The system was first introduced in Australia for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is now also used in Kuwait and New Zealand. The US uses a similar solution, while the UK and Saudi Arabia have announced similar intentions.

Meanwhile, SITA regional vp Africa, Khodr Akil, said SITA was having a workshop this month with DHA and Acsa to discuss and demonstrate the use of e-gates and biometrics. “We are in discussions about the implementation of it with Acsa and the Department of Home Affairs.

“It’s the next phase we are looking at.”

Marie confirmed DHA had procured a system that could produce e-passports. ■

BA/Iberia merger gets the go-ahead Jeanette Phillips

B

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

Published by Lugan Investments (Pty) Ltd trading as Now Media Printed by Juka Printing (Pty) Ltd Phone: (011) 327-4062 Fax: (011) 327-4094 E-mail: tnw@nowmedia.co.za Web: www.nowmedia.co.za Address: Now Media Centre, 32 Fricker Road, Illovo Boulevard, Illovo, Johannesburg.

PO Box 55251, Northlands, 2116, South Africa.

EDITORiAL Editor: Natalia Thomson nataliat@nowmedia.co.za Sub­-Editor: Ann Braun annb@nowmedia.co.za Cape Town Editor: Hilka Birns hilkab@nowmedia.co.za Journalists: Jeanette Phillips jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za Natasha Tippel natashat@nowmedia.co.za Melody Brandon melodyb@nowmedia.co.za Photo Journalist: Tijana Huysamen tijanah@nowmedia.co.za Founding Editors: John H Marsh (1914-1996) Leona Marsh (1923-2003) ADVERTISING Sales Manager Kate Nathan Advertising Coordinator: Natalie Walker PRODUCTION Design Head: Brendon Bester

katen@nowmedia.co.za nataliew@nowmedia.co.za

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Subscriptions: Subs tvlsubs@nowmedia.co.za Annual Subscription: RSA R460,00 Foreign R700,00 SADC R525,00 (Subscription includes up to 10 copies for your staff at the delivery point)

Economy class: JNB – Brussels ZAR2953 JNB – Dusseldorf ZAR2893

ETTER connections to over 200 destinations is just one of the benefits the recently announced merger between British Airways and Iberia could bring.

The two airlines confirmed last week that they had signed a binding memorandum of understanding, scheduled for conclusion in 2010, to create the world’s largest airline by revenue.

Virgin Atlantic, however, has protested strongly against the merger as well the possible future inclusion of American Airlines.

According to media reports, Virgin has warned of a slot stranglehold at London Heathrow. BA will control 44% of the slots at the airport this winter and, according to Virgin, this could smother smaller airlines desperately looking for slots.

The new airline group will

JNB – London ZAR3462 JNB – Cairo ZAR4952

have 419 aircraft and fly to 205 destinations and will operate out of dual hubs in London and Madrid. For the first five years of the merger, BA and Iberia will keep their own brands. Slots and destinations will also be protected for the benefit for the combined group.

The proposed merger is said to offer enhanced customer benefits with a larger combined network for passengers and more capacity for investing in products and customer service.

Benefits

BA customers will gain access to up to 59 new destinations of which 13 will be in Latin America, while Iberia passengers will gain up to 98 new destinations across BA’s network.

Passengers will further benefit from better frequencies and connections, more competitive prices,

Business class: JNB – Brussels ZAR17653 JNB – Dusseldorf ZAR17593

access to more VIP lounges and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.

The signing of a definitive merger, which is expected in the first quarter of next year, however, still remains subject to certain pre-conditions and conditions.

Pre-conditions include confirmation from the Spanish and UK Civil Aviation Authorities and confirmation from the Spanish stock market.

The merger will also be subject to conditions, including appropriate antitrust and other regulatory clearances, approval from BA and Iberia’s shareholders and admission of TopCo (the holding company) shares to a UK listing.

Iberia will also be entitled to terminate the agreement, if the outcome of discussions between BA and its pension trustees is not, in Iberia’s reasonable opinion, satisfactory. ■

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2 n Wednesday November 25 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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NEWS

Self service lags at OR Tambo Hilka Birns

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HILE online booking is rising steadily in South Africa, use of selfservice check-in at Ortia ranks behind global rates.

An annual survey by global aviation IT company SITA of passenger self-service use at major international airports, shows that 94,2% of passengers using Ortia are aware of of online booking but only 41% used it – up from 34% last year, but still way behind the global average of 63,7%. And, despite the growing use of online booking, there was a drop from 6,7% to 0,8% among those using Internet check-in.

Compared with a 20% surge in self-service check-in worldwide, self-service check-in at Ortia dropped from 15,2% last year to 8,9% this year.

SITA’s regional vp Africa, Khodr Akil, believes this was partly due to changes in the airport layout and new positioning of the kiosks, which may have hampered visibility and which

will be addressed with Acsa.

However, he said, almost one-third of passengers interviewed did not know if there was a self-service checkin option for their flight.

The survey found that most people didn’t use self-service check-in because they had bags to check in and felt this would be a duplication of effort. Other reasons were resistance to change, while certain cultures and age groups preferred the human interface of a counter check-in.

Khodr believes online booking will grow further in Johannesburg and this bodes well for self-service check-in.

He adds that SITA and Acsa are discussing the possibility of World Cup fans checking in for their flights at their hotels to help relieve congestion at airports during the World Cup. SITA is carrying out a US$34m (R252m) check-in upgrade across 10 South African airports. Khodr says this will be accompanied by a public awareness campaign about the advantages of self-

service check-in options, via kiosks or the Web. He says SITA is aiming to replicate the worldwide trend of self-service check-in across Africa with South Africa as frontrunner.

He predicts self-service check-in will be adopted in the next three years at major cities across Africa. He says SITA is already working on projects in Tanzania, Kenya and North Africa.

The fourth annual SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service survey is an in-depth look at the attitudes and habits of a representative sample of the 232m passengers who use six international airports: Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta; Mumbai International; Charles de Gaulle, Paris; Moscow Domodedovo; São Paulo Guarulhos, Brazil; and Ortia.

Some 2 193 passengers flying on more than 100 different airlines and representing over 80 different nationalities were interviewed during April/June 2009. n

Self-service check-in goes global Hilka Birns SELF-SERVICE will become the primary mode of checkin at 80% of the world’s leading airports, according to the sixth annual SITA Airport IT Trends survey.

More than half of the 106 airports that participated in the survey rated the introduction of electronic documents as the technology that would have the most significant impact at airports in the near future. Initially this will be driven by the introduction of bar-coded boarding passes (BCBP) sent directly to mobile phones – a key enabler for paperless travel.

The majority of airports consider mobility as one of the top five trends affecting airports’ IT infrastructure in the shortterm.

Half of all airports believe providing solutions on mobile devices for passengers or staff at

airports will have the highest impact on their IT infrastructure.

Khodr Akil, SITA regional vp Africa, says passengers bypassing check-in counters still face bottlenecks at baggage drop-off and security screening.

Airports are using automation tools such as video and Bluetooth to track waiting times at different checkpoints such as security and immigration The survey found that 63% of all airports already had check-in kiosks, which would further increase to 90% by 2012. When asked about their strategy for kiosk usage, most airports plan to increase the number of kiosks further, whether for check-in (44%) or for new functionality (9%) such as passport scanning (from 32% today to 58% by 2012) and bagtag printing (from 17% today to 51% by 2012). n

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NEWS New hotel tax makes Nigeria even costlier for South Africans Natasha Tippel

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HE Lagos State House of Assembly has implemented a new Hotel Occupancy and Consumption Tax Law in the city.

The new law imposes a tax on goods and services consumed in hotels, restaurants and event centres within the territory of Lagos State. The tax payable is 5% on the total bill issued to the customer, excluding value added tax and service charges.

With high visa costs and exorbitant repatriation fees for first-time travellers before even considering airfares, hotel accommodation and taxes, and transfer costs, travel agents and other industry stakeholders believe Nigeria is fast becoming an expensive destination for SA travellers.

“Whatever the motivation behind this new tax, Lagos is becoming a very expensive

destination for anyone,” says Rachael Penaluna, sales manager of Sure Bleeker Travel. “As it is, Lagos hotels are already expensive and charge in dollars. The consumption law even affects conferencing. That means if we have a group of people training or conducting business at a conference facility in Lagos, they are paying an additional 5% on their bill.”

One travel agent questions the credibility of the new tax saying: “As with other countries, like Zimbabwe, most of the money does not find its way into the tourist industry to improve anything.”

However, the tax, which was implemented in August, has been closely monitored for compliance, says general manager of the Federal Palace hotel in Nigeria, David Kliegl. “Several organisations, including business owners and unions took the state to court. The court has found the

tax unlawful but granted the state the right of appeal. The state has appealed but has been restrained from collecting the tax.

“The state views hotels as luxury items and feels justified in charging the tax rather than seeing the hotels as important tools in the promotion of tourism and business,” continues David.

He says, since the implementation of the new tax, the length of stay and frequency of visits to the hotel has declined. Another hotel representative notes: “As trade partners, it is important to inform the Nigerian government what impact their levies and taxes have on the business that South Africa could possibly be bringing to them. Nigeria is in an exciting phase of its development but I hope they don’t fall into the trap of their own success, especially looking at the current economic situation.” ■

Explore the world’s largest cruise ship with TNW! ROYAL Caribbean’s latest offering, Oasis of the Seas, is the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world and this month you can experience it with TNW and eTNW! Six years in the making, the cruise liner spans 16 decks, catering for 5 400 guests at double occupancy and featuring 2 700 staterooms.

It also offers a host of unique industry firsts, including a neighbourhood concept that offers guests seven themed areas, including Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Sea Spa and Fitness Center,

Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.

Other features include a zip line that races diagonally nine decks above an open-air atrium, an original handcrafted carousel and an aquatic amphitheatre to name a few.

