Travel News Weekly by Now Media

Southern Africa’s Travel News Weekly

July 29 2009 I No. 2068

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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News

INSIDE

GDS wastage

eastern europe

feature

agentzone

A ‘churning’ issue

Find out what’s on offer

What it can do for your sales

Social media

Page 12

Page 2

Page 14

SA’s BSP down 31%! Natalia Thomson

HE freefall in SA’s BSP numbers in the first quarter continued its downward spiral as the second quarter shows an even greater deterioration with an average 31% decline in sales. April remains the largest contributor to the decline with a 35% drop, with May BSP figures dropping 33% and June’s decline slowing slightly to 23%. Sales out of Pretoria and Johannesburg in June are hardest hit with 1500 declines 34% and 36% respectively. Both domestic and 1200 international ticket sales out of the SA market have 900 declined. Comair executive manager: sales and route 600Stuart development, Cochrane, says the airline

has never seen trading conditions like those of the past six months. “Even though the domestic sector seems to be more resilient, we have seen downtrading and don’t believe we’ve seen the end of the downturn yet.” Emirates sales manager, John Friel, says cutting fares in the SA market to stimulate demand hasn’t actually increased sales, but simply eroded the airline’s yields. “That elastic market – the biggest part of the market – that may or may not travel is just not travelling. The low prices simply haven’t stimulated them to travel.” The slightly better June results reflect improved results globally. Iata’s dg and ceo, Giovanni Bisignani, says the slump in global air travel may have reached a floor. “We may have hit

300

BSP numbers in freefall (2nd quarter) 0

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April

May

R1,11bn

2009

2008 R1,04bn

R1,55bn

2009 R994m

R1,53bn

1000

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2009

1500

R1,46bn

2008

2000

2008

(rand millions)

June

bottom, but we’re a long way from recovery,” he said in a statement. “This crisis is the worst we have ever seen.” Iata says the impact of the recession appears to be stabilising. The organisation’s international passenger demand weakened from the -3,1% recorded in April to -9,3% in May. But both of the past two months have been slightly stronger than the 11,1% decline reached in March. “Even if we look beyond the crisis, it is difficult to see a return to business as usual. This crisis is re-shaping the industry. The burden cannot be placed on airlines alone. All partners in the value chain must be prepared to change – reducing costs and improving efficiencies.” This was echoed by internationally based airlines at a recent Asata airline-agents forum held in Johannesburg. “We need to do business differently. We need to choose our partners very closely and then work together as teams,” said John. Virgin Atlantic sales and distribution head, Yvonne Skerritt, agrees. “We have to find new ways of working together. At least 80% of our business is sold by agents and choosing your partners is going to be increasingly important in this environment.” ■

Wanna win a cruise? Enter Cruises International’s incentive by booking 10 cruises from any of its product portfolio (Royal Caribbean International, Crystal Cruises, the Yachts of Seabourn, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Voyages of Discovery, Swan Hellenic and Variety Cruises) until December 15 and you could stand a chance to experience a seven-night cruise for two. The draw will take place in December and every completed sheet qualifies for one entry into the draw. Once all 10 blocks on the sheet have been completed send the original to Cruises International’s postal address (on Travelinfo). Getting ready to welcome you on the cruise of a lifetime are (from left) Tracey Krog, product manager Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Voyages of Discovery; Candice De Cardoso, reservations consultant, and Jenny Arthur, product manager Luxury Portfolio Photo: Tijana Huysamen

to the point

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Discover the World Marketing, Alitalia’s commercial representative in South Africa since 2005, will from July 31 cease to represent the Italian airline in South Africa. From August 1, all enquiries should be referred to the Air France KLM trade helpdesk: fares@af-klm.co.za/refunds@af-klm.co.za

TNW NEWS

GDS wastage – a ‘churning’ issue Natalia Thomson

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“ Mr. Cummings? This is Frank Dunham in Production. ...We’ve got some problems, Mr. Cummings. Machine No.5 has jammed, several of the larger spools have gone off track, the generator’s blown, and, well, everything seems to be you-know-what.”

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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EDITORAL 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: Lana Sachs PRODUCTION Design Head: Brendon Bester

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OUTH Africa’s ticket time limits may be one of the greatest culprits when it comes to GDS wastage. “In the current climate, corporations serviced by TMCs are asking for anywhere between three and five itinerary options to be provided per travel transaction,” says Samantha Williams, Travelport regional product manager Africa. Samantha says the sameday guarantee in the SA market, introduced in 2008, means agencies that are holding multiple reservations need to then re-book these on a daily basis until the corporate client has had approval for travel from their company and has confirmed their choice of flight reservations. “Corporates simply cannot make the decision that quickly so a lot of agencies don’t respect the ticket time limit,” says Thompsons Travel md Mary Shilleto. For every seat that is sold, says Stuart Cochrane, BA Comair’s executive manager: sales & route development, three seats are booked. A real problem, says Emirates Airline sales manager John Friel, is that when quoting their clients agents are actually making

For every seat sold, three seats are booked, says Stuart Cochrane a booking, rather than just quoting to secure the fare. “In the UK agents are also expected to give three quotes. At the moment the airline is paying for this wastage and not getting any value. At the moment the biggest culprits aren’t being penalised but that surely has to come because of the amount being churned.” Both Amadeus and Galileo offer facilities to help agents stop churning. Amadeus has its Internet booking engines like Amadeus e-Travel Management, which allow corporates to select their itinerary from a range of options within their defined travel policy. “Ultimately the corporate has full transparency of all the available airlines and fares

(including low-cost carriers) and it is not necessary to hold each option as a confirmed booking in the GDS,” explains Allison McMurray, Amadeus senior manager operations and solutions. Also on offer, explains Allison, are low-fare search engines like Value Pricer and Speedfares. These allow the agent to give customers an “accurate quote on the cheapest available flights without having to hold a seat in the GDS”. Travelport’s Galileo Focalpoint Shopping product, says Samantha, allows agencies to ‘shop’ without having to make an actual booking. “Agents can search itineraries, check available seats and applicable taxes, and provide a total fare for the booking. This means that TMCs have the ability to shop and advise on prices but do not have to hold multiple booking options.” In the near future, she adds, Galileo agencies will have access to Travelport e-Pricing. “The low-fare shopping power of e-Pricing is being introduced to subscribers of Galileo globally and here in Southern Africa during 2009.” e-Pricing, she explains, will find the traveller the lowest available fare for the dates required or provide the options on the best fare to meet their needs in a single search. ■

The DU tax box is illegal Natalia Thomson YOU may love the DU tax box as a means to collect airline penalty fees, but did you know that under Iata regulations it’s illegal? Currently, several airlines in South Africa – including Lufthansa, Swiss and SAA – are using the DU tax box for this purpose. SAA says it uses the DU box for penalty fees because it hasn’t been assigned to anything else yet. It adds: “Iata recommendations act only as a guideline for airlines to follow.” This means there are “no mandatory rules but rather suggestions for airlines to operate similarly”, said the airline.

