TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLYApril 13 2016 I No. 2393IN

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REPORTEUROPE TERROR THREAT

Where to send concerned clients

PROFILEWHO IS ANDRÉ SCHULZ?TNW gets to know Lufthansa’s GM

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Dreams is offering travellers visiting Sun City before November 30 the chance to save big while staying at The Cabanas. Travellers can spend two nights at The Cabanas for just R950pps in a standard twin room, including breakfast daily and unlimited access to the Valley of the Waves. Pictured here preparing for their Sun City adventure are (from left) Dreams sales executives Zoe McKinley and Zikhona Sigenu. Photo: Megan Fischer

Fun in the sun

Government faces travel apocalypseGovernment’s axing of overrides will have unintended consequences.

CHAOS, confusion and uncontrolled costs face government departments as

Treasury has gone ahead with plans to deter TMCs from doing business with government by demanding suppliers cut all rebates, overrides and volume-based incentives to TMCs. Effective April 1, all rates offered to government should be nett and non-commissionable.

By eliminating commissions without compensating with higher service fees, government is forcing TMCs to drop government business or go out of business themselves, leaving government travel departments with the prospect of managing as best they can on their own.

Following the announcement in March (see TNW March 23/30), TMCs doing government business were given notice to restructure their business models and submit new service fee proposals to make up for any loss of income as a result of the government’s move to scrap overrides before the end of the month. However, the revised fees that industry submitted were rejected. Government announced it would review the situation in three months’ time.

The measures form part of government’s new cost-containment measures to save R25bn a year through stricter management of its procurement policies.

“The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) is taking a firm position on rebates, overrides or any volume-

driven target incentives being paid by suppliers to travel management companies. As of April 1, these payments and the practice of overrides is to discontinue for government business,” government said in a circular to all municipalities.

The National Treasury has negotiated improved upfront discounts for flights on SAA and British Airways as well as discounted accommodation rates with Premier Group, Protea Hotels, City Lodge and Tsogo Sun. The agreements are in place until September 30.

Meanwhile, OCPO has advised municipalities not to renew any contracts with TMCs until August 31, at which time the National Travel and Accommodation Sourcing Project will be implemented.

Ceo of Asata, Otto de Vries, told TNW the association was “aggressively pursuing all avenues to engage Treasury on the new measures”. “We will be reporting back to members by the end of the week.”

Expect retrenchments The austerity measures, as they are currently implemented, will be detrimental to the travel industry, say industry players.

One agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the impact of the measures would result in agencies having to close shop. “Other businesses will be forced to start retrenching their staff in a bid to keep

To page 12

Withdraw services to government asapDaviD marsh

LAUDABLE as the concept of transparency is, government is quite wrong to think that TMCs can continue to provide it with services it is used to without somehow being recompensed.

Transparency can be served by adequate service fees – not fees agreed to in the past when there were other sources of income, which are now discontinued. The truth is that previously, in various ways, airlines and hotels effectively subsidised these service fees. By Treasury putting a stop to that subsidy, government must accept higher service fees.

TMCs would be best advised to withdraw their systems and services as soon as their contract allows, rather than face a tortuous death.

The government cannot use people who are not specialists in travel to do bookings. It is too expensive in time and costs. Without systems that TMCs provide, they will quickly come back to the table to talk more reasonably to TMCs.

Sadly, the Treasury has not learnt from Home Affairs’ unabridged birth certificate debacle. They have not thought through the unintended consequences of these new measures. n

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Sun Park to boost MICE business

OPINION

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NEWS

Rubes® By Leigh Rubin

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.

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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Top web stories

Helen Johnston selects the top specials from Travelinfo

Home from Home Holidays. Mauritius specials from R17 830pp sharing. Offer includes return flights from Johannesburg, including approximate taxes and levies, return private transfers, seven nights’ accommodation on an all-inclusive basis. Book by May 15. Travel between June 27 and July 14. Travel and Explore. Thailand seven nights from R11 702pp sharing. Package

is inclusive of return flights from Johannesburg to Phuket, approximate airline levies, return transfers and accommodation with breakfast daily. Valid for travel until June 1. Discover the World. Sail from Barcelona to Rome nine-night special from

R20 999pp sharing. Rate includes return flights from Johannesburg to Barcelona on Emirates Airline, return transfers, seven nights on board with breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, entertainment and approximate taxes. Refer to Travelinfo for itinerary. Set departure May 7. Thompsons Holidays. Manchester United vs Leicester City

packages from R9 375pp sharing. Rate includes three nights’ accommodation at the Premier Inn Central Manchester Hotel or similar with breakfast daily, northeast quadrant tier 2 tickets. Set travel dates April 29-May 2. Mozambique Tourism. Five-night special from R8 820pp

sharing. Rate includes return flights from Johannesburg, return transfers, accommodation with breakfast and dinner daily. Excludes airport taxes of approximately R4 100pp. Valid for travel until December 17.

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“Why must you insist on doing things the hard way?”