TNW’s Melody Brandon will be joining Oasis of the Seas’ maiden voyage with Cruises International and will be ‘tweeting’ about her experience, as well as providing daily updates on eTNW. If you have not yet joined Twitter follow these easy steps to monitor Melody’s updates as she explores the Oasis of the Seas!

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● T ype in www.twitter.com in your Internet Explorer address bar. ● Click on ‘sign up now’. ● Type in your full name. ● Create your username. ● Create a password of six or more characters. ● Type in your email address. ● Type in the words at the bottom of the page (remember, if there are more than two words, leave a space in between). ● Click on ‘create account’. ● Twitter may ask you for your email password if you are registering with a gmail, yahoo, or aol email account. ● Click on ‘create’. ● You will see a screen with a list of popular ‘tweeters’. Click on ‘deselect’ if you do not want to follow them. ● Click finish.

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● T o follow TNW on the cruise, click on ‘find people’ and type in TNWoasiscruise. ● Click on ‘follow’. Updates will appear on your Twitter homepage. ● If you would like to send Melody a specific question type in @TNWoasiscruise.

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Ebony merges with CWT Max Marx

E

BONY Travel, a BEE brand within the BIDTravel group, was merged into Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) on November 1.

Allan Lunz, md of BIDTravel and chairman of CWT, says the decision was taken as part of BIDTravel’s rationalisation strategy.

“It had nothing to do with the global economic crisis. Ebony Travel was a stand-alone profitable entity. We felt, however, that although we have a multi-brand strategy, we had too many brands in our portfolio.

“We also felt that we could make better use of Ebony’s md Shirley Figlan and her team within CWT.” Shirley has been appointed CWT sales director – a far bigger portfolio – and is now a member of the CWT board. She will report to Ben Langner, CWT md.

Shirley says with the prevailing global conditions, the merging of Ebony into CWT is a very good business move.

As CWT’s new sales director she is looking forward to the challenge of working with a large global

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NEWS

I’ve been bookmarked at newsagentlive.co.za.

brand. “Without changing what is working in the current CWT sales environment, I will be introducing new strategic innovations to take the company to the next level,” she says.

The rest of the Ebony management team and consultants have been moved over to CWT, as has the agency’s customer base.

Ebony’s Cape Town and Sandton offices have been closed, and its two Johannesburg in-house agencies re-branded CWT. Allan adds that there has been rationalisation in terms of restructures within all BIDTravel’s brands including its four major global brands – HRG (Hogg Robinson Group) CWT, BCD Travel and Harvey World Travel. “We have had some retrenchments, but we’re hopefully out of that now.”

He says it appears there has been some kind of levelling off in terms of the economic slowdown as far as travel is concerned.

“We felt the first real effects of the slowdown last October. This October we’re slightly ahead. I don’t want to get too excited, but it’s certainly a little better.” ■

Insight launches fully escorted 2010 trips Natasha Tippel INSIGHT Vacations has announced the launch of its 2010 Europe and Britain collection, including two new fully escorted itineraries and a programme dedicated to independent-minded travellers.

The new programme offers consultants an extensive range of hassle-free, escorted holidays in a variety of styles to offer their clients, including Discovery Tours, Regional Tours, Easy Pace, Country Roads and Elegance tours, plus the new Select programme, which features 10 itineraries that can be tailored to suit a traveller’s individual needs and tastes.

“On Insight’s Select programme, flexibility is the key component from start to finish,” says gm, Sharon Marx. “Guests can tailor everything from what sightseeing they do, choosing between independent exploration in each destination or a range of full- and half-day Select Experience excursions, to how long they travel for.

“This means they can leave the tour early, continue on for the entire duration or stay on a little longer. To ensure that the tour is completely hassle-free, Insight’s expert tour QUICK READ FOR busiest people

directors are on hand, sharing their local knowledge, yet acting more as a personal concierge.”

Insight is also offering two new escorted tours in its 2010 programme, including the nine-day Best of Britain, expanding on the Britain and Ireland programme, and the 20-day Lands of the Prophets.

“Our 2010 Europe and Britain brochure also includes greater consistency of hotels, some of which have been upgraded from last year, with more two- or threenight stays than any other operator, ensuring guests don’t just see a destination but are truly immersed in its culture and customs,” says Sharon.

This year, the 2010 Europe and Britain programme will launch with a significant number of Definite Departures featured on the website. This change will help consultants secure sales and remove any doubt as to a tour’s operational status. New for 2010, Insight’s Definite Departures will be noted within the individual tour’s ‘dates and rates’ section of Insight’s website. As other tours meet minimum passenger numbers through the season, they too will become Definite Departures. ■

Bookmark our brand new trade website for Punks, Piccadilly and the chance to win 2 economy return tickets to London & 3 nights accommodation, if you register before end December. Check out newsagentlive.co.za for news, product information, downloadable documents and images, plus essential ticketing and transfer details for your customers. Nice one brotha.

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Wednesday November 25 2009 n 7

NEWS

Transport is key to 2010 success

AF unveils new European service

Melody Brandon

S of April 1, 2010, Air France will offer a new service on its mediumhaul network, aimed at better meeting the changing expectation of travellers seeking greater simplicity and clarity and more affordable fares.

The airline said with the new service the “essentials” of the airline would remain and it would continue to offer two separate cabins, Voyageur and Premium.

The Voyageur offering is designed for customers looking for a simple inexpensive product, with all the essentials of the Air France service – free carriage of hold baggage up to 23kg, choice of seat at check-in, wide choice of newspapers, catering adapted to flight time and designated counters for customers requiring assistance.

When making reservations customers can specify their preference for a window or

a new air traffic flow management system at OR NO expense is being spared Tambo International Airport is to ensure things run smoothly expected to ensure smoother during next year’s World Cup. traffic flow in 2010.

So says SA transport Set to launch in April next minister Sbu Ndebele, who year, the system will manage was speaking at the smooth “During the the launch of the passage of air World Cup, newly revamped traffic in and out Wonderboom all our systems of the airport airport recently. and will predict must be ready traffic patterns Wonderboom is one of several – rail, road and and respond to airports that have them before they maritime.” been upgraded in arise, including anticipation of the soccer diversions in bad weather. event next year.

“During the World Cup, The airport, which cost all our systems must be R44m to revamp, will handle ready – rail, road and flights between host cities. maritime.

Another key area “However, air transportation government has focused remains a critical point of on for 2010 is air traffic entry for a global tournament control. At a cost of R54m, of this kind.” n

Jeanette PhilliPs

A

aisle seat free of charge, and have their boarding pass sent to them by email.

For €10 (R110), Air France also proposes a ‘grace period’, so that customers can keep their booking and the fare they have found for several days.

Fares have been reduced and the simplified price range makes it easier to find the lowest price. The price displayed on the same web page combines the cheapest available fare for the outbound flight and the cheapest available fare for the return flight. Tickets are sold for round trips, but promotional fares are currently available one-way. These tickets are not refundable but can be modified for an additional €50 (R552).

The Premium offering is designed for business travellers seeking more flexibility, enhanced service, even greater efficiency and time-saving, at more affordable prices.

Premium customers will have a choice between two products: the Premium Eco

and Premium Business.

In Premium Eco, the published fares are an average of 20% lower than the published fares for Tempo Challenge, and Premium Business fares are also lower than those of the current Affaires-Business Class.

All ‘Premium’ tickets are available either round trip or one-way for all fares in the price range. Tickets can also be refunded and modified free of charge. Premium business customers can choose their seat when they book their flight. At the airport, all Premium customers benefit from a dedicated check-in area and dedicated security checkpoints. A dedicated Premium hotline is also at their disposal.

On board, Premium passengers travel in a cabin at the front of the aircraft.

The inflight catering has been upgraded both in presentation and content. Premium business customers also enjoy wider seats, with no one sitting next to them. n

Travelinfo,s Shanaaz Khan selects the top specials from Travelinfo

SpecSiapotls

● Air Mauritius Mauritius. Special Valentine’s fares ex-Cape Town or Durban (via Johannesburg) to Mauritius from R2 990 in economy class. Valid for sales from January 10 to March 14 (travel to be completed by March 20). Excludes taxes. ● Avocatur Wholesale Tour Operator – five-night stay at Melia in Bali from R7 499 per person sharing. The rate includes return flights ex-Johannesburg, transfers, accommodation, breakfast, a one-hour Balinese massage and one buffet dinner for two. Valid January 16 to March 31. Excludes taxes. ● Costa Cruises (Development Promotions) is offering a 14-night Far East cruise from R4 600. Special includes on-board accommodation, meals and entertainment. Cruise departs December 5. Ports of call: Hong Kong, Manila, Kota Kinabalu/Borneo, Bandar Seri Begawan, Singapore, Ho Chi Min City, Da Nang, Sanya (China). ● Choice Hotels International is offering a special Christmas rate at the Comfort Suites Maingate, Disney World Florida of R750 per family per night. The rate is valid from December 21 to 31.

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NEWS

Millions lost on ‘inefficient’ aviation security hilka Birns

I

ATA has called on governments and regulators to eliminate ineffective duplication of aviation security procedures that are costing the airline industry US$5,9bn (R42bn) annually.

“It is time to eliminate ineffective and costly duplication of aviation security procedures.

“They are costly for airlines and a hassle for our passengers but do nothing to improve security.

Harmonisation, efficiency and cost effectiveness are the key to keeping aviation secure,” Günther Matschnigg, Iata’s senior vp safety operations & infrastructure told a recent Iata world aviation security conference (AVSEC World 2009) in Cape Town.

He said the economic crisis meant airlines had no money left to fund anything but the most critical security measures.

Airlines worldwide this year expect to lose US$80bn (R560bn) in revenue, representing a 15% fall in income as demand for travel is down 5,5% and 21% in economy and premium class respectively.