According to Iata spokesperson, Linden Birns, the use of this DU tax box to collect any fee that goes to the airline is “not in accordance with established industry standards”. The penalty fees, fuel surcharges or any other type of charge that is handed over to the airline, he says, should not be collected in the DU tax box. “Effective June 1, carriers can exchange or reissue tickets and incorporate the reservations change fee as a validating carrier fee using code ‘OD’ which is officially designated for this purpose,” says Linden. “In this way, validating carrier fee procedures allow the collection of amounts that

will accrue to the ticketing airline but crucially they do not appear in the tax box on the face of the ticket, nor are they transmitted in interline messages but rather they sit in the electronic ticket record as a separate and distinct amount from the ET itself. As this is a new standard not all system providers have yet made this available in the GDSs.” Earlier this month BA Comair announced it would be withdrawing its current change-of-booking fee until further notice. The airline said it recognised the VMPD process was time consuming for agents and added it had ruled out the DU tax option for this reason. ■

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Travel industry celebrates Mandela Day

TNW will support this initiative every year. We challenge you to do the same and let us know what you’re up to!

Melody Brandon

HE travel industry jumped in and did their bit for the less fortunate on July 18, Nelson Mandela’s birthday and the newly adopted ‘Mandela Day’. South Africans were asked to spend 67 minutes doing something to make a difference to other people’s lives. Travel News Weekly asked staff at Now Media to donate toiletries, including basics like toilet paper, tissues and deodorant to Gerald Fitzpatrick Home, an oldage home in Bez Valley, Johannesburg. “If all it takes is just over an hour out of one year, there’s surely something the travel industry should start doing as a collective around this initiative. We would support any efforts by travel companies to make this day something special,” said Natalia Thomson, editor of TNW.

Making a difference

Singapore Airlines Durban staff, their family members and friends hosted a party for 48 children and staff at St Thomas Home for Children.

Employees from Singapore Airlines Durban did their bit for their community on Madiba Day. Front: Sharon Bornman, Alexandra Baldwin and Natasha Baldwin. Back: Melissa Norman, Claudine Reddiar, Abby Baldwin and Deborah Perumal “The children sang ‘Happy Birthday’ for Madiba and blew out candles. Each child received a gift package containing a blanket, sweets, pens, bags, frisbee and toys. A large fruit basket and toilet seats were among other gifts along with cash donations of R2 000 and R500. The monies will be utilised to improve their bathroom facilities,” said Sharon Bornman, who thanked all the

generous sponsors for their contribution. The staff at International Travel and Tours celebrated the day with Zulufadder, a project they support throughout the year. “Twenty-eight enthusiastic ITT staffers visited on Saturday, and brought a mountain of food, children's clothing and toys,” said Tertia Summerford, sales and marketing manager. ■

ITT’s Gwyn Evans shares a moment with one of the children at the Zulufadder project

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Garth Wolff CEO eTravel

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NEWS

Fly Kumba to rival Air Zim Jeanette Phillips

NEW airline is scheduled to begin operations in Zimbabwe in September, operating domestic and regional routes. A group of local investors is setting up a low-cost airline, Fly Kumba, to compete with state-owned Air Zimbabwe.

Fly Kumba ce, Lloyd Muchaka, said the main route would be HarareJohannesburg, “tapping into the more than three million Zimbabweans estimated to be living and working in South Africa”. Lloyd says Fly Kumba has been modelled on the lines of low-cost carriers in Europe and elsewhere and says he is confident of securing

viable business in the market segment. “We intend to become Zimbabwe’s preferred LCC, delivering the cheapest fares with the highest consumer value and offering world-class service to price-sensitive customers.” Lloyd said aircraft had been secured but did not elaborate on where they were from or how much had been invested in the project. ■

What’s new in Thailand? Natasha Tippel THAILAND continues to attract South African tourists with its great value offers and numerous new attractions… ● Museums The Foundation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has put a permanent exhibition on display at the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok. Hundreds of relics of Thai history and culture made by ordinary people, mostly farmers, who have been trained by the queen’s support foundation, are being displayed in this new museum. Another new attraction in Bangkok is the Museum of Siam: a multimedia interactive showcase that represents the development of the country, its people and culture with

h! s flas

New

technologically advanced features that visitors can join and have fun with. Also new is the Dragon Descendants Museum in Suphan Buri, one hour’s drive from Bangkok. The museum was founded to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand and is designed to present the history of Chinese civilisation. ● Weddings Thailand has always been a popular spot for honeymooners but increasingly more couples are travelling to the destination to tie the knot. Popular ways to say ‘I do’ include simple temple ceremonies, services in Thailand’s natural gardens and de-luxe hotels, on elephant back, traditional

northern (Lanna) style weddings, or underwater ceremonies. ● Community-based tourism A new trend in Thailand is community-based tourism, which offers travellers creative and fun learning experiences that benefit local people and the environment. An example of this is the Ko Yao Noi Ecotourism Club in PhangNga province. The Muslim community is located on an island in the Andaman Sea, which is rich in marine resources and seascape. Travellers stay in traditional home-stay accommodation, mingle with the local people, learn about rice farming, visit rubber tree plantations and learn the process of rubber-tapping while gaining knowledge about local ecosystems at affordable costs.

Thailand’s new city sky train, which will facilitate travel from Suvarnabhumi International Airport into downtown Bangkok, will be ready for launch at the end of the year. The 28km rail link will transport passengers from the airport to downtown Bangkok in 15 minutes. ■

PillowTalk

A brief look at this week's hotel news

Doubletree by Hilton comes to Africa

THE Hilton Corporation has announced the introduction of its Doubletree Hilton brand in Africa. The corporation signed two franchise licence agreements in Tanzania – the Doubletree by Hilton Dar es Salaam, Oyster Bay and the Doubletree by Hilton Resort Zanzibar, Nungwi, both scheduled to open in October. The Doubletree by Hilton Dar es Salaam is located on the sea at Masaki, 20km from the airport. It will feature 158 rooms, an all-day restaurant, a café, outdoor swimming pool with pool bars, meeting rooms and business centre. The Doubletree by Hilton Resort Zanzibar, Nungwi features 101 rooms, a large outdoor swimming pool, gym, spa and health club facilities, all of which have been extensively refurbished. Nungwi is a well-established resort 45 minutes from Stone Town, renowned for its fishing village and dhow-making centre.