Visa company shuts doors TNW pick: Immigration Act under fire…again Airline launches Cape Town-Gatwick flights Virgin changes London flight schedule Yellow fever: What you need to know

ITC launches ‘tickets-only’ productDarise Foster

THE Travel Assignment Group, better known as TAG in the market, has

said it will take “whatever action is required” to prevent an ITC from using the name TAG to launch its new ticketing service.

ITC, Southern Empire Travel, has launched a ticketing service, calling the new product Trade Alliance Group (TAG).

Manager, Rahiman Nanumeah, confirms that the

product is in no way affiliated with the Travel Assignment Group.

Jonathan Gerber, director of Travel Assignment Group (TAG) told TNW he was not aware that another travel service was trading under a similar name. “They are not affiliated to us in any way at all and we will take whatever action is required to prevent them from using our name and the goodwill attached to it.”

Southern Empire Travel, which is affiliated to Club Travel, says it has its own

Iata licence, through which it will provide the new ticketing service. “We decided to start a separate division within the Southern Empire Travel agency, with a consultant who deals exclusively with ticketing for other agents,” Rahiman says. “TAG is not another way for us to make money but rather for us to help other agents who are being overcharged by other ticketing agents offering this sort of service.” TAG will charge a service fee of R49,50 per ticket issued (local and international). n

Ghana to relax visa requirements taryn nightingale

GHANA is looking to relax its visa application processes for African citizens by making it possible for travellers to

apply for visas on arrival. The Ghana High

Commission confirmed that the government was expected to initiate the visa-on-arrival process in the

beginning of July.Currently South Africans

need to apply for a visa online, ensuring they have the correct documentation before travelling. n

Etihad ups JNB flightsETIHAD Airways is set to enhance its current Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi service with the introduction of three additional flights a week between July and September to cater for the increased demand on the route during summer.

In July, the additional flights will operate on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with flight EY 601

departing JNB at 09h45 and arriving in AUH at 20h15. Return flight EY 602 will depart AUH at 01h45 and arrive in JNB at 08h15.

In August and September the flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays with the same flight times.

The new flights will be operated by a combination of Airbus A330-200 and

Boeing 777 aircraft, offering a total of 2 200 additional seats in business class and 21 500 additional seats in economy class over the three-month period.

As from April 1 Etihad deployed its own Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the JNB-AUH route, replacing the Jet Airways-configured A330-200 that previously serviced the route. n

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4 n Wednesday April 13 2016 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

WHO IS ANDRÉ SCHULZ?

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Family man heads up Lufthansa As part of our new series, Who is... TNW will be profiling personalities in travel. This week, Taryn Nightingale gives us the inside track on the gm of Lufthansa.

A LITTLE over a year ago, on December 19, gm of Lufthansa Southern

Africa, Dr André Schulz was comfortably asleep in bed when he was suddenly wakened by his heavily pregnant wife. “Happy birthday, happy birthday – I’m sorry, but we have to go,” she said. Ninety minutes later André and his wife had been blessed with their third child and first son. “Can you imagine – of all the 365 days in the year – he was born on my birthday,” says André. “I didn’t sleep, but I had my birthday present.”

André and his wife, who is originally from Hungary, have two other children, aged six and three. They met 12 years ago when André was studying business administration at the University of Düsseldorf.

It was during this time as a student that André cultivated a great passion for travel. “I love meeting new people and exploring different cultures,” he says. He describes the first time he flew business-class as a 21-year-old exchange student in California after he’d been invited by Lufthansa to a meeting for a traineeship he had applied for. “I didn’t sleep that night – I was so nervous and I had no idea how to move the seat and was too shy to ask anyone how to do it.” After his interview Lufthansa asked André if he would like to visit his parents in Wuppertal before flying back to California and he

gratefully accepted. The experience inspired him and, on his way back to San Francisco, he couldn’t help thinking what a “cool” company Lufthansa was – he said he felt as if the entire experience had been a dream.

Upon completing his PhD in diversity management, André applied to work at only one company and has been there ever since.

Focus on family However, as much as he loves his job, André describes his decision to leave Frankfurt and come to South Africa as a “family decision” and says he would have failed both his family and work responsibilities if his family was not happy with the decision to move from Germany.

What makes André happiest is the moment he arrives home after a successful day at the office and his children jump into his arms, welcoming him with no judgement or criticism. “They don’t care if I am the gm of Lufthansa,” says André. “I really am a family man.”

Even when making important decisions, André says he trusts his mother’s opinion and that the two of

them are very close. “My mother said that I should never forget where I came from and never treat people differently,” says André. “I’m not a big fan of hierarchy.”

An expert on cultural diversityAndré is an expert in dealing with different cultures and his PhD focused on how to take the cultural diversity of staff and customers into consideration and make use of them to ensure effective business management.