Yield has plunged by an unprecedented 18% and 22% respectively in economy and premium class.

“This September marked eight years since the tragic events of 9/11. Still fear, not data, is driving decision-

making,” said Günther.

“Competent regulators are redoing the security screening performed by other competent regulators.

“We are spending billions of dollars to protect ourselves from improbable threats. Complex and duplicate regulations provide only the illusion of security.”

In this crisis, he said, the priority was for everyone to work smarter and ensure that measures in place or under consideration were appropriate, efficient and cost effective.

Strategy developed

He said to address the security challenge, Iata and the Aviation Security Executive Group developed the following strategy: ● Security systems and measures need to be continuously assessed and risks prioritised to allocate resources where they are most needed. ● Iata is asking governments to harmonise their security regulations. ● Airlines and regulators must share their perspectives, knowledge and experience. ● Innovation and technology must be used to improve aviation security and optimise processes for passengers, crews and cargo. ● All security processes need to be evaluated for their added value, common sense and costeffectiveness. n

Letter to the editor In response to the article and poll ‘Small doesn’t mean dodgy’ (TNW November 11).

I do understand the concern of travel agencies about security. The reason we are not an Asata member is purely due to the fact that the conditions for membership are far (or at least they were) too onerous for a small tour operator. We are a small specialised operator dealing with only a few countries, therefore our annual turnover is small in comparison with the big operators.

The remark by one travel agent that dealing with the big guys is no safety guarantee as big operators have also gone bust, is only too true.

I am dealing in my private capacity, trading as Austria Connection. That means all

my personal assets are at stake which is a far better guarantee than dealing with a CC or other form of company which can simply go bankrupt.

Another travel agent commented that dealing with specialised tour operators normally provides a better service to the client. In our case, we only sell destinations and products which we personally know and therefore have profound knowledge of it. It seems, however, quite often that our knowledge is used but bookings have been done some other way.

According to law, one can deal in a private capacity and still employ up to three people. Our company consists of me, my husband and one consultant and has been

Inge Dobihal operating for eight years.

I was the manager of the Austrian Tourist Board in Johannesburg for 25 years.

When the tourist board closed I opened my own company and I am therefore quite well known within the tourist industry We have had great support from many agents and I don’t think we disappointed any one of them. We’d like to say a special thank you to all of them.

Inge Dobihal Austria Connection n

Travel Counsellors takes on the world Melody Brandon INDIA, China and Scandinavia could be the next destinations in which Travel Counsellors plans to expand its business.

With 400 agents operating in Ireland, The Netherlands, US, SA, Australia and Canada, the company now wants to

explore opportunities in other countries.

“We have seen exceptional growth in our overseas operations and are positive about the year ahead,” said md, Steve Byrne.

The company ended its financial year 3% up on 2008 with overseas sales reported

to be up by 64%, totalling £40m (R497m). “Taking the Travel Counsellors concept overseas has, without a doubt, been a great success and we are now in a position with our Phenix dynamic packaging system to offer a global booking system in each market we operate in.” n

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Wednesday November 25 2009 n 9

NEWS

AirHeads Heads Fly Kumba – ready for take-off?

MEDIA reports are claiming that Fly Kumba, Zimbabwe’s first low-cost carrier, has launched flights. The start of the airline’s Johannesburg service is said to be scheduled for the second week of December.

Department of Transport spokesperson, Andries Ntjane, however, said that no application had been received from the airline to operate flights into South Africa. It also appears that the airline does not yet have a website. A group of local investors first announced plans to launch the airline in July this year and the initial plan was to launch flights in September. Executives for the airline have, however, now been quoted saying that it was not possible as a result of “unanticipated challenges”, but that these have been attended to. The airline plans to operate the Harare-Johannesburg, Harare-Bulawayo, Harare-Vic Falls, Johannesburg-Vic Falls and Harare-Kariba routes.

Air Namibia expands African footprint

EFFECTIVE November 20, Air Namibia will operate a new scheduled service between Windhoek and Accra, via Johannesburg. The airline will operate five flights a week using its recently acquired Fifth Freedom traffic rights between South Africa and Ghana. The operating schedules are as follows: ● Flights from Windhoek to Johannesburg and then to Accra will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The return flights will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. ● Flights depart Windhoek for Johannesburg at 18h30, and depart Johannesburg for Accra at 23h30. The return service departs Accra for Johannesburg at 09h15, and departs Johannesburg for Windhoek at 18h30.

Zambezi cancels Saturday flights

FOR commercial reasons, Zambezi Airlines will discontinue its Saturday flights between Ndola and JNB from January 8 until further notice. All passengers holding tickets for these flights will be rebooked on other Zambezi Airlines flights or will receive a full refund.

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MSC Sinfonia – a hit in SA Hilka Birns

T

HE MSC Sinfonia, chartered by Starlight Cruises for local cruises this summer, has been met with “extreme enthusiasm from the industry and the public”, says Starlight marketing director, Allan Foggitt.

He was speaking on board the nine-storey-high, 2 100 passenger vessel as it made its maiden call at Cape Town on November 10. The ship was en-route to Durban, from where on December 14 it launches its first season of 39 cruises to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean Islands, running until April 1.

Allan said travel agents selling MSC Sinfonia this season could make R16m in commissions on a potential

www.austriaconnection.co.za Tel. 011 476 3967 austria.co@mweb.co.za

have already booked a 14-night end-of-season Island Discovery cruise departing March 18 and calling at Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar, the Comores, and Portuguese Island off Inhaca in Mozambique.

“A significant change in the booking pattern is evident in the top end of the market where huge support has been received for the 135 suites with private balconies.” The most reasonably priced cabins remained the most popular.

“We’re benefiting from the recession because cruising is such good value,” said Allan.

Allan said cruises from Durban were 99% booked by South African holidaymakers, while the two positioning cruises south- and northbound were 80% booked by foreign nationals. n

Full content BA-Travelport deal signed Melody Brandon

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turnover of R220m.

The ship will return next year for a 30-day longer season of 45 cruises from November 14, 2010 to April 30, 2011.

Bookings are already open for 2010/11, allowing agents to earn another R23m in commissions on a potential R331m turnover.

He said unprecedented advance bookings had resulted in 55 000 passengers already having booked cruises on the MSC Sinfonia and he was hoping to top 70 000 passengers by the end of this season. Most departures in November and December are already heavily booked. An 11-night New Year’s cruise is already sold out and a five-night Christmas Cruise is almost full.

Some 1 000 passengers

TRAVELPORT is the first technology provider to reach a long-term, full-content global agreement with British Airways.

“I am delighted we have struck a deal that is mutually beneficial for both parties and offers great value to travel

The sophisticated

agents,” said Travelport’s vice president of supplier business development, Matthew Hall.

The agreement, effective immediately, will see all BA’s published fares and inventory made available to Galileoconnected travel agents worldwide, until April 2013.

“We have worked hard

with Travelport to come to an agreement that will both reduce our distribution costs and ensure agents continue to have acess to our full published content, including our lowest fares, through Galileo,” said BA head of selling and distribution, John Mornement. n TNW4982

venue in Bloemfontein…

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TOURISM GRADING COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Pillow PillowTalk

A brief look at this week's hotel news

One&Only The Palm to open on 10/10/10

THE luxury resort, One&Only The Palm, will open in Dubai on 10 October 2010. Located on The Palm Jumeirah, the resort has 35 suites and apartments within the grand Manor House, six independent low-rise mansions with eight to 10 suites and exclusive two- and three-bedroom beachfront villas. Bathrooms will feature oversized, freestanding bathtubs and rain showers. All accommodation will offer outdoor terraces or private pools and each suite, apartment and villa will also be serviced by a dedicated butler, 24 hours a day. The Marina Restaurant with alfresco dining will open on to a chill-out lounge with daybeds, beachside tables and bar. The resort will also feature an 850 square metre pool, a private beach, and a spa, fitness and beauty complex.

ELICC, Premier Hotel Cascades near completion

CONSTRUCTION of the East London International Convention Centre (ELICC) and adjacent Premier Hotel Cascades is on track and is due for completion in early 2010. The first phase of the 260-room Premier Hotel Cascades will, however, open in December for the summer holiday season.

The hotel will have a Camelot Spa, gym, swimming pool, up-market restaurant and all rooms will offer sea-views and have free Wi-Fi Internet connections and 24-hour room service. There are also 260 underground parking bays. A new low-rise leisure, dining and shopping area will also be developed in front of the hotel facing the beach. To be managed by the Premier Hotels group, the ELICC will include a 650-seater auditorium, an exhibition floor and a major hall capable of seating 850 ballroom style and 2 200 cinema-style as well as boardrooms, restaurants and kitchens.

Aloft makes debut in Middle East

STARWOOD Hotels and Resorts and its newest brand, Aloft Hotels, have announced the opening of Aloft Abu Dhabi, the first Aloft to open in the Middle East and the second Aloft to open outside North America. Aloft Abu Dhabi features 408 loft-like rooms, a fitness centre and splash pool, a main restaurant, a 24-hour graband-go food and beverage area, an indoor and outdoor lounge, and an outdoor pool. Each Aloft room is equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry, all linked to a 107cm flat-panel, HDTV-ready television. The new hotel is linked directly to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and is also close to numerous embassies and corporate offices, 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Tania lives for every day Melody Brandon

T

HE thought of seven years of studying put paid to Tania Lospoto’s dreams of being an occupational therapist. Opting instead for a career in travel, Tania is now a travel manager at Travel Connections just 11 years later.

“I decided to do travel before I started studying. I thought it was going to be glamorous, which it isn’t really, but I love leisure; planning people’s holidays and hearing all about it when they come back,” she says.

A positive attitude, the willingness to go the extra mile and passion, she says, are all vital to being a great travel agent.