Kololo partners with Matingwe

KOLOLO Game Reserve, through a partnership with Matingwe Lodge, can now offer guests an alternative five-star accommodation option. Matingwe is adjacent to Kololo in the Waterberg, three hours from Johannesburg. Accommodation comprises six chalets of which three are double en-suite. Each chalet is connected to an en-suite chalet by an outside shower. The 12 chalets at Kololo range from the exclusive four-star King’s and Queen’s chalets, to the River chalets, Leopard’s Den, Oom Piet’s and three-star garden and bush chalets. Both lodges are child friendly and some of the chalets at Kololo are available on a self-catering basis. Kololo guests staying at Matingwe can dine at the lodge, or at Kololo’s restaurant. Kololo has launched a Kids’ Safari Programme with a number of fun-filled activities such as excursions to Bambelela wildlife rehab farm and Tabakwena crocodile breeding farm, game tracking, bush cooking and face painting. Kololo’s new fully equipped, air-conditioned conference and banqueting room seats 160 delegates cinema style.

Free Wi-Fi at Nairobi Serena Hotel

NAIROBI Serena Hotel now offers free Wi-Fi to guests as an added amenity. This makes Nairobi Serena the third of Serena’s hotels to offer the service free of charge. Wi-Fi services are currently available at all Serena lodges and hotels across Africa.

Tusk Mmabatho upgraded and rebranded

TUSK Mmabatho Casino Resort, near Mafikeng in the North West Province, has undergone an extensive makeover. The resort will now be called Mmabatho Palms Hotel Casino and Convention Resort. The makeover includes the refurbishment of the casino, the addition of a conferencing facility called the Bagosing Room, the revamping of the Motswedi Terrace Restaurant and Bar and all public areas. The four-star Peermont Walmont hotel located at the resort has also received a soft facelift.

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& Dream the destination... Live the journey.

Thompsons Universi 24 - 28 J Another resounding success! Agents from around the country explored the sights and sounds of the Zulu Kingdom and discovered why a Thompsons University is the most entertaining way to get an education! As part of the ongoing relationship with Tourism KwaZulu Natal and South African Tourism and their commitment to domestic leisure travel, Thompsons Holidays hosted 30 retail travel agents under the banner of the University of KZN. After arriving in the province, the agents enjoyed an informative workshop at the Fairmont Zimbali where 18 of KZN’s best property groups exhibited their products. The excellent prizes and quick Mangwanani massages provided extra stamina. The following morning, agents split up into 3 groups and set off to explore the province. Group 1 toured the North Coast of KZN and enjoyed the great attractions of the area like the St Lucia Wetland Park and Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Group 2 travelled down the South Coast, taking part in some of the best activities that the Hibiscus coast has to offer. Group 3 journeyed back inland to the Midlands and enjoyed a thrilling canopy tour at Howick Falls before staying at the fabulous Karkloof Spa Wellness & Wildlife Retreat. The groups met up again on Saturday evening for an indulgent gala dinner in the ‘Cargo Hold’ at uShaka Marine World, hosted by KZN Tourism, before partying the night away at Durban’s best hotspots.

Thank you to our valued partners for making it all possible:

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I really enjoyed this University, made some wonderful friends and saw beautiful places. Thanks for the opportunity.

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Thompsons Holidays are an avid supporter of the Sho’t Left domestic marketing campaign and believe that an investment in the emerging tourism sector is an investment in the tourist of tomorrow.

Expert Knowledge and Best Deals

NEWS

Change that return date! Melody Brandon

ITH most airlines not allowing open tickets, travel agents need to advise passengers to change their fictitious ‘return date’ in time to avoid cancellation fees and the added cost of booking a new ticket. “I have found with many youth travel tickets there is confusion about open tickets because you have to have a return date to book your ticket. Youngsters are creating a ‘thumb suck’ return date, and although airlines offer one change of booking, many travellers are not changing the date before the return date on the ticket and are doing no-shows,”

said Kevin Banks, consultant at Travel247. Airlines like Delta, Air France and KLM offer one free date change on youth travel tickets, while SAA still offers open tickets. “In the past, you could book an open ticket and come back whenever you wanted to. This is not the case any more,” explained Kevin.

Tell your clients

STA Travel md, Liezl Gericke says it is up to the agent to explain this to their clients before they travel and if possible to send them a reminder while they are away. “This isn’t a new issue but it does rear its head quite often. It is a global rule from

airlines that a return day needs to be booked, even if it is not the date the traveller wants to return. “Travel agents need to make sure the client understands that they need to book their actual return date on time,” she says. Liezl said while some airlines were accommodating with no shows, others were not so lenient and clients could find themselves having to fork out for another ticket. “It can cause a lot of confusion if the client does not understand what the rules are. Keeping in constant communication with the client is vital to make sure these types of slip-ups don’t happen,” she said. ■

The future is here... The agency of the future – that’s what Etihad Holidays has launched as it invests heavily in its retail presence in Abu Dhabi. There’s a lot that SA agents can learn from this new-age retail store. Promising “a complete travel sales experience” the retail stores rolled out in Abu Dhabi malls have features such as interactive computer displays, in-store destination and product promotions and its ‘gottogo’ sales promotions. Ed’s note: Why is your agency the agency of the future? Send your comments to nataliat@nowmedia.co.za on why you feel your agency is unique. The winning entry will be featured in TNW.

AirHeads SAA and Air India sign codeshare agreement

SAA and Air India have signed a codeshare agreement. The agreement allows Air India passengers to codeshare on SAA’s route between JNB and Mumbai, and on the domestic sectors between JNB and Durban and Cape Town. SAA in return will codeshare on Air India’s domestic operations between Mumbai and Delhi as well as operations between Bangalore, Chennai, Trivandrum and Hyderabad and Mumbai. SAA currently operates four times per week between Johannesburg and Mumbai. In Africa, Air India operates only to Nairobi, three times a week.

AF extends mobile boarding

AIR France has extended its mobile boarding service to all its long-haul destinations departing from Paris-CDG. It allows passengers to check in up to 30 minutes before the latest checkin time, to receive boarding passes via SMS or MMS or email and get flight information by texting their flight numbers to 63654.