Prior to working in South Africa, André worked in Tokyo, Shanghai, America and Kuala Lumpur. “When I arrived here, everyone was very welcoming and I felt as though I were being invited into a family,” he says. “One day, when I am retired and I am sitting in a vineyard and I think back to my time in South Africa I will be able to talk about it forever.”

André says this after being in South Africa only a little over a year.

He doesn’t regret any of the big decisions he has made and describes the moment of mild panic he experiences before making any big move: “That minute you think: why don’t I just stay here and relax, I don’t need to go to another country, what am I doing?” Yet, he says that one grows and develops only when one pushes oneself out of one’s comfort zone. He says it’s only by doing so that he has learnt what he has and become who he is.

André Schulz

Getting to know André If André could invite any

three people for dinner it would be Nelson Mandela, his mother and Kofi Annan.

André is currently reading Long Walk to Freedom – in German.

His secret passion is golf, however he doesn’t know what his handicap is and describes his golf proficiency as “not there yet”.

He recently downloaded

Taylor Swift’s latest album after hearing it in a Lufthansa lounge.

He and his wife own a vineyard in Lake Balaton in Hungary which produces 350 litres of Riesling a year.

He describes himself as a strategic thinker, someone who is approachable and “close to the people” as well as someone who is “aware of cultural diversity”. n

“My mother said that I should never forget where I came from

and never treat people differently. I’m not a big

fan of hierarchy.”

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 13 2016 n 5

REPORT EUROPE TERROR THREAT

How is the rise in terror affecting corporate policies? SuSan ReynaRd

BOMBS in Brussels, yellow fever in Africa: corporate travel is all about risk management. Corporate travel remained steady in the face of danger as companies still required key staff to visit head office and branches and meet face-to-face, said Bev Henderson, corporate travel manager at XL Sandown Travel.

“We work with some very large corporates that are governed by companies overseas in the UK and US. We are alerted immediately from international head office if there are incidents in hotels and cities, and which areas have become a no-go zone,” she added.

Risk is assessed and both travellers and security officers will decide if travel is safe. In some cases, security officers will travel ahead of travellers and provide feedback on

situations on the ground. “Companies take security very seriously, and will go so far as banning airlines,” she noted.

Bev understands her clients’ travel policies and security protocol and can help assess risk. In some cases, instead of travelling to a destination considered a hotspot, the client will prefer to fly delegates out to meet in South Africa.

As a result of the risk factor of international travel, as well as the expense, time differences and travel time, video conferencing was growing between different countries, said Bev.

Vanessa Krook, manager marketing, communications and supplier relations at BCD Travel, said: “Our travellers are still going to Europe and the terror attacks are not much of a deterrent but our global clients are definitely using their risk management plans

to track and inform travellers of terrorist hotspots and our consultants are assisting with added information.”

“Journeys that were once labelled as low risk, such as a business trip to Brussels or Paris, now must be considered high risk,” reported Martin Weisskirchen, vp BCD Travel Global Crisis Management.

He added: “A company needs to know who will be in charge in a crisis, and someone – but not always the same person – needs to be on call 24/7 and have the authority to put the established travel risk management plan into action.”

In addition, corporate travellers need to understand their risk management responsibility and check in at regular intervals. In summary, a proactive plan understood by all results in a better, faster and more flexible reaction.

Where to send concerned clientsdaRiSe FoSteR

WHILE travellers visiting Europe have expressed concern

over their safety, there are still destinations within the region that are far removed from the current hotspots of Belgium, France and Turkey.

Travellers are aware of terrorist hotspots and this is making them more cautious when deciding where to travel to within Europe, says BCD Travel marketing, communications and supplier relations manager, Vanessa Krook.

She says travellers have begun asking questions they didn’t ask previously, such as whether a particular destination is safe and how the consultant plans to stay in touch throughout the duration of the trip. “That is why our agents have been asked to read and know what is going on in the world and inform their travellers as soon as something occurs which affects their client or the route the client is taking.”

Vanessa believes that now, more than ever, is the time for consultants to be aware of what is going on in the world. “Emotional intelligence has never been as important

as it is now for travel consultants.”

It is also important for agents and travellers to know the hotspot destinations, which Europe as a whole is fast becoming, Vanessa says.

Travellers have called in worried about the safety of travelling to Europe, agrees Topdeck Travel sales manager for the Western and Eastern Cape, Natalie Christodoulou. However she says they have not begun to cancel their bookings just yet. “We have been advising agents to book the trips for their clients – and if something happens along the way which leads to the travellers feeling unsafe, we can always give them a full refund before they depart.”

Natalie says though, that the Greek Islands are safer options for travellers who want to visit Europe but are afraid of those terror spots that have appeared over the last few months.

She adds that sailing along the European coastline is another great option for travellers concerned about the attacks that often seem to target tourist attractions. “Eastern Europe is also great for agents to suggest right now because, not

only is it safer than the more popular European destinations at the moment, but it also offers great value to travellers in terms of the rate of exchange,” Natalie says.