Tania, a mother of two, loves interacting

Tania Lospoto

with people. While she enjoys the flexibility a career in travel offers, she says she would not be able to be a stay-at-home mom.

“I enjoy people too much, especially the team I work with. They are all great. I wouldn’t be able to stay at home all day,” she says.

Q&A What do you enjoy about travel?

I love the diversity of travel. There are always changes and you are always learning about new destinations.

What do you enjoy about TNW? The news is always interesting and relevant, but I love the Naked Agent!

Where are you planning on going for your next trip?

I am planning a trip to Mauritius next year, but would love to go to South America.

Best travel memory?

My trip to Italy was great, as was going on an educational to New York.

We were there for four nights and it was amazing.

Worst travel memory?

It would have to be my first educational to

Thailand. I love trying out the cuisine in the destinations I visit, but I just couldn’t deal with the food!

Favourite movie?

I love animated movies, especially the Lion King and Finding Nemo.

Where will we find you on a Sunday afternoon?

Having a braai with family and friends.

Your guaranteed pick me up?

A glass of wine and a bubble bath!

Seriously though, seeing my kids when I pick them up from school.

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

I think I have reached my peak as a travel manager. I don’t think I would want to be an agency owner! n

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Wednesday November 25 2009 n 11

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Big things on the move in

Mauritius Product changes

David Marsh talks to Beachcomber’s Robert Speville

T

de

HE outlook for Mauritius is beginning to brighten after a grim year, Robert de Speville, commercial director of Beachcomber told TNW last week.

Forward bookings for Beachcomber in October were 20% up on last year.

But the year is expected to be remembered as the one when visitors to the island fell by 9% and revenue by 17%. The SA market has been particularly badly affected with January to August arrivals down 21%.

For Beachcomber, that translated into a drop in revenue of 27% from this market, which makes up 14% of the group’s clients and 10% of its revenue.

Dinarobin has recently reopened after extensive renovations. Each of the five crescents of suites away from the main pool now has its own large 75-sqm pool among other changes (see caption). From this month, the two wellness facilities at Shandrani will be affiliated to the Clarins brand. With longer stays at Sainte Anne in the Seychelles, a beach bar has been built as part of the plan to diversify facilities.

Trends

Visitors today want something quite different from in the past. Clients used to want on-going fulltime entertainment, which was offered in one big restaurant. Now the trend is toward private villas and a choice of restaurants so that one does not really feel one is in a hotel. Dinarobin and Paradis clients have a choice of seven restaurants, and even the best food at the new à la carte Il Gusto restaurant is included in the half-board rate.

European guests are drinking more water and less alcohol as holidays centre around family and wellness.

All-inclusive packages

Shandrani’s five-star allinclusive packages have been revolutionary and are working well.

Distinctive from other inclusive supplements that are favoured by the South African market at Le Victoria and Le Mauricia, it includes French champagne, topquality wines and brands such as Johnnie Walker Red Label.

The other hotels have their own specific inclusions but will now be branded under the umbrella, Beachcomber All-Inclusive Packages.

Special deals

Beachcomber has kept its charges for extras in the local currency. Compulsory euro charges by some groups have caused clients a lot of additional expense and bother. Because of the economic climate, prices for extras have been reduced by 20% to 30%.

On profitability

In the financial year ending September, the group’s occupancy in Mauritius dropped from 77% to 70%, turnover dropped 13% and profitability by about 30% to 1,3bn rupees (R330m) – still

The new pools at Dinarobin cater for the trend toward privacy and comfort. The hotel has been reopened with refurbished warmed up public areas, an additional fourth restaurant with Tuscan influence as part of the plan to distinguish itself by offering “sensational gastronomy”.

Other developments include an open-air extension to the ‘Club’ with access restricted to guests from the higher grade rooms, and improvements to the sport and wellness facilities more than the combined performance of the other major groups.

When occupancies drop then rates soften and the cost of promotions goes up.

Villa rentals

Villa rentals are growing in number in Mauritius but villas within Beachcomber resorts prevent guests from being too isolated.

A villa holiday can often mean having to rent a car and travelling quite long distances when one wants to try a new restaurant.

Its new developements are catering for those who want the privacy of a villa and the facilities of a resort.

New developments

Possibly the biggest development ever undertaken in Mauritius will be the 900staff new Trou Aux Biches resort which is being rebuilt from scratch on the old property and the adjoining golf course.

More about this and Beachcomber’s Morocco development in the next TNW. ■

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14 n Wednesday November 25 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Car

Rental

The car-rental industry is faced with many exciting opportunities and challenges in 2010, especially in light of the Soccer World Cup. Natasha Tippel reports.

Gearing up for 2010

I

T’S not quite full throttle ahead for car-rental companies as they anticipate the opportunities and challenges that await them in the run up to the 2010 World Cup. Local companies are seeing an increase in interest, but believe that the December 4 draw will give them better guidance on what they should be doing to gear up for the event.

“Of late we have started to see greater interest from organisers, sponsors and the general public and expect requests to increase substantially after the 2010 draw to be held in December,” says Dawn Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar SA. “This is when fans are likely to firm up on their travel plans once they know where their teams will be playing.”

Leslie Matthews, ceo of Tempest Car Hire, agrees: “We are already fielding numerous large-scale enquiries and the draw on December 4 has not even taken place yet. It will be a great opportunity for local rental companies to experience and learn from being able to effectively manage the logistics and fleet planning around moving thousands of people in a very short space of time.”

However, Dawn believes that an increased demand for rental vehicles during the six-week event period is likely to be balanced out by a major

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE

drop in business travel due to the limited availability of flights and hotel accommodation.

“Many businesses will turn to teleconferencing instead. Even though the government has rescheduled school holidays to coincide with the event, the premium rates charged by hotels and airlines will decrease the amount of local leisure travel significantly.”

Even so, car-rental companies believe that it is still wise to increase their fleets specifically for the 2010 World Cup. “Demand will undoubtedly exceed the industry’s supply.

“This can easily be achieved by delaying de-fleeting,” says Dawn.

Rates increase

First Car Rental says it is taking a responsible approach to the 2010 Soccer World Cup by ensuring that rates are at affordable levels. “There are many companies that spend a lot of effort by focusing on the idea of the short-term profits that they can make during this six-week period,” says Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing.

“Two of the big players have already gone on stop-sale for the World Cup period in an attempt to drive their yield through the roof.

I am not advocating foolishness in terms of profits but rather a

“Of late we have started to see greater interest from organisers, sponsors and the general public and expect requests to increase substantially after the 2010 draw to be held in December,” says Dawn Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar SA. “This is when fans are likely to firm up on their travel plans once they know where their teams will be playing.”

responsible approach to this event and understanding that it is an opportunity to showcase South Africa as a spectacular yet affordable destination in order to serve our tourism needs in future.”

A key lesson from the German 2006 FIFA World Cup was the increased tourism for years after the event.

“The World Cup has given us the opportunity to re-think and evolve our business and processes,” says Leslie.

“For example, upfront deposits to secure vehicles, pre-paid rentals, running higher utilisation levels and quick turnaround time of out-of-service vehicles to keep cars on the road.

“All of these measures will remain long after the last soccer fan has left.”

Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive of Hertz, agrees: “2010 has the potential to create growth opportunities for many businesses in the country.

“Car rental is no exception but we need to ensure fleets and bookings are well managed to ensure that corporate customers and non-event-related bookings are catered for during this period too.”

Wednesday November 25 2009 n 15

Car Rental Avis looks to the future

W

customers.

Avis’s new R85m regional office and turnaround facility at Cape Town international Airport, covering a total area of 50 000 sqm, was necessitated when Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) changed the layout of the airport. A new building houses the regional head offices of other Avis branded products, including Chauffeur Drive, luxury Cars and Point 2 Point.

The Avis facilities in Durban will move to the allnew King Shaka Airport in May 2010.

Meanwhile, operations at east london and Port elizabeth have also undergone upgrades at the depot and kiosks to cater for increased volumes well beyond 2010.

For the World Cup specifically, Avis has partnered with a number of airlines, hotel groups and tour operators to ensure it is well positioned to service various impromptu

An artist’s impression of the new Avis kiosk that will open at OR Tambo International Airport requirements requested by soccer fans.

“Partnerships with various airlines mean we can offer low-cost travel packages

for short-term travel and full-service travel packages (flight, car rental and hotel) for longer term travel,” says Wayne.

KINGJAMES/12380

hile many organisations are focused specifically on 2010 FiFA World Cup readiness, Avis has taken a much longer-term view for the business.

“Of course we have readied ourselves for the influx of soccer fans into South Africa for 2010. But having said that, will anyone ever be 100% ready for this massive influx of visitors?” says Avis chief executive, Wayne Duvenage. “There is no doubt that we will be under pressure and sell out in most categories during the peak of the event.

Our readiness in facilities, however, is well on track.”

Avis has spent the past two years expanding its turnaround facilities in

Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as its kiosk and parking bay capacity at OR Tambo and Cape Town international airports, to accommodate an operation that has more than doubled in the last decade.

At OR Tambo this expansion has resulted in a 350 sqm, state-of-theart kiosk, additional staff on duty at any given time and 480 parking bays to enhance the car-rental experience for local and international visitors, both at the rental check-out and time of return.

Avis has also installed dedicated counters for specific travel segments (business and international), giving travellers more individualised attention. in addition, Avis spent R22m on upgrading its turnaround facility in isando with the aim of filling its 480 bays at OR Tambo more quickly and thereby improving its service to

A first in South African car rental.

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16 n Wednesday November 25 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

AV/TNW/DEC09

We know the value of time together.

At Avis we believe people are more important than cars. Which is why when you rent with us you can enjoy optional extras such as GPS, free roadmaps and a 24 hour care line service. Giving you peace of mind and effortless travel this festive season. Visit us online for ease of bookings and affordable rental rates.

www.avis.co.za or call 0861 021 111

Avis rents VW and other ďƒžne cars

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Car Rental

Budget goes topless

Rate increases on the cards

C

AR rental in South Africa is a fiercely traded industry where rates are not always what they should be.

For the past 10 years the car-hire industry has not enjoyed price increases in line with cost trends. Avis chief executive, Wayne Duvenage, says that while costs in the industry have increased by 86% in the past five years, car-rental prices have only increase by 22% over the same period.

“This is largely due to carrental companies vying for market share. The problem is exacerbated in these tough economic times as corporate teams target cost savings, with travel as one of their major focus areas.”

However, South African car-rental companies are set to increase prices in the market. “CPIX increases are standard, however, rates have, until now, remained fairly consistent regardless of increased vehicle costs of about 16% this year,” says

Dawn Nathan-Jones Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar SA. “Car-rental rates are linked to the price of new motor vehicles and unfortunately, we have been experiencing some rather high new-car inflation,” says Pat O’Brien O’Brien, chief divisional executive of Hertz. “This will undoubtedly have an effect on our rates, but we will also endeavour to implement such increases in increments that are manageable and acceptable to our customers.”

This does not take into account fixed costs. Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing at First Car Rental notes that the company is locked into a 9% annual increase with Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and around 12% on the majority of off-airport leases.

“Car-rental companies cannot indefinitely keep rates at the same levels they were two years ago, despite the temptation to discount due to the economic climate,” says Leslie Matthews, ceo of Tempest Car Hire.

Wayne notes that revenue per rental day (RPRD) is the chief driver of profitability in the car-rental industry with generally a 1% increase in

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18 n Wednesday November 25 2009

price being equal to a 4% increase in volume. “In many instances competitors will drop prices to drive volume but what often happens is that they do not achieve the volumes needed to make up for the drop in prices.”

Increasing prices is not a strategy to drive revenues during the 2010 Fifa World Cup. In fact, says Wayne, Avis is holding over its contracted customers rates during the Soccer World Cup while yielding the noncontracted business based on vehicle demand as it develops. “This is contrary to the astronomical increases in hotel and airline prices we’ve been reading about in the press.

“The main reason for this is the Soccer World Cup is a four- to six-week event while we have longstanding relationships with our customers that in some instances span 30 to 40 years,” says Wayne.

Both the need to relocate vehicles and the increase in resources to meet 2010 World Cup demands at the various host cities will result in some changes to the usual miscellaneous costs, such as one-way fees, delivery and collection charges.

Budget has announced new additions to its stable.

Clients looking for style and a unique driving experience can now rent a selection of convertible ‘Cool Cars’.

At entry level there is the all new Mini Cooper, which combines hi-tech sophistication with a fun, funky approach. Or, if you’re looking for an invitation to escape in elegance, then the Peugeot 207CC (pictured) just might be the one for you. Also available are the new luxury SUV range vehicles, set to appeal to those with an active and engaging lifestyle. These include the Toyota Fortuner 3.0 V A/T 4WD, and the Pajero Sport 3.2 GLS 4x4

Going green A HOT topic at the moment is, what are carrental companies doing in an effort to reduce their carbon emissions and help fight against global warming?

Avis leads the carbon neutral drive, having achieved CarbonNeutral accreditation for the offset of its internal fuel and energy usage CO2 emissions in September this year.

But what are other car rental companies doing to go green?

Europcar is in the process of conducting a carbon emissions audit through Deloitte & Touche, says Dawn Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar SA. “This will result in a simple, easy-to understand programme, which will be launched to the public in the early part of 2010.”

Europcar has also reduced its paper usage by 50%. This is thanks to its new rental agreement printing system, which was introduced at all major airport locations in June.

The change saves approximately two tons of paper each month.

“Already, the majority of Savrala members are replacing their fleet each year with more efficient vehicles, and Hertz is no exception,” says Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive.

“This must be seen as a long-term project made up of small steps to continuous improvement.

“It’s not just about replacing fleet; it’s far

more than that and we are certainly reviewing strategies to ensure we can contribute meaningfully to the ‘going green’ cause.”

Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing at First Car Rental, says the company started to reduce its carbon footprint six years ago, beginning with the electronic voucher process.

“This means less paper for printing and less fuel used by our sales employees in delivering these vouchers to our clients.”

Other initiatives that have since been launched, include an online invoice retrieval portal for all market segments, all rental documentation available online, going live with Cristil, which facilitates all queries in an online environment.

“We do not have any case files in paper format any more.

“We don’t even have a fax machine in this department. Even trend reports and agent performance is done online. Our customer service department is also completely paperless.”

A year ago, First Car Rental started a project to speed-up the rental process.

The second phase of this project, which will be in effect within the next three months, will ensure that rental contracts are no longer printed either.

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Carbon neutral status for Avis Avis is the first company in South Africa to have achieved CarbonNeutral fleet and CarbonNeutral energy usage certifications.

This means that every ton of CO2 that Avis South Africa produces is counterbalanced with a ton, saved by a validated emission reduction project, which has met international standards.

The two projects Avis has selected to support are the Hufu Waste heat recovery project in China – which recovers waste heat from a cement plant and uses it to produce clean electricity – and the Govindapuram Wind Power plant in the Tamil Nadu state in India which uses wind power to produce clean electricity.

As of September, all Avis invoices reflect carbon emissions for rentals, enabling customers to measure their own carbon footprint. For corporate customers, Avis is able to provide management information on CO2 for their entire rental account with

Avis. In the future, Avis plans to allow customers to offset their rental carbon emissions through Avis.

How was the carbon footprint reduced to nett zero?

Nett zero CO2 is achieved though a mix of external and internal reductions.

External reductions are also known as ‘carbon offsets’.

They enable a business to achieve deep nett CO2 reductions in the short term.

For every one tonne of CO2 Avis has produced in terms of its electricity usage and non-customer fleet, it pays for an equivalent amount of CO2 to be saved by an emission-reduction project in a renewable project and a waste-reduction project, both of which are located in China.

Internal reductions are CO2 savings from actions within an organisation or operation, such as from processes, systems and changes in behaviour. The amount of emissions that can be cut

in this way will depend on the start point (how much has already been done) and projections for business growth. Single-digit annual CO2 targets are common; larger reductions are more likely in the longer term because it is difficult to make internal changes overnight.

By complementing external reductions with internal, businesses can reach nett zero CO2 today, and achieve a programme that helps them produce fewer emissions in the long term.

The carbon offsetting for Avis SA is organised by the leaders in the field, The CarbonNeutral Company.

What is CarbonNeutral?

CarbonNeutral demonstrates positive action to tackle climate change.

CarbonNeutral is a brand mark that is awarded when CO2 emissions have been measured and reduced to nett zero in accordance with a standard called the CarbonNeutral Protocol.

Anything can be made

Chief executive of Avis, Wayne Duvenage, does his bit in the Avis journey to environmental and social responsibility CarbonNeutral, such as events, activities, companies, products etc. The scope of the carbon footprint is defined by the protocol and will change according to the brand mark awarded. The reductions are likely to be delivered through a mix of internal actions within a business itself, as well as through carbon offsetting.

Who is The CarbonNeutral Company?

Set up over 10 years ago, The CarbonNeutral Company is one of the world’s leading carbon offset and carbon management businesses, working with over 300 corporate clients as well as thousands of small businesses, and 200 carbon offset projects across six continents. It is a company

with high integrity and deep experience, committed to delivering the best solutions for clients and the environment.

What was the process for Avis to become CarbonNeutral?

To achieve the CarbonNeutral brand mark, Avis went through a process which involved: ● Measuring CO2 emissions from electricity usage and fuel use in non-customer vehicle activity (i.e. ‘fleet’). This is known as the carbon footprint ● Setting a nett zero CO2 target and planning for how, and from where, to make reductions ● Executing a programme of external and internal CO2 reductions and reducing CO2 emissions to nett zero.

TNW3727SD

QUICK READ FOR busiest people

Wednesday November 25 2009 n 19

Car Rental Best booking practices How can travel agents get the best out of their car-rental booking experiences and ensure availability for their clients?

A

ccess to information is crucial. having aving the fleet, products and services and branch network easily accessible will make travel agents’ task much simpler, says Dawn NathanJones, ceo of europcar SA. “The only way to guarantee availability is to book as far in advance as possible. however, trends are showing that car-rental lead times are getting shorter, which is obviously going to increase the risk of non-availability.”

The key to any car-rental booking is to simply be prepared. have all the necessary basic information on hand – information that is required by both the customer and the car-rental

Technology is becoming increasingly important in the procurement of travel, and this is no exception in the car-rental industry.

According to a recent SITA survey (october 14), travellers are more likely to book car hire directly through the supplier or via the Internet rather than using a travel agent.

“With the increased number of people using the Internet in their daily lives, it was inevitable that bookings through this system would increase as well,” says Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive of hertz.

“It’s convenient, it’s quick and can be done from anywhere – these are advantages that suit a specific market. however, there will always remain a market that is not comfortable using the Internet facility and it’s up to the service providers in this case to add value to the customer and keep them coming back for future transactions.”

Tempest has also noticed the upward trend in online bookings with more and more of its business being derived from an online channel, whether through its corporate or

Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive of Hertz company. Also, you need to be prepared to answer questions from customers about all aspects of car rental, including detailed information on waivers, fuel, rental periods, etc, says

Janita Edwards, sales and marketing director of Tempest public websites. “The online environment is price sensitive, which suits both corporate and leisure travellers who are looking for the best deals on their car rental,” says Janita Edwards, sales and marketing director of Tempest.

Avis chief executive, Wayne Duvenage, believes the South African car rental industry will see a boom in Internet business in 2011 once broadband capacities are increased.

Further benefits to

20 n Wednesday November 25 2009

Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive of hertz.