Acsa June traffic figures show decline

ACSA’S June traffic results showed a decline in passenger numbers at six of its eight airports, excluding Durban and Bloemfontein. Kimberley and George showed the biggest fall – 24,5% and 18,4% respectively. The decline at OR Tambo was 4,6%, at Cape Town 1,3%, Port Elizabeth 8,4% and East London 3,8%. Domestic passenger numbers at OR Tambo were down 5,9% and international down 2,9%. Cape Town domestic travel showed 0,4% growth, while international travel was down 9,8%. Durban’s domestic traffic grew 2,6% and international traffic fell by 26,8%. For the 12 months ending June, traffic at all airports fell as follows: OR Tambo: 9,3%; Cape Town: 7,6%; Durban: 9,5%; Port Elizabeth: 9,1%; East London: 5,8%; George: 12,6%; Bloemfontein: 0,5%; Kimberley: 8%. Domestic travel, for the same period fell by 13,2% at OR Tambo, by 9% at Cape Town and 9,5% at Durban. International numbers at these airports fell by 4,3% at OR Tambo, by 0,9% at Cape Town and 15,4% at Durban.

EK’s A380 to serve Birmingham for a day

Emirates will operate an A380 to Birmingham on September 9, as part of Birmingham International Airport's 70th anniversary celebrations. The A380 will depart Dubai at 08h05, arriving in Birmingham at 12h35. The return service leaves Birmingham at 15h05, arriving in Dubai at 01h05 the next day. September 9 is not only a significant day for Birmingham International Airport in the world of transport developments. Dubai Metro, a fully automated, driverless railway system running throughout Dubai, is due to open the same day.

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● Malaysia Airlines is offering tactical fares from Johannesburg and Cape Town to the Far East and Australia from R2 520. Valid for sales until August 31 and travel until October 15. Taxes are excluded. ● Seyunique CC – Seychelles specials from R8 740 per person sharing. The rate includes return flights ex-Johannesburg, airport taxes, six nights’ accommodation, breakfast and transfers. Valid for various low-season departures until the end of November. ● The Sentinel Executive Apartment Hotel (Pretoria) is offering a special rate during the Currie Cup. The rate of R345 per person sharing includes one night’s accommodation with breakfast and a six-pack of local beer per suite. The third and fourth person sharing stay free and only pay for breakfast. Valid until October 31 for Currie Cup ticket holders only. ● Idube Game Lodge (Mpumalanga) is offering a rate of R2 500 per person sharing per night. The rate includes accommodation, three full meals per day, tea and coffee, two game drives daily, safari walks and game activities with skilled rangers. Valid until August 31.

Specials Spot

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NEWS

Asata showcase bridges the gap Melody Brandon

HE annual Asata showcase that wrapped up last week was the second the organisation has hosted to give suppliers and agents the chance to meet, ask questions and iron out concerns. “It has been fantastic. This year we had the right brands, which was a major drawcard for agents. It isn’t just about Asata, it’s about helping the agents,” said Asata ceo, Robyn Christie. The showcase was held in Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London and Port Elizabeth, and saw hordes of agents flocking to meet suppliers.

“It gives agents an opportunity to speak to various representatives, out of the office setting and without any distractions. The problem with everyone being so busy is that they don’t

“This year we had the right brands, which was a major drawcard for agents.” always have time to speak to a rep when they come into the office,” Robyn said. On average, the showcase hosted 25 exhibitors from airlines to car-hire companies. “This is the second year I have come and it is great,” said Karina Fick, who

Thailand is amazing! was at the Johannesburg showcase. “It is great to get an update from the reps about their products and have our questions answered.” Lulu Rodrigues, sales and operations manager of Naïade Holidays, said she had been able to meet with many agents and get information “out there”. “I was at the Bloemfontein showcase and at Johannesburg. It is invaluable to be able to speak to the people who are selling your product. I will be here next year,” she said. If you missed this year’s showcase, be sure to book your place for next year’s event. Visit Asata’s website for more information. ■

The Royal Thai Government has declared tourism a national agenda. This was the word at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) South African road show, which was held at the Radisson Hotel in Sandton on July 13. Incentives for tourists that are currently being implemented include a lower landing charge for aircraft and a 50% discount on entry fees to national parks until the end of the year. Pictured here are, from left: Thailand Tourism SA marketing representative, Leon Els, and TAT director of the UK, Ireland and South Africa, Tanes Petsuwan Photo: Natasha Tippel

SAA customer satisfaction on the up Natasha Tippel SAA customer satisfaction figures continue their upward trend, falling just short of the 80% target in all areas. According to SAA’s survey for February 2009, customer satisfaction with the airline is 77%, a 2% increase from last year. “Although we have not achieved our target goal yet, SAA is making significant headway,” says head of sales for SA and Africa, Ilse Kaya. Customer satisfaction with domestic flights is 78%, while Africa is 76% and international flights 77%. A strong contributing factor to the increase in

customer satisfaction is SAA’s on-time performance, which has improved by 26%. Cabin service satisfaction is 78%, while the crew service has increased by 2% to 89%. Baggage handling has also seen a significant improvement, with a major decline in pilfered baggage and a decrease in mishandled baggage. In association with its Star Alliance partners, SAA plans to reschedule and improve its Far East destinations, improve US connectivity, add capacity to its Australia routes and add new routes and capacity to South America. SAA also plans to improve its connections in Africa. ■

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SAA is offering special Oktoberfest fares from Johannesburg to Munich from R2 790, excluding taxes. Travel dates are from September 10 to October 10 and tickets must be issued on or before August 31.

Feeling like a million dollars! Flight Centre’s top consultants were honoured this month at the glitzy ‘Alive with Possibilities’ themed ball held at the Sandton Convention Centre. Jetting off to the global ball in Barcelona are (from left) Ben Greef (top FCm Travel Solutions consultant), Angela Spreadbury (top Student Flights consultant) and Jan Engelbrecht-Klitzke (top Flight Centre consultant) TNW3531SD

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QUICK READ FOR busiest people

Wednesday July 29 2009 n 11

Explore

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe’s fascinating countries are characterised by a wealth of cultural treasures and spectacular scenery. Melody Brandon finds out more…

What’s on offer...

WO decades have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and East Germany opened up to tourists. Since then a lot has changed throughout eastern Europe, with border crossings mere formalities, allowing tourists to explore previously prohibited places.

Hungary

Book it! Insight Vacations is offering a Christmas Market special from R9 825. The seven-day tour includes a visit to the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov. Travellers will be transported in a luxury 40-seat coach with extra leg-room and on-board toilet facilities and escorted by a professional tour director. Accommodation is in first-class hotels with all service charges included, such as taxes and porterage. Included are an Insight traveller document wallet and information pack, and airport arrival and departure transfers at scheduled times. It also includes a dinner in Vienna at a local restaurant, six buffet breakfasts and two three-course table d’hôte dinners or buffets. This package excludes airfares. Terms and conditions apply. Hotels – Tours – City Packages for individuals, groups and incentives

Destination experts for: AUSTRIA and Eastern Europe

Hungary, Czech Rep., Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Poland

Tel: 011-476 3967 austria.co@mweb.co.za

PRAGUE INTERLUDE 3 nights – from € 268,00 p.p. Incl. buffet breakfast, city tour, river cruse, one traditional dinner KRAKOW INTERLUDE 3 nights – from € 228,00 p.p. Incl. buffet breakfast, city tour, excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mine

Austria Connection, which specialises in eastern European destinations such as Hungary, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, and Romania, gives some pointers to what is special about some of the most popular destinations among South African travellers.