Inge Dobihal, co-owner of Austria Connection, agrees, saying that Eastern

European countries seem to be much safer as terrorist organisations looking to make statements would focus less on the countries within this region because of Eastern Europe’s socio-political standing within Europe as a whole.

“For travellers who have

been to Europe before, we strongly recommend Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Austria, which are countries of great historic interest, offering a wealth of arts and architectural treasures,” she adds. n

Source: www.metro.co.uk

Terror threat around the world

Prepare your clients!TMCs can help their clients gauge their readiness by asking them to answer the following three questions:1) Is your company prepared

to make quick decisions when reaction time is crucial?

2) Are you prepared to react at any given time on any day of the year?

3) Do you have an efficient method for assessing travellers’ safety and keeping them in communication with your company during a crisis?

An effective corporate programme should include the following: Advise clients to set

duty of care protocols: They should define 'duty of loyalty’ responsibilities for travellers so that, in the event of a security-related incident, all travellers understand their risk-management responsibilities. This includes checking in by phone or text to a designated number as soon as possible, so

corporates can focus resources quickly and efficiently on locating and verifying the safety of those people they haven’t heard from.

Clients should identify and empower decision-makers: Companies need to know who will be in charge in the event of a crisis, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. This includes establishing a crisis communication protocol. Corporate travellers should know who communicates with whom about what and via which communication channel.

Companies should train travellers to reduce risk in known scenarios: Muggings remain the most common traveller crisis, and travellers need to be educated and have set expectations on this plus a variety of other threats to personal safety and that of their possessions.Source: BCD Travel n

HighGeneralUnderlyingLow

Threat levels

6 n Wednesday April 13 2016 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Local is lekker! City Lodge Hotels has 52 hotels across all SA provinces. Here is the latest news in domestic tourism.

Sha’p-sha’p: (Sharp-sharp) (a) A South African term used to express

our good health and well being.

Sun Park to boost MICE business

SUN City’s R1bn refurbishment includes the building of Sun

Park, a new product aimed at the MICE market. It includes an indoor events venue and outdoor space, and will be launched across a number of Sun International properties. Sun Park will have a maximum capacity of 2 000 people cinema style or 1 000 schoolroom style.

Existing conference facilities in the Entertainment Centre, currently closed for refurbishment, will benefit from overhauled back- and front-of-house areas. The lower level will accommodate all food and beverage, retail and entertainment areas, with the upper level identified as convention space with limited food and beverage facilities. The revamp

includes the replacement of lifts and escalators and new units where required. The kitchen facilities on both levels will receive a full upgrade to provide for the increased space and required services. The Entertainment Centre will reopen in November, with normal conference business currently accommodated at the specially created Sun Sky Village.

Limpopo camp to implement levyGARONGA Safari Camp in the Makalali Conservancy in Limpopo, west of the Kruger National Park, will implement a compulsory daily conservancy levy of R160 per person from June 1. Bernardo Smith, owner of Garonga Lodge, said it was the only property in the conservancy that was implementing the levy. Garonga Safari Camp said in a statement that the levy was being imposed to help fund additional security costs for rhino protection and would be charged to all guests, whether bookings occurred before or after the announcement of the implementation of the levy. Craig van Rooyen, director at Tour d’Afrique, said the company had no issues with conservation levies and was informing all agents and clients accordingly. However he added that only adults should pay the levy and not

children as the levy would affect family travel. “The Sabi Sand was the first to initiate the levy and it seems that many reserves are now following suit and, although some lodges still say it’s a voluntary contribution, I see

it becoming a permanent charge for 2017. Ideally, tour operators would prefer to have the charge included in the STO rates as this would make it simpler to load and distribute rates and information to our clients,” he said.

OR Tambo hotel gets new look and management HOLIDAY Inn Johannesburg Airport has refurbished guest rooms, restaurant, public areas and lounges as well as the gym. This is part of a R30m revamp and rebranding exercise. The 151-room hotel was previously called the Airport Grand Hotel, part of the Legacy Group. A date for the conference centre upgrade has not yet been finalised. It will be closed during the work and management confirms that it will advise

of the date and that disruption will be kept to a minimum. The property is a 10-minute drive from OR Tambo International Airport and has easy access to business hubs in Johannesburg, Sandton and Pretoria, as well as the Gautrain. Renovated rooms feature separate shower and bath, hairdryer, flat-screen television with DStv, digital safe, iron and ironing board.

New tourism routes for Cape West CoastTWO new sightseeing and tourism routes have launched in the Cape West Coast region. Both were developed by West Coast Way and these circular self-drive routes encompass towns and locations on the coast and surrounding inland areas. The West Coast Way Scenic Route begins in Malmesbury and includes Riebeek Valley, Hopefield, Koringberg, Moorreesburg, Yzerfontein and Darling. The West Coast Way Berg Route begins in Velddrif and follows a course through Laaiplek, Port Owen, Dwarskersbos, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, Elands Bay, Aurora, Redelinghuis

and Verlorenvlei, the Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort, Citrusdal, Eendekuil, Porterville, Piketberg, Wittewater and Goedverwacht. Carmen Lerm, the founder of West Coast Way, said the routes would drive traffic from the N7 to both the surrounding inland towns as well as the coastal regions, connecting the inland areas with the sea. Carmen said the West Coast Way Tourism Radio SmartPhone app could be used on the routes, giving visitors a free and comprehensive guide of the areas via their smart phones. n

Garonga Safari Camp. Photo: Garonga

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Local is lekker! City Lodge Hotels has 52 hotels across all SA provinces. Here is the latest news in domestic tourism.