“Make your car-rental booking together with your flights and accommodation; that way, you are assured of having the right vehicle available at the right time.” “one element I would suggest could be improved on is if an agent could accrue critical renter information at reservation stage, instead of us having to get it at check-out,” says Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing at First car Rental.

“We have a renter information form that can be completed online and this will ensure the renter receives the fastest checkout procedure when picking up their rental vehicle.

“Also, we display a realtime availability to our Weblink users, and have the same view from a call

booking online, include its dynamic environment.

“Suppliers can update pricing very quickly, especially when needing to ‘dump’ inventory in times of low utilisation,” says Janita. “Furthermore, the flexibility of the renter being able to manage their own rental itinerary with no amendment or cancellation fees, being able to compare pricing across a number of sites, as well being able to view fleet available and obtain a host of other travel-related info, has seen an ongoing increase of online car rental bookings.” however, Dawn NathanJones, ceo of europcar SA, believes that travel agents will always be integral to the business as advisers, mainly because they offer all the choices.

“This is especially the case for large companies which need travel industry experts to monitor and control their travel policies and budgets. Small businesses and individual travellers, who are computer savvy, prefer to shop online.”

Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing at First car Rental, agrees: “The sound expert advice of an

centre perspective. Unlike other companies, our system steers the agent towards an available option to avoid disappointment at the counter. In addition to

“The key to any car-rental booking is to simply be prepared. have all the necessary basic information on hand – information that is required by both the customer and the car-rental company.” this, our online systems also enable staff to come back with alternatives on vehicle types in the unlikely event that the selected date and timeframe doesn’t render an agent with the preferred vehicle type.”

Try to get the absolutely

experienced travel agent cannot be replaced.”

But Melissa has noticed a large amount of activity in the cross-selling approach on the Internet.

“By this I mean that a browser enters a lowcost airline’s site, the airline sells them an air ticket, upon confirmation a browser is immediately prompted with a hotel and car-rental option, for instance.”

Melissa also notes that 68% of First car Rental’s customers make use of the online reservation customer self service tool. This figure is expected to increase in mid-november to around 88% after a recent development to incorporate a range of corporate travel management tools. “The Internet has become the way of the world.

“We now find that our call centre is only utilised for the exceptionally traditional customer or if there is an unusual request or query related to a telephone reservation.

“But travel agents are not in danger in the Internet era,” says Melissa. “only if they do not stay with the times and make it work for them as opposed to against them.”

best deal for your client.

Ask him or her which provider they would prefer to use, especially when price (as it invariably is) is a strong consideration in a rental decision,” says Janita Edwards, sales and marketing director of Tempest.

“Tempest’s fleet is large enough to handle most reservation requests; however it is advisable to book ahead where possible and also to be aware of peak times for travel, such as Tuesdays to Thursdays for corporates and weekends for leisure travel. The type of vehicle needed also has bearing on availability with people carriers running at higher utilisation levels over the weekends. Seasonal peaks and large events may also mean that fleet is booked up and so booking ahead is advised.”

Europcar launches new business reservation portal Europcar Sa has launched a new business reservation portal.

This will make life easier for business, government, trade and international partners who frequently make vehicle bookings.

The site has an improved design and layout, additional functionality, is scalable and allows for migration with existing login details. phase 2, to be completed by the end of the year, is already under way and will improve the reservation system even further. other enhancements include: ● system-generated voucher numbers for billback accounts ● branch validation, and renter management, and ● access restriction for users in companies with multiple accounts.

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

What’s new at Tempest?

Tempest Car Hire has added one-ton bakkies and panel vans to its fleet of products countrywide. In addition, the car rental company has added a new service to its offering. Windscreen and tyre waivers are now available for R10 per day

The future of car rental in SA

N

EXT year promises to be an important one for the travel industry in South Africa, with numerous developments set to launch, which will mean the beginning of new and exciting trends in the carrental industry.

“Tempest is extremely positive about the future of car rental in SA and our view is that November 2009 to well into 2011 will be a period of sustainable growth,” says ceo, Leslie Matthews.

With the Gautrain and the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system in advanced stages of planning and implementation, new dimensions will be introduced to the car-rental industry.

Avis has formulated a strategy to enhance its offerings and pre-empt any risk to the business. Chief executive, Wayne Duvenage, says the Gautrain could lead to up to 20% of car-rental business moving off OR Tambo International Airport.

“Anticipating that travellers, who have caught the train to Sandton, will nevertheless need a vehicle for the duration of their stay in the city, Avis has established kiosks at all major Gautrain stations.”

Pat O’Brien, chief divisional executive of Hertz, notes that carrental companies have an important part to play in the overall strategy to improve South Africa’s transportation systems, both in light of 2010 and beyond. “It is certainly hoped that the advent of the rapid bus and

AVIS Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car vehicles in Canada and the United States are now smokefree under a new policy that prohibits smoking in the rental vehicles. “Tobacco smoke leaves a residue on fabrics, fibres and surfaces of vehicles, which emits odours that many people find unpleasant,” says Larry De Shon, executive vice-president of operations for Avis Budget Group. “In fact, we receive more

rail systems will just be the start of our country’s development in the area. Whatever this brings, it is sure to encourage our citizens to get out and travel more, not less. Car rental does, and always will, serve as an important link in the overall transportation system, for both local and international travellers.”

Leslie believes that the Gautrain and improved public transport infrastructure will have impact on short-term rentals. “But we are in the fortunate position of having a diversified business model that does not only rely on short-term corporate business, which is projected to have the greatest attrition due to the improved infrastructure projects,” he says.

Other future developments in the industry include a continued focus on environmental issues. “Car-rental companies will be putting more focus on environmental responsibility and ensuring customers have access to new, travel-related products that will streamline the service,” says Dawn Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar SA. “Electric cars will enter our market place,” says Melissa Storey, executive head: strategy, development and marketing at First Car Rental. “But it is a little ambitious or naive to think that this will be a quick or easy process for South Africa.”

Avis, which introduced a fleet of Toyota Prius vehicles in 2007, plans to renew its fleet in the near future.

customer requests for smoke-free vehicles than any other ‘special request’.” To ensure compliance with the new smoke-free policy, Avis and Budget have established new inspection processes and will add a cleaning fee if the vehicle is returned with tobacco odour or residue. In addition, the company has instituted a smokefree policy for all employees and contractors who drive its vehicles.

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Wednesday November 25 2009 n 21

AGENTZONE Demystifying car rental Conditions for renting a vehicle are often bewildering for renters and often lead to resentment when the invoice amount is reflected on the credit card. Europcar SA explains some of the most common areas of confusion…

Who can rent a vehicle?

Anyone aged 23 and over and who has held a valid driver’s licence for at least two years. A ‘young driver’ surcharge is levied for renters under the stipulated age.

Additional drivers

Only the person who signed the rental agreement is authorised to drive the vehicle unless a second driver is listed on the rental agreement.

An additional driver surcharge is levied to cover the waivers.

What are waivers?

Waivers are compulsory agreements that generally limit the claim against a renter in the event of loss of or damage to the vehicle. ● Standard Waiver: the customer is responsible for an excess amount in case of damage or loss. As the cost for a daily standard waiver is lower, the excess amount payable for any damage or loss is higher. ● Super Waiver: the customer will also be responsible for an excess amount for any damage or loss but as the cost for a daily super waiver is higher, the excess amount payable is lower.

In the case of negligence, the customer is held liable for the full amount of damage (not just the excess).

What are the payment options?

All vehicle renters must have a credit card if they are not travelling on a company account. This enables a holding deposit by car-rental companies in case of loss or damage to the vehicle. When the vehicle is returned, without damage, the credit card is refunded within 72 hours, less the invoiced amount.

Can one person drive and another person pay?

The person who reserved the vehicle (primary driver) must sign the rental agreement and pay with their credit card.

Choosing a vehicle group

Vehicles are grouped by features and specifications.

Choice of group will depend on the customer’s personal requirements.

Suggested considerations: ● Price range – according to intended spend ● Climate – is an airconditioner required? ● Conditions – will the vehicle be entering rough terrain? ● Safety – are ABS brakes or airbags required? ● Size – how many people and how much luggage? ● Groups consist of a number of vehicle brands that have models with similar features; for example, Toyota Yaris sedan, Polo Playa, Toyota Auris or a Chevrolet Aveo.

on the daily rental rate of any rental vehicle collected at and returned to any of South Africa’s state airports. This fee is paid to Acsa.

What is the tourism levy?

A compulsory Tourism Levy of 1% on the daily rental rate is paid to TOMSA. The funds are used to promote and develop tourism in South Africa.

Can a vehicle be taken across the border?

Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) is optional. It is offered at a nominal fee and covers the driver and occupants in the event of an accident.

Certain vehicles may enter neighbouring Southern African countries but over-border rules do apply and fees are applicable. Cross-border travel intention must be reported prior to rental to ensure the required documentation is drawn up by the car-rental company and submitted to the customer for display at the border.

How is the daily rental charged?

What additional charges are there?

What is PAI?

Daily rental charges are calculated in cycles of 24 hours. If a rental vehicle is collected at 09h00 on Monday and dropped back at 10h00 on Tuesday, the rental period is two days.

How is fuel/petrol charged?

Rental vehicles are supplied with a full tank of fuel. When returning the vehicle the customer can fill it up or return it at any fuel level and Europcar will fill it. All refills are charged at the government legislated fuel price.

How are ‘kilometres driven’ charged?

The chosen rental rate may include a specified amount of free kilometres per day.

For example, if you get a rate with 200km free per day and you drive 250km, you will be charged the ‘per km rate’ for the extra 50km only.

The per kilometre rate varies depending on the vehicle type.

What is the airport surcharge?

These charges apply to all car-rental transactions in SA. An airport surcharge is levied

22 n Wednesday November 25 2009

Generally, the contract fee is excluded from the daily rate and will be charged for separately. Other additional charges to be aware of are: ● A one-way charge for rentals terminating at a different branch to the collection branch if the two branches are over 150km apart. ● Delivery and/or collection fee. This is levied if the vehicle must be delivered or collected to or from the customer. ● Child seat rentals (for children up to seven years old). Customers must specify the child’s age and weight. ● GPS navigation unit rentals, which are available at major airport locations. ● Hands-free car kits, available at major airport locations. ● A traffic fine administration fee. Traffic fines are redirected to renters with an admin fee.

What is included and excluded from the rate?

The customer’s reservation confirmation will detail the items that are included in the rate.

It is important to always understand upfront what the rate includes and what you are further liable for.

AGENT ALERTS n RwandAir JNB services suspended

AS a result of the suspension of the Jetlink aircraft leased

by RwandAir, following the accident at Kigali on November 12, all flights from Johannesburg have been cancelled until further notice. Only flights to Johannesburg and Nairobi have been affected by the temporary suspension. The airline’s services to Entebbe, Kamembe, Bujumbura and Kilimanjaro will operate as normal, but with schedule changes.

n SAA increases MRU and Cairo fares

EFFECTIVE November 19, SAA has increased published fares by 3% in business and economy class on its Mauritius route.

All tickets issued on or before November 18 will be honoured at current fare levels. The airline also increased businessclass fares from Johannesburg to Cairo on November 20. All tickets issued on or before November 19 will be honoured at current fare levels. All systems will be updated accordingly.

n EgyptAir increases business fares

EgyptAir will increase business-class fares, effective December 15. All systems will be updated accordingly.

n AF and KLM modify published fares

EFFECTIVE November 10, Air France and KLM have modified certain economy- and business-class published fares ex-South Africa to Europe, the USA and Canada.

n World Travel scraps commission

WORLD Travel has advised that, to stay more competitive in the current market, it has decided to discontinue all commission. It will, however, reduce its service fees and cost of rail tickets.

n Avocatur: real-time hotel inventory

AVOCATUR has announced that it now has access to realtime hotel room inventory in the Far East. The company’s online system now allows it to provide supporting agents with instant booking confirmation and issuance of service vouchers, all in real time.

n EK rebate department closes Dec 16

EMIRATES has advised that its rebate department will be closed from December 16 and will reopen on January 4, 2010. An embargo will be placed on Emirates flights for all rebated travel for the month of December.

n ET: baggage allowance for Dubai

ETHIOPIAN Airlines has advised that, for travel to and from Dubai, the GDS will show a 20kg baggage allowance for economy class and 30kg for business class, instead of 40kg for economy class and 50kg for business class. Agents are therefore required to manually insert the correct baggage allowance when issuing tickets if the GDS shows a different baggage allowance.

n Turkish ups Far East flights

TURKISH Airlines will increase its Far East long-haul flights as follows: Istanbul-Seoul-Istanbul flights will increase from four to five per week from July 9, 2010. Istanbul-Tokyo-Istanbul flights will increase from four to six per week from March 28, 2010.

Istanbul-Osaka-Istanbul flights will increase from three to four per week as of March 28, 2010.

See Travelinfo for more details QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

SpecialiZed Travel perSonnel

COMMUNITYNEWS

Appointments n The Boardwalk Lodge, located in Wilderness on the Garden Route, has appointed Mariana van Rensburg marketing & sales manager.

Mariana previously worked at SA Tourism in the Pretoria and New York offices, and for four years with ProTours in a marketing and sales capacity.

She will be based at the Boardwalk Lodge head office in Centurion, Gauteng.

Travel industry works for charity T.I.C.E. (Travel Industry Charity Events) recently held its fifth dinner dance in aid of charity with close to 500 people from various industries attending. The event raised R340 000, bringing the total to over R1m since its inception. Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, who opened the evening, commended the travel industry for taking charity to heart. Charities that will benefit are WARMTH (War against Malnutrition, Tuberculosis and Hunger), DICT (Dyer Island Conservation Trust) and TET (Tourism Education Trust). To participate in or contribute to this event please contact Joy Strydom at joy@rovos. co.za. Carol Bayne at carol@xloceanair.co.za or Larry Smulowitz at larry@momentumtravel.co.za. Pictured here is Joy Strydom, chairperson T.I.C.E. with Alan Winde

our website is updated daily! visit www.specialized.co.za Snr Travel Consultant - Durban A position with a difference! Utilise your strong retail consulting skills within a large, highly successful travel company. Will be responsible for all travel arrangements for management, the sales team and internal staff. Will also handle all educational and familiarisation trips for overseas operators as well as local staff. Candidates must have international fares experience and be well connected with airlines. Will also be involved to some extend with World Cup 2010 bookings. This position is suited for a candidate who copes well with pressure. Kati

n The Three Cities Group has announced the promotion of Bronwyn McLeod, from pr manager to gm of 1 on 1 Events Centre. She has been with the group for many years and has worked at several different properties.

Leisure Consultant a’la difference! Durban Utilise your leisure consulting skills in a different way! Deal with clients via the internet, creating tailor-made holidays. Ideal for a consultant who enjoys the creativity side but would like to move away from the shopping centre, direct public contact environment.

Candidates must have strong written communication skills. Kati

n World Leisure Holidays has promoted Taryn Muller from reservations consultant to sales executive.

Top Intermediate / Senior Travel Consultant – West Rand An opportunity to move from retail travel into Incentives! Will be assisting in all aspects and dealing with blue chip corporate companies.

Strong organizational skills, geographical knowledge and attention to detail required.

Must work well under pressure and be able to work extended hours. Amadeus R13 000. Kati

Personnel with the personal touch

To advertise on this page contact Natalie on 011 214 7330 or email nataliew@nowmedia.co.za

FINANCIAL MANAGER/ISANDO

HighlyRATES negotiableAND pacakage offered by Market Leader RESERVATIONS for your B.Comm/equivalent and ability to lead ADMINISTRATOR/SANDTON department of 45 people!

Reservations Consultant – N/Suburbs Process reservations for 5 star game lodge, dealing with clients telephonically and via email. Candidates must have 3 years reservations experience. R7500 plus medical aid contribution. Well known and highly regarded company! Joyce

Database experience essential for position with leading Inbound Operator!!

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER/ NORTHERN SUBURBS

AA FINANCIAl Hands on position withCONTROllER/ total responsibility for ROSEBANK Key Account Managers and Business B.COMM essential to work Development Managers! for 5 Star Hospitality Group!!

German Speaking Rental Agent Will be based on the East Rand handling rental enquiries, bookings and clerical work.

Will be dealing with the overseas market.

Previous car rental experience will be an advantage. Kati

BRAND MANAGER/

HOSPITAlITY TRAINER/SANDTON NORTHERN SUBURBS Training & Lodge required by Person strong in experience Marketing invited to join Upmarket Inbound Operator!! leading Wholesaler!

SENIOR CONSUlTANT/ SENIORINCENTIVES CONSULTANT/BOKSBURG WEST RAND Join well established, friendly company and work Work closercloser to home utilising your to home! indepth Incentives experience!!

SENIOR RESERVATION CONSULTANT. SANDTON.

Sales Executive - Durban Large travel company requires a sales executive to call on corporate companies with the emphasis on establishing new business.

The sales activities will include identifying prospective clients, doing presentations, putting forward proposals and closing the sale. A travel industry background is required as well as previous experience in this role. Kati

Position available for experienced Senior Reservations Consultant at the Sandton Head Office of successful Game Lodge Group The Reservations Centre is staffed by four Reservations Consultants and one telesales agent. Reporting to the Company’s National Sales Manager, a minimum of 3 years Reservations experience desirable and knowledge of ERes an added advantage.

A competitive salary, together with Medical Aid and Provident Fund benefits to the right candidate. The position is available immediately.

Interested individuals should send their CV’s and contact details to andre@thornybush.co.za and contact will be made to successful applicants to arrange an interview.

INTERMEDIATE CONSULTANTBloemfontein 4 yrs exp. Handling all aspects of Local and International on Galileo. Knowledge of Global Fares. MS, Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Salary: R9000 with benefits.

Ann SENIOR INBOUND CONSULTANTWest Rand 6-8Yrs exp. Groups and Incentives. Excellent Geographical knowledge of South and Southern Africa. Fluent in Portugese.

R17000-R18000 plus Incentive bonus. Ann NEW BUSINESS SALES SUPPORT EXECUTIVE: Parktown 2Yrs exp. in tender preparation and new business sales. Compilation ofTenders, Proposals and Database registrations.

Qual. in sales and marketing. Salary: R15000-R20000. Ann

TOP SENIOR CONSULTANT- Pretoria 8Yrs exp. Handling all aspects: full international bookings using Amadeus, Quicktrav. Computer literate. January 2010. Ann TEMP INTERMEDIATE CONSULTANTS- Randburg 3 +Yrs exp. Amadeus certificate & proficient. Handle corporate clients. 3 months temp. Salary R8000. Nono INTERMEDIATE INBOUND CONSULTANT- Kempton Park FIT’s (individual) travel arrangements, Leisure groups, Incentive group programmes. Plan & propose own itineraries. Inbound travel experience. Nono E mail: ann@pcs-sa.co.za nono@pcs-sa.co.za karen@pcs-sa.co.za Web: www.pcs-sa.co.za

TNW5071

lee botti & associates JOHANNESbURG

CAPE TOWN

IN-HOUSE GURU – CENTURION

CHIEF INdAbA – Cbd

TNW4530

THIS WEEK’S TOP JObS CAPE TOWN CREdITORS EXPERT!

Excellent opportunity to flaunt your Asia, Middle East, US and Europe travel experience! Great opening for the Senior Consultant who thrives working in a one-man in-house operation and running the show! Impress your clients with your customer service excellence, sound consulting skills and Amadeus literacy. Afrikaans fluency essential. To R19 000.

Come gather your tribes of Sales people to exceed targets, smash profits through the roof and more. Bring your previous solid inbound managerial skills along with your picture perfect product expertise in South Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

Super professional structured set up to help in guiding you along. R25 000 upwards.

Umhlanga area. Prestigious corporate agency seeks strong supervisory skills, and expertise in controlling large volume Creditors accounts. Superb opportunity to get your foot in the door of this elite establishment! Travel industry experience + Quicktrav knowledge essential.

R9,000 neg.

JOHANNESbURG

CAPE TOWN

dURbAN

PORTUGUESE CONSULTANT – JHb WEST

Stunning opportunity with well established company! If you speak fluent Portuguese and have at least 10 years experience within the inbound tourism market, call us now! Use your creative flair and excellent knowledge of Southern Africa to design tailor-made incentive programmes and travel with your groups!

To R17 000 ctc.

Tel: Tracey (011) 803 6606 rivonia@nowjobs.co.za

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE

LA-dOOM-MA bAFANAS – NORTH

10 month contractual position with core focus on 2010! You’re previous Southern Africa brilliance in tour consulting environment secures you this feather in your cap! Super superb operator with sumptuous team environments. Min 2 years previous experience essential with Tourplan. Intermediate market related salary

Tel: Wayne (021) 418 1084 capetown@nowjobs.co.za

TNW2048 TNW2048

Please Take Note of Our New Telephone No.: 011 704 4909

CONTACT WENDY/KIM TEl: 011Contact 704 4909 FAx: 086 538 5889 Wendy/Kim E-MAIl: wtp@icon.co.za (011) 704 4909 or e-mail: wtp@icon.co.za

Sales Executive – Based Sandton Upmarket conferencing facility is looking for an experienced Sales Executive who has called on event companies, PCO’s or the hospitality industry. Must be a true hunter who is well connected and can call on clients, negotiate and secure business. The facilities are superb and can be sold with great confidence! The position offers a basic plus lucrative commission scheme. Kati

Tel: Jill (031) 201 8330 durban@nowjobs.co.za

KEY ACCOUNTS!

Call on global corporate key accounts, and use your analytical + sales skills to review accounts with the purpose of increasing revenue growth. Superior presentation skills required with in-depth knowledge of Excel. Sustain existing business whilst also developing new business, and build relationships with clients.

Package neg.

See our website for a further selection of exciting vacancies! www.leebotti.co.za

Sales Executive – Cape Town Well established and well known travel company requires a New Business Sales Executive. The emphasis will be on establishing new business and will incorporate the full function from identifying prospective companies, preparing proposals, doing presentations and finalising the sale.

Candidates must have a track record of having successfully handled this role within the retail travel industry. Kati Reconciliations Clerk - Sandton Join highly successful and well reputed tourism company based in Sandton. Will be reconciling the financial aspects of complex and detailed conferences. This will incorporate analysing all bills received from suppliers and ensuring that invoices have been raised. Candidates must have strong Excel skills as well as some insight into Pastel. Kati Entry Level Opportunities – Dbn, Cpt and Jhb Do you know anyone who has travelled overseas to a few countries or did an overseas GAP year? Are they keen to get into travel?

Excellent opportunities are available to join top travel company. A good basic salary is on offer as well as an excellent commission scheme with money earned from the first booking made – no minimum target has to be reached! Kati Jnr Consultant – Eastern Suburbs Opportunity coming up for next year, with commencement date being 01 February.

Your 1 year’s travel experience is required to join top leisure travel company. Candidates must enjoy interacting with the public and have a confident, outgoing personality. Kati Marketing Assistant – Sandton Join highly respected company. Will be involved with road-shows, promotions, workshops and exhibitions and must have previous experience handling these functions within the travel industry. Candidates must also have some experience in working with the media. An exceptionally pleasant working environment. R12000/R15000. Kati Travel Assistant - Midrand Be employed by a corporate company working in their travel department. There is a lot of emphasis on administrative duties and reconciling travel accounts and this position is well suited for a candidate who does not want a front-line position. Consulting and administrative skills are required. Kati Help Desk Consultant – N/Suburbs Take inbound calls and emails requesting assistance with online bookings and ticketing.

Will also assist with training. Must be proficient on Galileo. R6000. Kati

Office Hrs (011) 884-9113 Website: www.specialized.co.za e-mail: kati@sgroup.co.za

TNW0714

Births, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW's Jeanette Phillips, at jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 327 4094.

Wednesday November 25 2009 n 23

TNW NEWS Opinion

Let me choose Dreaming of the A380?

You could be the lucky agent who wins a free trip to Paris on Air France’s A380 flight from Johannesburg.

For every five first- or business-class tickets sold until December 15 and flown by December 31 on either Air France or KLM, you will earn one entry into the lucky draw. You could stand a chance to win two Johannesburg to Paris return economy tickets on the A380 inaugural flight, two nights’ accommodation in Paris on a bed and breakfast basis; a two-day Paris metro pass and €50 Printemps department store shopping voucher.

Simply visit Travelinfo for further details. “Air France is very proud to be the first airline to introduce the Big Boy into South Africa. Once more Air France is showing its confidence in the SA and regional market,” says Air France sales director for South Africa and Angola, Clea Spann (second from left) with (from left) Lala Fernandes, sales executive; Mini Van der Schyff Schyff, sales executive, Shareen Akoodie, sales manager and Mireille Falaki, sales executive. AF995 departs Johannesburg at 20h30 from February 3 to March 28, departing Paris at 23h20, while from March 29 to October 27, the Johannesburg departure time will be brought forward to 19h40 Photo: Tijana Huysamen

brought to you by eTNW and TRAVELINFO

Top end still spend!

The luxury market has remained buoyant in the recession:

n Yes 58% n No 42%

Natalia thomsoN

I

F it’s not a dirty little secret, why does nobody want to talk about it? I’m talking of course about preferred supplier deals or ‘preferreds’ as they are sometimes called.

There’s little doubt that the details of preferreds are commercially sensitive and as a consumer I have no need for retailers to disclose these details, even though some corporate travel buyers would disagree. But if sealing the preferred deal is based on more than just rands and cents – reliability, reputation, service, training and product – why not be more transparent about your preferreds?

If by concluding preferreds and selling these products consultants are sure they’re offering their client the best deal, why not reveal clearly which suppliers you have a preferred deal with and how the consumer will benefit?

By having preferred partner strategies, one retailer told TNW in response to our recent coverage on preferred supplier deals, consumers are ultimately protected. Preferred partners are subject to due diligence to ensure that they are financially sound and each one is assessed in terms of service, product offering, pricing and consultant training.

Some retailers are quick to confirm that their customers already know who their preferred suppliers are. Just look at our brochure rack, they say. Others deny outright

To sponsor this poll contact Kate on 011 214 7334 or e-mail katen@nowmedia.co.za

came out in force saying the customer should come first.

You could argue that the average consultant is not involved in negotiating these deals and doesn’t know how these deals are concluded, but in the end it is the consultant tasked with selling the preferred. If the consumer is king, consultants had better understand how their clients benefit from selling one supplier over the other. In fact, I cannot see any reason why they should be allowed and proud to share these benefits with their clients.

Interestingly, most of our respondents – whether or not they actually understood the detail of preferred supplier deals – did come out in support for these saying they were vital to the industry and should remain.

I had to wholeheartedly agree as one industry boss retorted: “I wish the industry would stop looking at preferreds as if there is something untoward about it.” Unfortunately the veil of secrecy under which these deals seem to be conducted does little to dispel their reputation.

As a consumer, I can accept that retailers can and must have preferred deals in place.

All I ask is that you show a little transparency.

Tell me how I stand to benefit from going with the supplier in the consultation process you have deemed to be the best fit for me, and then let me choose... n

Ticketing for VAustralia only from Dec Natalia thomsoN

“We are seeing an increasing number of multi-country combos within Southern Africa and these don’t come cheap. Tailor making is definitely becoming a larger part of our business.” David Wood, Air Holidays.

that consumers should be informed about preferreds.

Inevitably we are often reminded of the argument put forward by retailers that big retail chains like Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar don’t have to disclose what back-end deals they have in place or which suppliers they sell. So why should travel agents?

While this argument is noted, the difference in this case is that when I go to Pick ‘n Pay, I don’t consult with the shelf packer to advise me on whether Koo is better than Heinz.

As the consumer, I consider the brands that Pick ‘n Pay has deigned to stock and from that make my own decision on which brand would suit me – and that decision could be based on product or price. The decision is mine.

Travel is a slightly different animal!

If travel agents would like to consider themselves ‘consultants’ and if these consultants now view me, the consumer, as their client, they have to take on the responsibility of choosing one supplier over another based on what is in my best interest even if it is not in theirs. The Consumer Protection Act is very clear about limiting the client’s choice. And in travel, I’m relying on and trusting my ‘consultant’ to help me with this choice.

I was rather pleased to see, in response to TNW’s request for comment on ‘preferreds’, that all the retail groups

AGENTS having difficulty booking VAustralia should take note that the airline is hoping to finalise its BSP set-up by November 27.

Isabel Hancock, regional commercial manager Southern Africa, says from December agents will be able to ticket reservations made in the GDS.

“VAustralia has submitted its application for a Foreign Operators Permit to operate flights between JNB and Melbourne. The Department of Transport has not yet approved the application, however has given VAustralia permission to begin to sell ‘subject to government approval’. This is standard procedure.”

A special fare introduced

in the market will also be extended to November 20 so, provided the reservation is made before that date, the special fare will apply even though it cannot be ticketed, explains Isabel.

Interline agreements with domestic carriers have, however, not been finalised so separate tickets for domestic legs will need to be issued. n

TNW3493SD

24 n Wednesday November 25 2009

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