Czech Republic

The country is known for its colourful folklore, spicy food (paprika), gypsy violinists, and the vast ‘puszta’ (great Hungarian plain) and the skills of the famous puszta horsemen. Hungarian salami and red wine are some of the famous food products. Budapest: It is a vibrant metropolis reflecting the eventful history and influence from Byzantine times and Hapsburg rule. It has good restaurants, many cultural events and festivals and is well known for its thermal spas. Highlights: The cathedral in Esztergom, the artists’ town of Szentendre, the scenic area of the Danube Bend, the royal castle Gödölö, and Lake Balaton. Best way to experience it: Spend some time in Budapest and organise day excursions from there.

The Czech Republic has a wealth of beautiful cities and castles. Having escaped damage during World War II, some of the city centres remain unchanged since the 14th and 15th centuries. Prague: Considered one of Europe’s most beautiful and best preserved medieval cities, Prague is divided by the Vltava River with the old town on one side and the castle district and lesser town on the other. Charles Bridge is a pedestrian area lined with flea market and artists’ stalls and musicians. A must is a visit to a beer cellar. Famous brands Pilsner and Budweiser originated in the Czech Republic. The city offers a great repertoire of operas and classical music concerts. Highlights: The towns of Kutna Hora, Cesky Krumlov, and Karlovy Vary. The best way to experience it: Spend some time in Prague and organise day excursions from there.

Slovakia

The country is ideal for outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and, to a certain extent, skiing. Bratislava: International tourists usually don’t travel further than the capital, Bratislava, which was already a large city in the 12th century and at one time the capital of Hungary. The old town is lively and cosmopolitan. Many beautiful monuments are testament to the city’s past. The best way to experience it: Bratislava is a worthwhile stop on the way from Vienna to Budapest and can be explored on a day trip from Vienna by train, bus or by speedboat on the River Danube.

TNW5002

12 n Wednesday July 29 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Slovenia

This small, scenic Alpine country has a population of only just under two million. It has a short Mediterranean coastline stretching some 47km with several quirky medieval towns like Piran, Izola and Koper. The old seaport of Piran, for example, was surrounded by walls in the Middle Ages (200m of the city walls are still preserved). The town has preserved its medieval layout with narrow streets and compact houses. Ljubljana: The capital has a beautiful old town and is

also economic centre of the country. Highlights: The Bled resort, set on a lake at the foot of the Julian Alps, is a lakeside resort in an incredibly beautiful location. Activities include visits to the cliff-top castle, hikes and tours to the Postonja Caves. The best way to experience it: It is best to stay in Ljubljana for a few days and organise day excursions. Travellers with more time can take coach tours through the country with such operators as Trafalgar and Kumuka.

Festivities in Prague

The Prague Proms festival from July to August and the Verdi Festival from August to September are musts for classical music lovers. The wine harvest at Vinobrani in late September and the winter wonderland Christmas market in December are also worth seeing. Travellers can enjoy traditional Czech pork and dumplings, a staple at many restaurants.

Getting there Several airlines flying from South Africa offer good connections to eastern European destinations, including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Qatar Airways and Air France. Turkish Airlines offers an excellent route network to eastern European destinations with good connections from Istanbul to Budapest, Prague, Belgrade, Kiev, Riga (Latvia), Bucharest, Sarajevo, Sofia, Bucharest, Zagreb and Ljubljana, among others. Lufthansa recently expanded its route network in eastern Europe flying to Rzeszów and Poznan in Poland, as well as Lviv in Ukraine, and Split and Dubrovnik (Croatia). Other eastern European destinations served by the airline include Riga, Kiev and Sofia.

Bratislava Castle, Slovakia Photo: Stock Xchange

Air France connections to E Europe AIR France connections to eastern Europe from South Africa are often under two hours. In addition to good connecting flights to Prague and Budapest (see table), Air France

also offers excellent onward connections to Zagreb (Croatia), Warsaw (Poland), Kiev (Ukraine), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania) and Bratislava (Slovakia).

Prague Flight

From

Dep

Arr

AF995

Johannesburg (JNB)

AF1382

Paris (CDG)

19h40

Paris (CDG)

06h05

07h15

Prague (PRG)

08h50

Flight

From

Dep

AF997

Johannesburg (JNB)

AF1694

Paris (CDG)

Connection 1hr 10 min

Budapest To

Arr

21h50

Paris (CDG)

08h25

09h35

Budapest (BUD)

11h45

Connection 1hr 10 min

Daily flights from Johannesburg to Paris, the capital of fashion, romance and glamour

ƆźƄƂƇƀ ƍƁž ƌƄƒ ƍƁž Żžƌƍ Ɖƅźżž ƈƇ žźƋƍƁ

Contact: 082 234 5747

www. afkl.biz/za

TNW3532SD

QUICK READ FOR busiest people

Wednesday July 29 2009 n 13

AGENTZONE It’s time to tap into social media Travel agents and suppliers worldwide are using social media to promote their products. Melody Brandon looks at what it can do for your sales…

OWNTURN or not, getting information about your product and service to potential clients is crucial. And social media provides the perfect platform to do just that by allowing you to ‘speak’ to potential clients and see what clients are saying about you. The SA travel sector doesn’t seem to have cottoned on to this yet and very few are using it to their advantage. “I think in South Africa people are still not familiar with Facebook, Twitter and blogs and are a bit wary of the Internet,” says Bluebean Media ceo and social media fanatic, Jason Bagley. “Travel agents are in the perfect industry to use these platforms. Following Twitter would give them a great opportunity to contact people looking to travel. I saw a guy on Twitter looking to go Mauritius, asking for advice. If a travel agent is following Twitter, they would be able to get hold of him and give him information about their product,” he said.

Who is using it?