8 n Wednesday April 13 2016 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

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Saaci discontinues PCO accreditation Darise Foster

THE Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (Saaci) has amended its

accreditation of professional conference organisers in its current format, no longer awarding the organisation itself but rather individuals within the company.

With regard to travel management companies, PCO accreditation previously looked at whether the TMC ran association conferences in general. “It wasn’t a necessity, it was just a stamp of approval recognised by Saaci and Grant Thornton that stated that TMCs that offered a service specifically looking after conferencing businesses had the resources and experience to host a regional or international association conference,” says Saaci ceo, Adriaan Liebetrau. Now, the accreditation will introduce

designations into the conferencing sector. “So, within the TMC, there will be a certified events co-ordinator or professional events manager,” says Adriaan.

“The decision is based on global industry trends. Internationally recognised certifications such as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) and Certificate in Exhibition Management (CEM ) are widely recognised by conference clients and this allows us, as an industry association, the chance to advance uniform standards of practice.”

PCOs and TMCs that are currently accredited as a Saaci Accredited Conference Organiser (SACO level 1), Saaci Accredited Professional Conference Organiser (SAPCO level 2) or a Saaci Accredited International Professional Conference Organiser (SAIPCO level 3) have the right to maintain their status as such until their accreditation expires.

“PCOs and TMCs that are currently not accredited will have an opportunity to join one of the new individual certification programmes this coming year,” Adriaan says. n

BA to launch CPT-LGW flightsBRITISH Airways will launch three weekly direct flights between Gatwick and Cape Town, starting on November 24, the airline has announced.

The flights will depart Gatwick at 18h00 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Cape Town at 07h50 the following morning.

Wesgro has welcomed the development. Wesgro ceo, Tim Harris, said the new service would have a positive impact on tourism, trade and investment in Cape Town as the UK was the second-largest foreign direct investment source market. n

Centara expands into five new destinationsCENTARA Hotels and Resorts will develop new properties in Doha, Muscat, Dubai, Cuba and Turkey as well as expand its presence in the Maldives.

The group will open properties in Doha and Muscat by the end of this year – becoming Centara’s first properties in the Middle East. In Doha, the Centara Grand West Bay hotel will have 261 rooms and suites plus 96 apartments that vary from one- to three-bedroom units. In Muscat, the 152-room Centara Muscat Hotel will offer a fitness centre, ample meeting and event space along with a premium lounge and roof deck.

There will be further expansion in Doha with two additional properties. Centara West Bay Residence and Suites will open in Quarter 2, 2017, in the West Bay area close to the Centara Grand.

Further along the pipeline, in 2018 a third luxury property will also open in the West Bay area that will have 514 rooms.

Cuba will welcome its first Centara property in late 2017. The Centara Grand Beach Resort Cayo Guillermo will have about 250 rooms and will be the first “truly five-star” product in the region, Centara said in a statement.

Additionally, the group will launch its first property in Turkey when the Centara Grand Lykia World Resort and Spa opens on the coastline of the River Koprucay. The resort will have 449 rooms, 10 restaurants and 10 bars and will offer an all-inclusive concept, allowing guests to experience a cash-free stay.

Lastly, the group will develop four new properties in the Maldives. n

“Within the TMC, there will be a certified events co-ordinator or professional

events manager.”

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 13 2016 n 9

NEWS

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Virgin changes London flight scheduleVIRGIN Atlantic Airways has changed the schedule of its daily Johannesburg-London Heathrow flight, effective March 26.

Flight VS 602 remains unchanged and still departs Johannesburg at 20h20 and arrives in London at 06h35 the next day. Return flight VS 601 departs Heathrow an hour

earlier at 20h05 and arrives in Johannesburg at 07h55 the next day, two hours ahead of the previous arrival time of 09h55.

“The new arrival time means our customers will have improved earlier connections both domestically and regionally,” the airline said in a statement. n

Agentivity to sell direct to agents

AGENTIVITY, a business intelligence tool, will now be available direct from its parent

company, Inside Group, which has invested in a sales team to sell direct to agents. The technology provider previously had a re-seller agreement with Travelport in the SA market.

Current customers will also move to the new Inside Group agreement.