In the US, airline JetBlue recently began ‘tweeting’ offers of flights as low as US$9 (R71). Marriott Hotels regularly tweets ‘deals of the day’ to its clients, while the New York Times reported that many travellers were using Twitter to stay in contact with their travel agents. STA Travel md, Liezl Gericke, says using social media has definitely brought more clients to STA. “We use every type of social media – Twitter, Facebook, Myspace – and it has definitely contributed to getting our products out there. As far as

■ KQ group booking policy

KENYA Airways advises agents of its group booking policy points: ● Groups consist of 10 passengers or more ● The turnaround time on group bookings is 24-48 hours ● Group bookings are confirmed by Kenya Airways ● Nett fares quoted ● Ticketing actioned by agent with relevant group fare basis ● Assistance with group check-in at OR Tambo International Airport ● Pre-seating of group ● One through-check boarding pass per person to destination

■ SAA introduces instant upgrade fare

Social media is much more than just the latest fad I know, we are the only travel agency in South Africa to be fully converged with social media. It is an incredibly strong marketing tool. Each one of our agencies has a Facebook group and we encourage our employees to use social media. It’s absolutely free!” Caroline Da Silva, director of Awesome Travel, says the Facebook group they started at the beginning of the year has been a great success. “It definitely has raised awareness of our brand and interest in what we offer. We post information on products and it is a great way to stay in touch with clients who are overseas,” she says.

How can you benefit?

Kevin Banks, consultant at Travel247, started his own blog, Travelblog.co.za, as a way to get information out to his clients. “I always enjoyed blogging and I find it useful to put the blog address at the end of my email. Clients can have a look at what is on the blog, comment and give feedback. I think it may take some time for

people to get used to social media, but we have to advance and adapt. Five years ago, people were still getting used to email. I think the use of social media is growing – it is one of the most cost-effective ways to advertise.” Jason agrees: “For a travel agent, it is one of the best ways to build a community around your brand. If your client can go to a Facebook page and get information about your products or if you approach a potential client on Twitter, you are not just reaching one person, but thousands more. “You may find that a client had a bad experience at your travel agency and tweets about it. If you know about it, you can fix the problem before your reputation has been damaged. At the same time, a client who tweets about excellent service is promoting your brand,” he said. “Social media platforms are no different to networking. Sixty years ago you would have stood around a braai and chatted to your friends. Now you are sharing your voice online.”

How do I start?

● Twitter: Log on to www.twitter.com and create an account. Find out if your clients are following Twitter and add them as friends – that way you can follow their updates. If they are travelling, ask them how their trip went. They can also contact you via Twitter if they have an emergency and need help. ● Facebook: Log on to www.facebook.com and form a group for your travel agency. You can get your clients to join your Facebook group, where you can post specials. They can upload video and photos of their trips, which in turn will advertise products to other clients and give your client the sense of belonging to a community. ● Blog: Look at starting a blog on www.wordpress.com and update it with product information, photos and videos. You can advertise your blog on your website or add it to your signature at the bottom of your email. Someone looking to travel may be searching ‘travel’ on the Internet, come across your blog and contact you for a quote.

Tell us: Are you interested in social media and how it can work for you? Let us know if you would like

TNW to host a webinar on how to use Facebook, Twitter and Blogs. Email melodyb@nowmedia.co.za 14 n Wednesday July 29 2009

AGENT ALERTS

FROM July 17, SAA has introduced a new product offering between South Africa and Nigeria called instant upgrade fare. The fares will allow passengers to book business-class fares, but have the luxury of travelling first class. The fares are valid for sale and travel before November 30 and businessclass rulings will apply. Fares are available from R26 830 ex-Johannesburg and US$4 255 ex-Nigeria, excluding taxes.

■ Quarters Hotel GDS codes

QUARTERS Hotel in Durban has advised that it is bookable on the following GDS booking codes: Galileo (AP) – TA 83488 SABRE (SA) - TA 86409 Amadeus (AM) - TA DUR449 Worldspan (WS) - TV 5449

■ Agent specials/incentives

Tamassa agent special extended Naïade Holidays has extended its Tamassa agent special until December 20. It is available to agents and their immediate families (travelling together) on an all-inclusive basis from R515pppn. Win a getaway at the Peninsula Johannesburg and Durban agents stand a chance to win a two-night stay at the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel when selling the most bed nights at Three Cities’ Westville Hotel in KZN, until November 30. The prize consists of a two-night stay for two people on a B&B basis including return flights and car hire. Want to win an ‘amazing’ getaway? Cape Town agents stand a chance to win a two-night stay at the Westville Hotel, in KZN when selling the most bed nights at the hotel, until November 31. It includes accommodation for two people on a B&B basis, return flights, car hire, two tickets and two lunch vouchers for uShaka Marine World.

■ CI agent seminars at sea

CRUISES International with Royal Caribbean Cruises will host three agent ‘Seminars at Sea’. A seven-night western Med cruise on Navigator of the Seas from August 30-September 6 costs from R2 650pp, valid until July 30. A seven-night western Med cruise on Celebrity Century from September 19-26 is available from R5 200pps, valid until August 19. The third cruise is a seven-night western Med cruise on Voyager of the Seas from November 15-22. The cruise is available from R3 200, valid until October 15. Prices are for a fully inclusive cruise on the above-mentioned ships in an inside stateroom, including port charges, departure fees, fuel surcharge and gratuities, up to seven meals per day; most entertainment and activities on board and an agents’ cocktail party.

See Travelinfo for more details QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

COMMUNITYNEWS

jobs

Births, deaths, marriages, promotions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW's Jeanette Phillips, at jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 327 4094.

Our website is updated daily! Visit www.specialized.co.za

Appointments and Community news

â&#x2013; Jano Lubbe has been appointed customer service agent for Hertz in Nelspruit.

â&#x2013; Dalene Nel, sales executive at Delta Air Lines has received a 10-year Travel Vision Service Award. â&#x2013; Julie Freese and Samantha Boyle from Pentravel Fourways both won a voucher worth R250 from Pentravel during June for booking a Royal Caribbean International cruise with a minimum of seven nightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stay. Ten consultants benefited from the incentive run by Pentravel.

Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs Looking for a great job?

Top Junior / Intermediate Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pretoria Highly recommendable agency! Amadeus and Quicktrav essential. Join this happy environment! Kati Help Desk Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; N/Suburbs Assist users with booking & ticketing queries and troubleshooting for top online travel concern. Galileo certificate essential. Tracey German Inbound Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sandton Excellent infrastructure and exceptional service standards makes this a very attractive company to work for. Candidates must have excellent inbound consulting skills and be fluent in German. Tracey

The Court Classique Suite Hotel hosted a party for UK agency, To Escape To, during the British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa.Â The hotel hosted 260 guests on June 27 for the game played at Loftus. Pictured here are (from left): Monique Coetzee (CC event co-ordinator), Ingram Casey (director: To Escape To) and Christianna Phillips (CC sales manager)

â&#x2013; Two days before his eighty-first birthday, Loftus â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Loftyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dundas died on Friday afternoon at the Olivedale Clinic, Randburg, after complications arising from a heart operation. Born in County Donegal, Ireland, Lofty started in travel 61 years ago when he joined British European Airways in 1948. Ten years later he emigrated to what was then Salisbury, Rhodesia,

EQUITY CONNECTIONS cc

JOHANNESBURG

CAPE TOWN

INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS WHIZ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RANDBURG

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and joined Central African Airways, which later became Air Rhodesia. He moved to KwaZulu Natal where he represented the airline as regional manager before moving up to Johannesburg. Lofty had one of the longest active associations with SkĂĽl going back to the mid seventies when he was president of Johannesburg SkĂĽl. He leaves his wife Jean.

Event Manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sandton Previous experience handling Association meetings and conferences is essential, and only candidates with this background should apply. Join this established, reputable conference and events company and be well rewarded. Kati Cargo Sales Executive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Based ORTIA International carrier requires a pro-active, self-motivated sales executive to drive the cargo side of the business. Previous cargo experience will be an advantage. Kati Sales Executive An established, up-market company is opening a branch in Jhb and requires a Sales Executive to call on corporate companies to secure conference, incentives and events business. An opportunity to use your strong interpersonal and presentation skills. Will be provided with a laptop and 3G card. Although new in Jhb the company is established and has an excellent reputation. Enjoy being part of their growth! Commence 01 Sep. Kati

New Business Sales Executive - Based Parktown area Secure new business for well established corporate retail travel agency. The company has an excellent reputation for providing top service standards and is an agency you can represent with confidence. Candidates must have a proven track record of calling on corporate companies and have played a role in business development. Kati

%FWFMPQNFOU .BOBHFST

WHOLESALE INTERMEDIATE #3"/% ."/"(&3 SUBURBS CONSULTANT/NORTHERN Super opportunity for person /035)&3/ 46#63#4 1FSTPO TUSPOH JO .BSLFUJOH JOWJUFE UP KPJO experienced in North/South America, MFBEJOH 8IPMFTBMFS Europe and Cruising!! INTERMEDIATE INBOUND 4&/*03 $0/46-5"/5 #0,4#63( +PJO XFMM FTUBCMJTIFE GSJFOEMZ DPNQBOZ BOE XPSL CONSULTANT/FOURWAYS DMPTFS UP IPNF Work closer to home utilising your Experience!! Southern African

Sales Executive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cape Town Top hotel group is looking for an experienced Sales Executive to present one of their properties. A company you can represent with pride! Tracey

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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 TNW4530

THIS WEEKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP JOBS CAPE TOWN eBUSINESS MANAGER â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CBD

Everyday eCommerce IT pro whose ahead of the times with aptitude! Comprehending the lingo, manage two in your team, making sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always ahead of your competitors. 2-4 years related work experience in Management along with concrete IT experience. Lucrative package with benefits

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PCO - Sales Executive Represent top hotel group calling on PCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Must have established relationships with PCOs and a proven track record. Kati

PRODUCT MANAGER/NORTHERN /"5*0/"- 4"-&4 ."/"(&3 SUBURBS /035)&3/ 46#63#4 Utilise your Africa Product Management )BOET PO QPTJUJPO XJUI UPUBM SFTQPOTJCJMJUZ GPS ,FZ "DDPVOU .BOBHFST BOE #VTJOFTT experience to join Market Leader!!

Hip happening destination marketing leader requires you to lead, guide and motivate your team. Managing the membership database along with many more riveting tasks. Work hand in hand with Destination Marketing Manager & Financial Manager to spearhead new exciting initiatives. Lucrative salary with benefits on three year contractual basis.

Exciting opportunity to lead your FIT/Groups consultants in smashing targets! German fluency essential for this established international inbound operator. Small intimate team! Superb salary plus 25 days annual leave! Great town vibe with no city traffic blues. Salary from R10 000

Call on Travel Trade! Well known hotel group requires a Sales Executive to call on the travel trade. R12000. Kati

)JHIMZ OFHPUJBCMF QBDBLBHF PGGFSFE CZ .BSLFU -FBEFS RESIDENT HOTEL MANAGER GPS ZPVS # $PNN FRVJWBMFOU BOE BCJMJUZ UP MFBE 5EFQBSUNFOU PG QFPQMF STAR PROPERTY!!

Great opportunity to shine with this growing company! Put together exciting packages for the Islands and make holiday dreams come true! At least 5 years relevant experience will be your ticket to success!

QUICK READ FOR busiest people

Application Support Supervisor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; E/Suburbs Take responsibility for supplier info and tariffs department of reputable airline. Min 1 year's supervisory experience essential. Kati

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MARKETING MANAGER â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NATAL Exceptional opportunity for dynamic Marketing expert. Impress with high-level negotiating skills, firm supplier contacts and ability to market leading brand. Marketing qualification an advantage. GROUPS & INCENTIVES High-profile Operator needs another in-bound specialist to join group of professionals. Relevant Groups & Incentives know-how essential. ACCOUNTS CLERK Use your BSP, creditors & debtors knowledge to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fullest. Great Company offers secure future for intermediate level clerk looking for growth. F.I.T CONSULTANT If SA is your passion this position could be yours. Creative thinking and ability to devise interesting itineraries a must!

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

Information Systems â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Airline Sandton Join well known airline. Responsibilities include: providing systems administration services and effective support; managing all outsourced I.S. as well as business continuity and disaster recovery plans. R18000/R22000. Tracey

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TNW1997

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

Call Centre Agent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; E/Suburbs Own car, valid drivers license and call centre experience (in or out of the travel industry) is essential. Deal with travel agents and the public handling car rental bookings and queries. Kati

Obituary

Call NADINE (011) 803 0056 or e-mail equitycon@mweb.co.za for these and many others!

Excellent opening with highly regarded inbound travel company! Your brilliant communication skills, ability to build relationships and previous experience in vehicle fleet management and guide supervision essential. At least 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 years relevant experience within the travel industry essential. Salary negotiable.

Outbound Tours Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; N/Suburbs Join established, well reputed company handling outbound bookings to Africa and Indian Ocean Islands. Good knowledge of these destinations will be a big advantage. Tracey

CC celebrates Lions tour

TRAVEL SALES EXECUTIVE!