Agentivity provides insight into agent and client booking behaviours when booked through the GDS. It provides a holistic view of their agency measuring true productivity, forecasting problematic bookings quickly and identifying additional

revenue opportunities.“Agentivity has enjoyed substantial

uptake in key markets. Our goal is to continue this growth and invest further in both the product and the team to build on the success to date, providing more dedicated representation in these regions with the best possible customer service and after-sales care,” says co-founder, Riaan van Schoor.

“Both Travelport and Agentivity are keen to avoid any disruption in service and are working in collaboration to ensure no agents are affected by the change in sales focus,” says Riaan. n

WHO warns of yellow fever epidemicREPORTS of yellow fever across Central, East and West Africa have increased recently, with the current outbreak believed to have started in Angola in December resulting in close on 200 deaths. The World Health Organisation describes it as the “worst yellow fever outbreak in 30 years”.

The death of a man from the illness in Nairobi prompted the Kenyan Health Ministry to monitor points of entry such as airports, reported The New Times of Rwanda.

Rwandan authorities announced on March 28 that travellers arriving at Kigali International Airport without a valid yellow fever certificate would have to pay US$40 (R595) for a vaccination on arrival. Namibia and Zambia are on high alert for imported cases of yellow fever, reports WHO.

“The international health regulations concerning yellow fever are unequivocal, and unvaccinated travellers may face denial of entry, or even quarantine in certain circumstances,” says the Netcare Travel Clinic’s website.

Travellers to countries where yellow fever vaccination is no longer legally required, such as Tanzania and Zambia, have reported that border post officials in those countries, and in South Africa for travellers arriving from at risk countries, often ask for proof of vaccination, says Fiona Macduff, travel sister at the Sandton Travel Clinic.

She advises travellers to regions bordering Angola and other hotspot areas, to visit a travel clinic for advice as well as vaccination. Not all travel agents are aware of the latest regulations or yellow card requirements, she notes.

Countries in Africa that carry a risk of yellow fever, according to US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo and Uganda. n

NEWS

10 n Wednesday April 13 2016 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Visit: www.travelinfo.co.za

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South African travellers are mobile savvy – studyTaryn nighTingale

OF SOUTH African travellers, 41% use their mobile phone

when booking with a travel agent.

This is according to a study conducted by strategy consultancy, Inquisition, and commissioned by Amadeus. The Mobile Phone Travel-Service Research study looked at African travellers’ mobile phone and online travel habits and booking behaviour.

The study, surveying both business and leisure travellers, showed that 49% of South African respondents preferred to use their mobile phone to book directly with a provider, while 41% said they preferred to book with a travel agent who had an online presence.

Ten per cent of South African respondents said they used alternative

methods of booking travel. Of the 41% of SA travellers

who book with an agent, 29,6% choose a traditional travel agent with a mobile/website presence and 11,6% choose an online travel agent.

African travellers still rely heavily on traditional travel agencies to book travel. Some 34% of African travellers prefer booking with a high street travel agency and 16% choose to book through a travel agency’s website; 36% prefer to book direct.

Of SA travellers, 47% said when their travel plans were disrupted they wanted to be able to make the necessary changes on their mobile phone while travelling and 46% said they wanted to be able to post a review about their accommodation, especially if the service was below standard. Some 53% said they were willing

to pay for hotels and accommodation, dining out and flight bookings on their mobile phones. The research also showed that 38% preferred to book their trips one to three months in advance.

“In the digital era, buyers are increasingly shopping through their laptops, desktops and mobile devices, and travel is no exception. Travel agents who embrace this trend and evolve by ramping up their omni-channel retail technology will therefore benefit greatly,” said Andrew Shaw, head of online Amadeus Africa.

The study surveyed 2 500 African travellers. Respondents came from South Africa, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal, were all in the 18 to 44 age range and had travelled up to 12 months prior to being surveyed. n

Which channels do African travellers book through?

What is the average booking lead time?

Travellers who prefer to book direct

34% 36%16%

High street travel agency

Less than one month: 61%52%

27%36%

12%13%

40% 34%

1-3 months:

More than 3 months:

Travel agencies with a website

Direct through provider

MenWomen

The broader survey, which explored the digital travel behaviour of African travellers, surveyed 2 500 African travellers across seven different countries. Source: Amadeus

JOBSCOMMUNITYNEWSBirths, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW’s Debbie Badham, at debbieb@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 327 4094.

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday April 13 2016 n 11

Appointments

To advertise on this page email antheal@nowmedia.co.za

Pick of the week

These adverts were selected from the vacancy section of www.travelinfo.co.za For more details contact jobs@travelinfo.co.za

brought to you by

TNW

7565

Secretary/PA – Cape TownQuantex Recruitment Group5+ years’ suitable experience + excellent command of the English language essential. Tourism or hospitality industry experience preferable. Valid driver’s licence required. Email: lee@quantex.co.za

FIT Consultants – Spanish Speaking – Johannesburg NorthProfessional Career ServicesTo handle FIT bookings. Plan and propose own itineraries. Min 3 years’ inbound tour operator experience. SA knowledge. Email: nonocv@pcs-sa.co.za

International Travel Pro – Cape TownLee Botti & Associates Career growth on offer at a leader in retail travel! Senior with Amadeus required to construct unforgettableinternational holidays. Email: adrim@nowjobs.co.za

Content Manager – Johannesburg North Equity Connections ccHead Tourplan content team, oversee full functions of day-to-day content management. Must be a Tourplan expert at senior level. Email: equitycon@mweb.co.za

Intermediate Reservations Consultant – SandownWendy’s Travel PersonnelHotel reservations and wholesale experience, would be an advantage to join leading brand! Email: wtp@icon.co.za

Call Centre Agent – Cape Town – TygervalleyClub TravelWell-spoken call centre agent for online division. Have at least 3 years’ leisure consulting experience. Proficient in Amadeus. Fares & ticketing knowledge advantageous. Email: careers@clubtravel.co.za

Sales Executive – Cape TownQuantex Recruitment GroupJoin leaders in luxury accommodation. Showcase your 3+ years’ sales expertise. Proven track record & contactable references essential. Email: lee@quantex.co.za

Reservations Manager – Johannesburg NorthProfessional Career ServicesExperience in inbound tour operator essential. Tourplan. Oversee the reservations department. Assist withitineraries and bookings when needed. Email: jeancv@pcs-sa.co.za

5 Star Inbound Consultant – Cape TownLee Botti & AssociatesWant to liaise with the cream of the crop? Luxury tour operator based in Northern Suburbs seeks senior with Southern and East African knowledge. Email: adrim@nowjobs.co.za

Inbound Groups Consultant – Johannesburg NorthEquity Connections ccSuit senior in-bound expert with in-depth knowledge of South/Southern/East Africa. Design, plan cost highly creative itineraries. Relevant experience essential. Email: equitycon@mweb.co.za

Reservations Manager – RandburgWendy’s Travel PersonnelOverall responsibility for managing the reservations department, TourPlan system administrator & receptionist of leading inbound tour operator! Proven management experience essential! Email: wtp@icon.co.za

Intermediate Travel Consultant – TygervalleyClub TravelRequire experienced travel consultant to plan and book trips for top clients. Must have Amadeus and 2 years’ leisure consulting experience. Email: careers@clubtravel.co.za

Sales & Marketing Manager

Delta Air Lines is looking for a Sales & Marketing Manager

The candidate must have mini-mum 5 years extensive sales & marketing experience within the air line industry.

Must be Johannesburg based.

Starting date: 1 June 2016

Salary: Neg

Applications close 20 April. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

Please send your CV to Marietjie marietjie@travelvision.co.za

TNW7566

The Travel Corporation won Tourism Ireland South Africa’s challenge for the trade to go all out and green their offices for St Patrick’s Day. Because they decided to #GoGreen4PatricksDay, their office won a hamper full of Irish goodies to the value of R2 500 courtesy of Tourism Ireland. The statue of Nelson Mandela in Nelson Mandela Square (left) was the setting for more St Patrick’s Day fun and was lit up in green. Pictured here (from left) celebrating St Patrick’s Day are The Travel Corporation’s Pieter Beyers, Theresa Szejwallo, Carolyn Riddick and Linda Chiu. Photo: The Travel Corporation

Agents from around the industry were hosted by Thompsons Holidays on a day of sightseeing in Johannesburg on March 16. The sightseeing tour included stops at the Body Worlds Vital exhibition in Newtown and the Carlton Centre in the CBD among others. Pictured here (from left) at the Body Worlds Vital exhibition are SA Tourism’s Sherileen Williams and Melanie Leloup along with Thompsons Holidays’ Jessica Kreusch. Photo: Kim Mlangeni

And the greenest office is…

Exploring Jozi!

n Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has appointed Bastien Blanc vp: sales and marketing for the Middle East, Africa and India. Bastien will be responsible for the sales and marketing operations of 19 hotels and will oversee the development and implementation of

strategies, plans and budgets for new and transitional Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel properties. Bastien has 25 years of operational, sales, marketing and food and beverage experience and has worked with multiple leading hospitality brands, including 15 years with AccorHotels in key markets and destinations such as London, Toronto, Krakow, Warsaw, Moscow, Cairo and the Indian Ocean region.

SAA announces top wines for 2016Each year winemakers submit their products to SAA to serve on their flights and in their business lounges. This year’s winners were recently announced at a prestigious banquet in Cape Town, attended by some of the country’s foremost winemakers. Kim Thipe, SAA head of marketing, says the airline traditionally selects 24 white and 24 red wines. Pictured here (from left) are white wine winners, Johan de Wet of DeWetshof Estate and Elna von Schlicht of Orange River Cellars, SAA wine judge Yegas Naidoo, and Steven von Schlicht of Orange River Cellars. Photo: Liesl Venter

12 n Wednesday April 13 2016 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

TNW NEWS

TNW7067

More travel insurance, pleaseHave you seen an increase in requests for travel insurance?

Yes, travellers want extra cover and to know more about travel insurance

No, my clients think credit card insurance is sufficient No, my clients are more concerned about the additional cost of

the insurance

57%

33%10%

Government faces travel apocalypse

their doors open.” The agent agreed that the

way in which the industry was remunerated was not very transparent, and the government’s initiative towards transparency was admirable; however, in order to mitigate any negative impact, government would need to come up with a proportionate service fee and sustainable model. “Unfortunately, in

three months’ time when government reviews the situation, very few of us will still be in business.”

Overrides have been a contentious issue for quite some time, even in the private sector, as the process is not transparent, says chairman of the Global Business Travel Association for Southern Africa, Howard Stephens. “Companies fear that overrides could potentially

influence the TMC’s decision to choose one supplier over another, based on override agreements and not the company’s best interests. The private sector would like to move to nett fares and do away with hidden commissions, but companies are well aware that they will need to pay more service fees. Companies are more than happy to pay TMCs what they’re worth,” he says. n

From page 1

Catch a cruise! Discover the World is offering special rates on Princess Cruises. Travellers can cruise through Scandinavia and Russia for 13 nights from R29 999pps (May 23 departure). The operator is also offering nine-night cruises in the Mediterranean and to the Greek Isles for scheduled departures in May and August. Alternative dates are available at applicable rates. All rates include return flights departing Johannesburg (incl. taxes). Pictured here (from left) on their most recent adventure at sea are Discover the World’s Sabrina Allcock (director); Anneli van den Berg (sales and marketing executive); and Yvonne Skerritt (sales director). Photo: Megan Fischer

Travellers stranded as visa company shuts down Debbie baDham

TRAVEL agents have been left dealing with clients who haven’t received

visas, after visa service company, Republic of Service Excellence (Rose), suddenly shut its doors at the end of March. Rose sent clients a letter on March 22 saying the company had been forced to close its doors due to the ill health of the owner and financial constraints.

In the letter, owner Jan Schavemaker, says the company is committed to getting every visa in its office submitted. “It is therefore imperative that your invoices due to Rose get paid without delay so that we may submit your outstanding visa,” the letter reads. “Any unpaid visa applications still in our offices at end of business on March 24 will be returned to your office and the invoices credited.” Alternatively, clients who wish to have their unpaid visa applications returned, will have these sent back to them. Clients have been advised that they can submit requests for outstanding visas at accounts@visaservices.

However, Paola Kaltenbrun,

owner of Kal Travel, says although she has two paid-for applications for Canadian visas with Rose visas, she has been left stranded, both without visas and without reimbursement for her clients after Rose simply returned her clients’ passports.

Paola is not the only one. An anonymous source told TNW that his company had been inundated with calls from disgruntled clients wanting to know what had happened to their visa applications.

Rose staff say they were given no forewarning of the business’s closure. A source says that not only have former employees been left to try and assist clients where they can, but they themselves have not been paid salaries.

What agents can doExactly how much of a predicament a scenario like this leaves agents in will depend a great deal on the agent’s contractual relationships with both the supplier and the client, says advocate Louis Nel. If the services of the visa company were engaged, regardless of payment or terms thereof, non-performance may amount

to breach of contract, he says.

Prevention is always better than cure, Louis says, advising agents to have comprehensive contracts and terms and conditions in place that are in line with the Consumer Protection Act.

Agents should also note that while travel insurance companies do provide travel supplier insolvency cover, this does not include visa service companies, says Simmy Micheli, TIC sales and marketing manager.

As there is little possibility of an agent having recourse in this situation when faced with short time frames, they are left with no choice but to drive to the embassy in person and present their case, says ITC, Carey Milne. “As an agent you are the one who has made the decision to use the visa service. It’s not the client’s fault and it would be very bad PR to leave your client with the problem.

“This happened to me once before with a client who was due to travel in 24 hours. All you can really do is explain the situation to the client and throw yourself at the mercy of the embassy,” she adds. n

Home Affairs launches online passport applicationsDorine reinstein

SOUTH Africans will soon be able to apply online for their Smart ID cards and passports via the Department of Home Affairs website.

At the time of going to print, the DHA announced the new e-Channel Pilot Project would be officially launched by President Jacob Zuma at a special event to be held on April 7.

The new portal will allow applicants to submit their application forms online, upload supporting documents, make online payments and schedule Home Affairs visits to capture fingerprints and photographs at various banking outlets. “The DHA has collaborated with four major banks to introduce an

online application platform for Smart ID cards and passports. In this regard, ABSA, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank will provide space for the DHA kiosks inside banks where clients will walk in to submit their fingerprints and pictures, having made appointments and payments online,” the department said in a statement.

When the e-Channel portal was trialled in December last year, concerns were raised that the connection to the eChannel portal would be potentially insecure. “You can't impeach online but come [April 7] you will be able to apply for smart IDs and passports,” spokesperson for Home Affairs, Mayihlome Tshwete, said jokingly on Twitter. n

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