Aggressive, dynamic and target driven new business sales executive needed for a diversified travel retailer. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this excellent opportunity to put your name on the map. This key position requires a proven track record and experience in the travel industry. Snooze you loose, call us now and plunge right in. Salary R14 500 CTC neg. on exp

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

Legal Administrator â&#x20AC;&#x201C; East Rand Liaise with Attorneys and facilitate legal obligations for well known car rental company. Knowledge of High Court & Magistrate Court procedures required. Kati Bookkeeper - Sandton Report to the Financial Manager of highly regarded Tourism company. Will be responsible for the GL of a number of entities; will prepare management accounts; intercompany loans, VAT returns and assist with completion of budgets. Accpac and advanced Excel is essential. R15000/R17000. Tracey Bookkeeper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Edenvale area Handle books up to balance sheet for established, well-reputed agency. Will be responsible for all financial aspects. Remuneration dependent on experience. Tracey Jnr General Accounts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sandton A junior position which will initially involve handling invoicing and producing vouchers working on Quicktrav. There is scope to develop further within the accounts department. This is a highly recommendable company with excellent reputation. Quicktrav is essential. Tracey Payment Administrator - Sandton Collect pre-payments of bookings, liaising with agents investigating queries, reconciling accounts, allocating receipts and filing. Highly regarded company. Tracey

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

TNW0714

â&#x2013; Nicholas Barenblatt has been promoted to group marketing and advertising manager for Protea Hotels and will be responsible for managing the marketing for the group. Nicholas officially assumes the role in the new year and is currently working closely with Danny Bryer, group marketing revenue director in the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preparations in the build up to the FIFA World Cup 2010.

â&#x2013; South African Gold Travel Counsellor Hennie Hansen attended the recent â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gold Travel Counsellorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Gold Weekend, which took place in Oman. The annual event saw over 70 Gold Travel Counsellors and their partners enjoying various organised excursions, including dolphin watching, mountain adventures and visits to local mosques and traditional markets. To become a Gold Counsellor, consultants have to achieve commissions totalling R758k. Says Hennie: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is so fantastic to be recognised for all your hard work and I feel so proud to have achieved what I have since I started with Travel Counsellors.â&#x20AC;?

Senior Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Vaal Triangle Strong international experience and leadership skills will be appreciated by this reputable agency. Salary highly negotiable with great monthly incentives. Tracey

TNW2048 TNW2048

â&#x2013; Ross Phinn has been appointed operations director at the City Lodge Hotels group. He was previously gm, City Lodge V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Maxine Muir (pictured) has been appointed manager, orientation and management development at the City Lodge Hotels group. She was previously gm, Courtyard Eastgate.

SPECIALIZED TRAVEL PERSONNEL

Wednesday July 29 2009 n 15

TNW NEWS

What? Cut out the travel agent? Nteboheng Phakisi

Gain weight with Arik! Paying for overweight baggage to Lagos is now a thing of the past. Arik Air’s new Johannesburg to Lagos service allows economy passengers up to 60kg checked baggage allowance, while premier-class passengers can haul as much as 90kg on to the flight. It’s a great unique selling point for your clients heading to Lagos, says sales and marketing manager Isla Moffett (right) pictured here with Jannie Claassen, reservations supervisor Photo: Tijana Huysamen

brought to you by

Voyager - still a problem I find it easy to make Voyager bookings on behalf of my clients. ■ Yes 26% ■ No 74%

“It used to be really easy when the agent could follow the whole process themselves including issuing the ticket. Then SAA, after catching their own staff misusing passenger miles, decided to stop all agents issuing Voyager tickets. Voyager staff generally do not have a clue what is going on in their own department.” Liz Dorling, Harvey World Travel, Ontdekkers “I find the website for Voyager bookings fairly easy. The snag comes when one needs to reverse miles or an award. The Voyager staff, when one finally gets through, are also quite helpful, I find.” Naomi Jansen, Club Travel.

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

HEN 1time’s new radio ad hit the airwaves this week encouraging travellers to cut out the middleman and book directly with the airline, it almost caused an agent revolt. “My problem is that the ad blatantly says ‘book yourself and cut out the travel agent’ because it’s cheaper. Another strange thing is that we see a 1time sales rep once a month who pops in to see how we're doing and to thank us for our business,” complained Sure Travel Wide Horizons consultant Hardi Ras. Under fire, 1time commercial director Desmond O’Connor responded saying the airline remained committed to the trade but that it had no choice but to promote its product directly. “We’re finding that certain websites screen scrape our site without authorisation and return fares that have been marked up without informing customers. We’ve discussed this with the websites encouraging them to disclose that they are not affiliated distribution partners of 1time, which they refuse to do. “Secondly, part of the travel agent’s duty is transparency when offering a service to a client, but due to preferred deals with other carriers, this has not been done and certain travel agents sell the airline’s product and other products in the

Robyn Christie interest of earning higher override commissions without considering the client. “Ironically, people who have complained the most about this campaign are brands which do not have deals with 1time, so we don’t understand what the issue is if they are not selling us anyway.” Desmond says 1time and other suppliers have approached numerous travel consortiums, who have blatantly told them they would not enter into a deal as it would affect their figures with the carriers they already had agreements with. This has forced the airline to find other ways of distributing its product, until such time as preferred supplier agreements are removed and

suppliers are treated equally when it comes to sales. He believes the only solution is for suppliers and agents to discuss ways of working together. Asata ceo, Robyn Christie, says 1time is at liberty to choose whatever message it wants to communicate to the consumer. She added, however, that the message had the potential to negatively affect every Asata member. “Passengers will definitely begin to question why they don’t embark on the entire booking online and that of course is detrimental to the industry. Fortunately for 1time it is apparent that increasingly more corporates are negotiating directly with their suppliers and, as such, they can enter those negotiations directly with the customer. “Deals in the supply chain of travel procurement are little different to other industries. We are quite certain that large retail shops are at liberty to sell stock that they procure for their clients based on their relationship with suppliers. It saddens us to know that this tit for tat dispute continues. “I personally take some exception to the loose way in which we as TMCs, suppliers and tour operators use the word transparency. “When it suits, we use it scandalously in the media, when it doesn’t suit we hide behind it,” concluded Robyn. ■

Cape Town flights for Etihad Natalia Thomson CAPE Town is the newest destination being introduced by Etihad Airways. The airline told TNW it would launch its service to the Mother City on September 30, 2009. The new Cape Town flights will operate via Etihad’s

current daily Airbus A330 service to Johannesburg. It will be Etihad’s second destination in South Africa and its fifth on the African continent, joining Khartoum, Cairo and Casablanca. Said James Hogan, Etihad Airways ce: “In the coming 12 months demand for flights to South Africa will

grow immensely, especially with the 2010 FIFA World Cup next summer.” It is expected that the new Cape Town service will be welcomed by the South African expatriate community living in the UAE, which now stands at approximately 40 000 people. ■

For rates and reservations go to www.citylodge.co.za or 0800 113 790 16 n Wednesday July 29 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS