TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLYDecember 19/26 2018 I No. 2525

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Season’s Greetings

80 years!

Quality assured!

GTA rate disparity frustrates agentsSarah robertSon

EARLY adopter agents of the new bedsonline reservations system

are reporting rate disparities between its sister company systems: namely bedsonline, GTA and Hotelbeds.

This comes after bedsonline’s announcement that the GTA platform would be discontinued by the end of January following a merger between GTA, Hotelbeds and Tourico Holidays. The company has also confirmed that, while retail agents will be migrated across to the new bedsonline system, the Hotelbeds system

will remain operational for the large tour operator and the OTA market only.

Shaun Beckley, key account manager at bedsonline, said the current rate disparity was due to the ongoing process of hotel contracts being renewed, unified and streamlined and that, as this took place, agents would see rates aligning.

“However, there will still be a price difference between Hotelbeds and bedsonline as Hotelbeds will be used by large-scale tour operators, with the rest of the channel using bedsonline. Retail agents currently using the Hotelbeds system will also be migrated

across to bedsonline during quarter one of 2019,” he added.

For sales support Shaun and his BDM team will be managing all bedsonline bookings locally from South Africa. The company has also launched a local South African number that can be called for operations support. Hotelbeds bookings will continue to be supported by the Dubai office with no local representatives.

Bedsonline has also introduced ‘package rates’ for the first time, which must be sold together with other travel bookings without disclosing the

To page 12

FlySafair integrates with Sabre Savannah Freemantle

AGENTS who ticket through Sabre can now access more competitive rates for both FlySafair’s value fares (starting from R699) and its flexi fares (starting from R1 299) than were previously available on Sabre, as the airline is now bookable under its FA code.

This is because FlySafair’s content has been directly integrated with Sabre. The airline was previously only marketed on Sabre via a codeshare agreement with Hahn Air Systems, bookable under the H1 code.

Kirby Gordon, head of sales and distribution at FlySafair, said the change

KLM is celebrating 80 years in the South African market and, at 99 years old this year, is the world’s oldest airline still using its original name. For more on this story, see page 6.

To page 12

The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa has unveiled new and revised grading standards that include new categories – apartment hotels and small hotels as well as a new dimension recognising properties by niche offerings such as child-friendly, pet-friendly, wedding venues, spa and wellness facilities. The new criteria have been gazetted for implementation from April 2019. Pictured: Darryl Erasmus, chief quality assurance officer, SA Tourism: TGCSA. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

2 n Wednesday December 19/26 2018 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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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Depressed economy triggers retrenchmentsSarah robertSon

THIS year has seen a drop in vacancies in the travel industry as well

as an increased workload for those employed, recruiters say. Reasons cited include retrenchments, smaller agencies being bought out or closing down, cash

flow problems, recession conditions, the weak rand, legislative red tape, government payment delays and resignation positions not being refilled.

Where retrenchments have taken place or resignation positions have not been refilled, existing staff are being put under more pressure to

perform, which is resulting in job dissatisfaction, say recruiters.

Kim Botti, director of Lee Botti and Associates, told TNW she had noticed a decrease in vacancies compared with this time last year.

“Where retrenchments have taken place, remaining staff are required to handle the additional workload, placing more pressure on these employees.

“This can sometimes lead to them resigning without positions to go to, not realising how few roles are available,” said Kim.

Jean Rymer, Professional Career Services senior recruiter – travel industry, confirmed that there had been retrenchments in the industry this year. These had been across the board, affecting

finance, junior, intermediate and senior consultants.

She added that the most common reason job candidates cited for seeking new positions was exhaustion, resulting from working 13 to 16 hours a day.

Nadine Drake, managing member of Equity Connections, said she had seen a number of small agencies closing their doors and that people were holding

on to existing jobs for fear of future retrenchments, knowing the rule of last in, first out applied.

“The pressure on senior consultants is immense. As consumers become more comfortable with online booking platforms, consultants are required to provide increasingly better service levels to hold on to their existing clients and maintain their KPIs,” said Nadine.

All recruiters unanimously agreed that senior consultants remained in particular demand with juniors struggling to get a foot in the door. Another notable industry trend included a decrease in annual salary increase percentages. While 10% was an expected increase in previous years, the average was now between four and six percent. n

Infrastructure limitations bedevil local cruisinghilka birnS

MSC Cruises South Africa wants to bring bigger cruise ships to the country but the biggest problem bedevilling local cruising is the lack of appropriate infrastructure, says md, Ross Volk.

Addressing the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Africa Leaders Forum in Stellenbosch recently, he said: “One of the strategic challenges in Africa is around infrastructure for cruising. Cruise vessels mainly call at Cape Town.” He added that MSC Cruises was looking to bring bigger ships here. Over the past few years, MSC has increased capacity from 2 500 pax on the MSC Sinfonia; to 2 550-3 223

guests on MSC Musica. Next year, its similar-sized sister ship, MSC Orchestra (2 550-3 200 guests) is scheduled to cruise locally from November.

MSC Cruises is already the fourth-largest cruise line in the world, and Ross said it was spending €13,5bn (R212bn) over the next 12 years on 17 new ships as part of a global expansion plan. Its passenger numbers are expected to grow from two million to five million by 2027. He said, by 2022, MSC would be operating the world’s largest ship, with 6 500 passengers and 2 500 crew on board.

Ross said there was a need for more collaboration between the private and public sectors to address

the infrastructure problems. In this vein, MSC Cruises was partnering with the Africa Armada Consortium to build the new R200m Durban Cruise Terminal. When it opens in 2020, it is expected to put Durban on a par with Cape Town as a cruise port and boost the city’s share of the growing global cruise industry.

Meanwhile, Ross told TNW he had approached the Department of Home Affairs about installing a biometric border control system at Cape Town’s cruise terminal and Durban as it came on line, but was told the system, being piloted at Cape Town International Airport from March, would be tested at Acsa airports first. n

“Where retrenchments have taken place,

remaining staff are required to handle the additional workload,

placing more pressure on these employees.”

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To the point

Ethiopian Airlines has finalised an agreement with the government of Mozambique for the launch of Mozambique Airlines. The airline owns a 99% stake in the newly formed airline, which started operating on December 1. Tewolde Gebremariam, group ceo of Ethiopian Airlines said: “To own and operate different hubs in Africa is part of our Vision 2025 multiple-hub strategy.” Ethiopian Mozambique Airlines will connect domestic destinations: Maputo, Nampula, Tete, Pemba, Beira, Nacala, Quelimane and Chimoio, said Tewolde.

SAA, CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF CONNECTING SOUTH AFRICA AND NIGERIA.This year marks 20 years of non-stop service between South Africa and Nigeria. A connection that has strengthened both our economies, unifi ed us and allowed us to reach new heights together. Here’s to another 20 years of breaking barriers and successful business deals in one of Africa’s economic capitals, famous for its vibrant lifestyle.

Go to fl ysaa.com or call +27 11 978 1111 or contact your local travel agent to book.

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4 n Wednesday December 19/26 2018 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

Travelbags turns 60!

Travelbags celebrated its 60th birthday on Friday, November 30, at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton. The night was themed 1950s Oscars and guests were treated to a five-course meal, gifts and glamour! From left: Lindi Mthethwa, BON Hotels group sales director; Nonnie Kubeka, head of Gauteng Convention and Events Bureau; Michelle Hinrichsen, Travelbags president; and Morne van Nieuwenhuizen, Bidvest Bank travel relationship manager.

Long-standing TMC taps into leisure marketTessa Reed

AFTER some 62 years in the corporate travel space, XL Turners

Travel has introduced a leisure brand: XL Turners Traveller.

Linda Edwards, operations director, told TNW that although the agency offered leisure travel, its business to date had been 95% corporate.

She says many of the agency’s corporate clients didn’t realise it could fulfil

leisure travel, something many have enquired about. “We are focusing on our corporates,” she says, adding that the group has an extensive footprint with 150-160 corporate clients.

Linda has seen that, increasingly, travellers are reverting to using traditional agents instead of booking their travel online and are happy to pay more for this.

“Many of our corporates have been with us for 20 or 30 years,” she says. “They know and trust us

and are wary of booking travel online.” She says while some clients may book flights online, when they’re booking travel for a group or spending a significant amount of money, they want to book with an agent. “They prefer to know that if something happens on their holiday, we can assist them.”

For now, consultant Cindy Williamson is focusing on the leisure brand, but Linda expects to recruit for the leisure division in the new year. n

Agency costs rise with increased load sheddingsaRah RobeRTson

ITCS and small agencies report that load shedding is not only affecting productivity but is also increasing daily operational costs and turning away walk-in clients. This follows announcements from Eskom this month relating to implementation of stage two load shedding schedules.

Chantelle Pearson, owner of Travel With Options, says her load shedding woes are two-fold. Chantelle lives in the Sodwana Bay area and says she experiences power cuts frequently.

Not only does this disrupt her workflow, but the boosters that Vodacom has installed at her house to improve her cellphone reception keep blowing with the power cuts, leaving her

unable to make telephone calls due to a lack of signal. As it is so difficult for her to work from home, she has been driving to a nearby lodge that has a generator and better cellphone signal and working from its restaurant.

However, she says this solution is upping her expenses as she now needs to pay for petrol and restaurant meals before work even starts. From next week she will not be able to make use of the lodge’s facilities, as they are fully booked for the December holiday period.

Travel Counsellor, Karin Livingstone,¸says a few hours of load shedding at a time were manageable, as she has a mobile Internet connection and her laptop battery could last that long,

but when the power goes down for a day or two she is forced to work from coffee shops, which increases her operational costs.

Belinda Magua, owner of Harvey World Travel Northcliff, says her office has an inverter that enables her computers and Internet connection to run for three to four hours at the most. She says her printer and switchboard don’t link up to the inverter, which is very inconvenient, and that they lose out on walk-in clients when the office is dark and uninviting without power.

Tammy Lindeque, consultant at Check Out Travel, says they are lucky that the mall that they work in has invested in generators, which allow their phones and computers to work during power cuts. n

One more for the year

The Gentlemen in Travel Christmas lunch took place on Thursday, November 22, at The Fairway Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, Randpark. Guests were asked to bring a gift for the children from the Rainbows and Smiles organisation, ahead of the festive season. Pictured (from left): Marco Cristofoli, BCD Travel, with Nicola Hards and Nikki Wheeler from Virgin Atlantic.

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We cover 31 pre-existing medical conditions, like food allergies.

Meet the specialists!Eleven Thompsons Holidays consultants were recently given Travel Practitioner certification. Says ceo, Joanne Adolphe: “All our reservations advisers strive to be travel specialists and the Asata Professional Programme is an important step toward this goal. A further 14 staff members will take up the challenge in 2019.” Back (from left), travel advisers Linda Pinheiro; Octavia Mlambo; Alyssa Bauer; Ramokqwathedi Dikotla and Malcolm Slaughter. Seated (from left): Virgil Standers (Indian Ocean Team Leader) and travel advisers Manisha Sukha; Liesel Moller; Kim Van Den Berg; and Tiisetso Lehau.

Wendy Wu enters new regionsaRah RobeRTson

WENDY Wu Tours is expanding its product range beyond Asia,

with the introduction of a 2019 South America touring range visiting Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica and Panama.

Rene Swart, manager of Wendy Wu Tours in South Africa, says the company investigated a number of

regions before settling on South America. She says, because of the language barriers and remote distances, South America remains very popular for coach touring.

The expanded portfolio will also allow Wendy Wu repeat travellers to explore new regions with the company. Clients are also rewarded for their loyalty with tiered repeat discount offers.

As its launch special, the

operator is promoting Rhythms of Brazil, a 15-day tour starting in Salvador and includes an Amazon cruise, a trip to the Iguazo Falls and a tour of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Rene says the most popular tours with the South African market are the one- to two-week, budget-conscious tours and believes that the Brazilian tour will do particularly well locally. n

Rising digital demand presents opportunitysavannah FReemanTle

GROWING demand for digital travel solutions in South Africa presents an opportunity for the trade as only a handful of the local trade truly engage travellers effectively through these channels.

So says Claudette Thorne, SA country manager for Travelport, who spoke to TNW about the findings of Travelport’s 2018 Global Digital Traveller Research. The research showed South Africans to have a ‘notably high’ preference for digital travel solutions.

“We have seen interest from customers in digital

solutions rise in South Africa in 2018 but I expect this to escalate in 2019 as more start to recognise the value omni-channel engagement provides.”

The research found that in 2018 46% of SA travellers booked their trips on mobile platforms, a 40% growth on 2017’s figure of 33%. Moreover, 46% used voice search to research their trip, more than those in Australia, Germany and Japan (all 33%).

“Use of voice search for researching travel in South Africa has increased by 5% year-on-year (from 41% in 2017 to 46% in 2018),” she said adding that this is driven

by improvements in voice recognition technology and increased adoption of devices like Amazon Echo.

The research also revealed that 76% of SA travellers actively reviewed photos and videos shared by travel brands on social media when researching their trips, and 24% believed this significantly influenced their purchases.

The research was carried out by Toluna Research on behalf of Travelport and based on 16 200 respondents across 25 countries who had taken at least one return flight last year. Five hundred of these respondents were South African travellers. n

Pictured having fun in the photo booth at the Christmas it’s Time event, held at the Birchwood Hotel this month, are Salome van Heerden (left)and Ilona du Bruyn, business development managers at Cruises International.

Cruising to Christmas

For a FREE subscription to TNW contact Gladys on gladysn@nowmedia.co.za

6 n Wednesday December 19/26 2018 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

the Douglas DC3, one of the fastest aircraft at that time.

In 1962, the first jet service began with thrice weekly operations and in 1980 the airline launched the Boeing 747 on the route, via Nairobi. A non-stop service to Johannesburg using a Boeing 747-400 aircraft started in 1992 and in October of the same year, KLM started serving Cape Town as a tail-end service from JNB. In 2003, the Cape Town route was served with direct flights from Amsterdam.

“It’s a major achievement for KLM to be continuing its legacy on the South African

route eight decades after it began,” says

Wouter Vermeulen, gm of Air France KLM

in South Africa. “Given the global events that have

marked the last 80 years of our history and the challenges that we have had to overcome as an airline, I am exceptionally proud of KLM and what it has achieved over the last 80 years on this route.” n

KLM CELEBRATES 80 YEARS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Looking back on eight decades of service

THIS year, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines celebrates the 80th anniversary of the introduction of its route

to South Africa. The airline is also the world’s oldest still flying under its original name and turns 99 this year.

The carrier’s inaugural flight to Johannesburg on October 18, 1938,

was a milestone in the growth of the international aviation industry. At the time, it was one of a handful of airlines flying from mainland Europe to the southern tip of Africa. The first flights took three days and included stops in Naples, Cairo, Khartoum and Nairobi. The route was flown in aircraft such as

The pilots who flew the Flying Dutchman.

Vintage dining.

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REPORT KWAZULU NATAL

With its rich cultural heritage, diverse adventure offering and nature reserves, KwaZulu Natal has something for everyone. Catherine Bower spent a couple days in the province and filed this report.

Far more than just beachesOUR trip to the KwaZulu Natal

province began with a stop at the Luthuli Museum in

Groutville, about 45 minutes from King Shaka International Airport. Once the home of Chief Albert Luthuli, the museum tells the story of the former president of the African National Congress and Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner. We were taken through the house by an on-site guide and saw his old writing desk, telephone and book collection.

Wall panels explain his journey and the role he played in South Africa’s liberation from oppression, complete with photos of the man and his life.

Outside, guests are invited to sit on a bench in the garden, once the site of a meeting between Luthuli and Robert F. Kennedy. At the meeting, Kennedy played excerpts to Luthuli from John F. Kennedy’s more famous addresses on the US civil rights movement which Luthuli reputedly listened to in silence, shaking his head in response.

The precinct is currently a hive of building activity. The Nokukhanya Luthuli Peace and Development

Institute, named after Luthuli’s wife, will be home to research and development facilities, focusing on education, development and historical research.

Our next stop was the Ohlange Institute in Stanger, about 30 minutes from Durban’s city centre. Here, the founding president of the ANC, John Langalibalele Dube, lived and established the Ohlange High School in 1900. After being inspired by his travels in the US, Dube sought to educate young black people in the region and opened the boarding school for young black men. Dube instilled in the students his philosophy, ‘The Three Hs – head, heart, hands’. As such, the children were taught practical skills, philosophical theories and traditional education. In 1917, a girl’s dormitory was added. Today, Ohlange High School continues.

The property is also the site of Dube’s original home, as well as the gravesite of the family.

Our guide, Mandla Nxumalo, a former student at the school and now staff member, relayed the story of the country’s first democratic election in 1994. “Nelson Mandela, despite living in Johannesburg and having grown up in the Eastern Cape, chose this location to cast his first vote. Upon arriving, he walked up the small hill to this gravesite and addressed Dube’s gravestone: ‘Mr President, I have come to inform you that today your people are free.’ He then walked down the hill to the school hall, where, in front of hundreds of journalists, he cast his first ever vote.”

The Inanda Cultural Precinct offers tourists a glimpse into the country’s history, at the exact spot where some of the country’s most influential leaders met to discuss a way forward in the early 1900s. It is well worth a visit, and even better if Mandla is available to take you on a tour.

We then headed off to the Tala Game Reserve, outside Pietermaritzburg, where we spent

the night. Although Tala does not have any large predators, visitors are not disappointed by the wide array of animals to be seen. The following morning, on a dawn game drive, we spotted three White rhino, including a young juvenile, giraffe, eland, waterbuck, zebra, impala, kudu, nyala, warthog and hippo, as well as a range of birdlife.

Next stop was the Nelson Mandela Capture Site outside Howick in the KZN Midlands. Here, in August 1962, on his way back to Johannesburg after meeting with Luthuli, Mandela – wearing a disguise – was captured by the apartheid security police. Thereafter, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island.

The site is home to a temporary exhibition, explaining his life and the role he played in the country’s history, as well as a sculpture made out of 50 metal stakes that

together make up Mandela’s face.Currently under construction, the

new museum will house interactive displays for tourists to learn about the man, at the spot where he saw his last glimpse of freedom before 27 years in prison.

The visit was rounded off with a visit to Karkloof Canopy Tours, operated by SA Canopy Tours. Here, we put on brave faces as we were kitted in harnesses and helmets before heading up the side of a mountain, ready to throw ourselves off.

The canopy tour involves 10 ziplines ranging from 40 to 200 metres that zigzag their way down the mountain, through an indigenous forest and alongside waterfalls. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth it for those looking for an adrenaline rush coupled with spectacular scenery. n

Nelson Mandela Capture Site outside Howick in the KZN Midlands. Photo: Catherine Bower

Karkloof Canopy Tour. Photo: Canopy Tours SA

Tala Game Reserve outside Pietermaritzburg. Photo: Tala Game ReserveThe Luthuli Museum in Groutville. Photo: Catherine Bower

8 n Wednesday December 19/26 2018 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Season’s GreetingsThe end of 2018 has finally arrived and travel professionals across the industry have been celebrating after another year of hard work. Readers sent us their festive greetings and photos.

World Leisure Holidays. From left: WLH’s Johannesburg sales team Hermina Sennelo, Megan Batten, Elinda Van Der Merwe, and Mischa De La Pierre.

Globus Family of Brands. From left: Lucinda Tyler, sales and marketing manager; travel specialists Natasha van der Westhuizen and Kaycee Poole; Corrie Croucamp, reservations manager; and Janine Mostert, business development manager.

Cruises International. From left: George Argyropoulos, ceo, Thaybz Khan, contemporary brand manager, and Seymour Brugger, luxury brand manager.

The Travel Corporation. From left: Petro Janse van Rensburg and Carolyn Riddick, reservations, and Joy Sepp, finance.

The Travel Corporation. Teresa Richardson, md (left); and Jane Drummond, reservations manager.

Thompsons Holidays. From left: Given Mashaya, sales executive, Cait Du Toit, Americas consultant, Angela Wood, gm sales, Charlotte Mkhonto, Far East consultant, and Leavarn Adams, Americas consultant.

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Club Travel. Back from left: Ruwayda Jainodien, debtors team leader, with credit controllers Christine Booysen, Annelene Franks, Wandisile Mboxela, Miche Poggenpoel, Velma Stevens, and Mkhululi Vabaza, and debtors team leader, La-Eeqah Esau. Front: credit controllers Faeezha Adams, Amaretha Kritzinger, Priscilla Moses, and Elizka Engel.

Dreams Unlimited. Amanda Moura (left), senior travel consultant, and Lauren Christelis, owner.

Rennies Travel Group. Rennies held an All-stars shebeen-themed year-end function to celebrate 2018’s successes and get into the festive spirit. From left: Daphney Mafunzwaini; Priscilla Diale; and Lufuno Mavunda, all credit controllers in Rennies Inhouse finance department in Johannesburg.

Beachcomber Tours and Travel Counsellors. From left: Vladi Wessels, sales executive Beachcomber Tours, with Travel Counsellors Roslyn de la Hunt, Lize Joubert, Charlene Pieterse, Laura Klapwijk, Petrone Schoeman, and Alta Lotter.

The Travel Corporation. Kelly Jackson, national sales manager, with her area sales managers David Robinson (left) and Pieter Beyers, soaking up the Mexican atmosphere of Perron in Illovo at The Travel Corporation’s year-end celebration.

Comair. Gomolemo Ntsoane (left) and Cornelia Moses from finance, enjoy Comair’s shipwrecked-theme year-end function held at Ciello Restaurant, Benoni.

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Happy Holidays!Joy, blessings & gratitude to our clients.

Thank you for your support in 2018!

MauritiusSouth AfricaThailand

Med

EuropeMiddle East

AmericasZanzibar

AustraliaMaldives

AfricaDisney

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From all of us at World Leisure Holidays.

Thank you for your support.

Sure Travel head office. Front row from left: Janine Smith, graphic designer; Shanice van Wyk, administrator; Dominica Bergman, human resources; and Jan Lombaard, technology manager. Middle: Stefan van der Merwe, cfo; Stephen Howarth, online manager; Shanaaz Anthony, accounts; and Charlene Marinus, digital content co-ordinator. Back row: André van der Merwe, data analyst.

Harvey World Travel, Benoni. Back row, from left: Michael Millard, Bailey Jones, Diane Crompton, Annatjie Lubbe, Charissa Holloway, and Matshepo Marabe. Middle row: Janet Odendaal, Rita Bellini-Kaya, Colleen Pike, and Charlotte Visagie. Front row: Amanda Steenberg, Delia Skinner, Michelle Rance, and Melanie Morgan.

Club Travel. Back from left: Minette Fourie, brand manager; Minau Wegner, company co-ordinator; Talene Deetlefs, graphic designer; and Luana Visagie, marketing manager. Front: Verna Hendricks, franchise operations specialist; and Tatum Vermaak, marketing co-ordinator. n

SEASON’S GREETINGS

JOBSCOMMUNITYNEWSBirths, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW’s Savannah Freemantle, at savannahf@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 214 7324.

QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE Wednesday December 19/26 2018 n 11

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

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Travelport bids Clive farewellCLIVE Heighway, regional sales manager, Travelport, is retiring on December 31.

Clive joined Galileo in 2006 under SAA. His role was predominantly commercial and involved calling on all the major TMCs. He then took up the role of chief executive of Galileo in 2010 and held the reins until May 1, 2012, when the business was acquired by Travelport. Clive has continued in his commercial and support duties at Travelport since the acquisition, predominantly in the Southern African region.

He prides himself on the relationships he has built and

maintained in the industry and said: “I am thankful for the support the travel industry has given Galileo and Travelport over the years.”

Claudette Thorne, Travelport country manager Southern Africa, said: ‘Clive’s contribution to the business over

the past 13 years has been invaluable. His insights and in-depth knowledge of the travel trade have stood us in good stead. He has also been instrumental in skills transfer in our business and growing new talent. Clive will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best for his retirement.”

Clive Heighway

South African Airways joined the world to honour Nelson Mandela, with a special fly-past at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 on Sunday, December 2. The Airbus A340-600, with a message ‘Global Citizen – Be The Legacy – Nelson Mandela Centenary 2018’ on its belly, executed the fly-past just after 13h30 to the cheers of the crowd.

SAA honours Madiba

n Thembisile Dhladhla-Semaushu has joined the BidTravel executive team as head of Human Resources.

Her role will initially involve creating a consolidated human resources function at a cluster level. She joined HRG Rennies Travel in 2008 and has experience in HR, learning and development and transformation. “Her role will initially be creating a consolidated human resources function at a cluster level, as the cluster has grown with new businesses joining our fold, thus creating an opportunity to take the best in class to all our people,” said BidTravel ceo, Lidia Foli. “I look forward to her contribution. I wish her well in this role.”

Appointments

Calling all volunteers! Trafalgar challenged all businesses and its employees to fulfil their social responsibility through participating in International Volunteer Day on Wednesday, December 5. Pictured here: Nicole Elisio, reservations, cuddles one of the pups from Kitty and Puppy Haven.

Congratulations!

Travel Counsellors was named ‘Best Independent Travel Agency’ at The British Travel Awards 2018. The company was also named as the ‘Growing Business of the Year’ in the large company category for the second time at the Amazon Growing Business Awards 2018. Pictured with the British Travel Award is Kirsten Hughes, md of Travel Counsellors.

TNW7929

Write your own salary cheque!Advertising Sales Executive wanted for a daily news website that speaks to professionals in corporate travel procurement and the

meetings, conferencing and events industry.

Travel & Meetings Buyer (www.tam.co.za) is looking for someone who thrives on the challenge of finding and securing new clients and

uncovering business opportunities.

We require: a proven track record in sales and / or the corporate travel industry. B2B sales experience an advantage.

Interested?

Send CV to: careers@nowmedia.co.za

Only short listed applicants will be contacted.

TNW8061

Due to retirement, IATA accredited travel agency for sale.

Operating successfully in corporate market.

For further information please call 0721195455, afternoons only.

TNW8002

Have you spoilt your team?Have you done something

to celebrate your staff recently? Send us your pictures for a chance

to be published in TNW. Photos must be high res (1MB or more).

Email savannahf@nowmedia.co.zaTNW7979

REWARDIf you can give us the name of any bona fide travel agency (at least two consultants at the same premises) that is not receiving TNW

at its address

R300 is yours

Send the contact details to dianac@nowmedia.co.za

T&Cs apply

12 n Wednesday December 19/26 2018 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

TNW NEWS

brought to you by eTNW and TRAVELINFO

eTravel is the ITC market leader in South Africa and assists senior Travel Consultants and Travel business owners to realise their dreams. If you have ever dreamt of owning your own travel business or would like to cut costs by doing away with your IATA license and improve your current business efficiencies then you should call eTravel. We run the back office for over 200 Independent Travel Companies and specialise in making your travel business a success by offering the best commissions, overrides & a comprehensive support structure. If you have a client base, 5 years travel consultant experience or already own your own business but want to make more, then contact us! You’ll be amazed at how easy it is!

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TNW7136

CemAir and SAX grounded by SACAA and refund/reroute issues The exchange rate Airlines clamping down on agent and virtual card payments The end of the monthly BSP remittance New loyalty programmes Consolidation in the bed bank space

What was the biggest story of the year?

CemAir, SAX hit the headlines!

GTA rate disparity

rate to the end consumer. Of canvassed agents

contacted, many had picked up on the rate disparity between the systems, reporting that currently it was taking extra time for them to check all the systems before quoting their clients. Most added that a local sales presence was of vital importance when choosing

which aggregators to support.Linda Steenekamp, gm of XL

Rosebank Travel, said she was finding it difficult to navigate bedsonline, which was very different to GTA’s existing reservations system. She said she hoped that the shut-down of GTA would be preceded by training sessions from the GTA team to make the transition easier for supporting agents. n

From page 1

FlySafair integrates with Sabre

had given the airline an increased ability to affect its cost structure on Sabre, the reason that it was now able to release more competitive fares.

He said FlySafair was

now directly integrated with all three GDSs in the SA market (Travelport, Amadeus and Sabre).

Alessandro Ciancimino, vice president, Air Line of Business, Sabre, said Sabre aimed to help

FlySafair differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive low-cost market: “Sub-Saharan Africa has a dynamic travel industry that presents substantial opportunity for carriers like FlySafair.” n

From page 1

The TNW team wish all our readers and advertisers a joyous festive season and a wonderful new year. See you in 2019! Back, from left: Tessa Reed, editor, Dirk Voorneveld, studio head, Robyn Friedman, administrative assistant, Diana Comninos, key account executive, Cecile Scharneck, sales executive, Sarah Robertson, senior journalist, Annemarie Lexow, sales executive, and Shannon Van Zyl, senior visual media producer. Middle row: Anthea Harris, ad co-ordinator, Natasha Schmidt, publisher, and Ann Braun, production editor. Front: Savannah Freemantle, journalist and Jade Kelmovitz, journalist intern. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl

Greetings from the TNW team

Travelport expands airline content within Asia PacificSarah robertSon

TRAVELPORT is expanding its airline offerings in

the Asia-Pacific region through a number of new developments, including its appointments as preferred partner of Jet Airways, as dual preferred distributor of Nepal Airlines’ content and by becoming the only GDS to offer Pakistan International Airlines’ full content range. Effective January 2020, Travelport will also have sole provision of distribution of Air India’s domestic flight content.

Mark Meehan, md Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa of Travelport, said the GDS had identified substantial growth opportunities in the Asia Pacific region with OTA bookings there now accounting for about a third of Travelport’s global OTA reservations. OTA bookings in the region had also grown by about 34% compared with last year, said Mark.

The content increases are also good news for South

African agents who sell a lot of Asia flights, with Mark reporting that South African GDS bookings to Thailand, Indonesia, China and India had grown by 27%, 51%, 10% and 8% respectively.

Effective from early 2019, Travelport will become a preferred supplier of Jet Airways, which will enable agents to shop, book and manage itineraries using the airline’s network and codeshare alliances.

By April, Jet Airways will also be able to deploy Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding by displaying graphical content, fare families and a full range of ancillary products, which means that Travelport will provide the same content as Jet Airways’ direct selling channels.

Additionally the GDS has been appointed dual preferred distributor of Nepal Airlines’ content, which means that it will provide agents with the same content as the airline’s direct selling channels.

The company is also the only GDS able to provide

access to the full range of Pakistan International Airlines’ content through Travelport Smartpoint.

These new announcements add to Travelport’s existing airline content deals in the region. It is the only GDS to offer IndiGo content and provides agents with Rich Content and Branding via Smartpoint and API links.

Travelport also remains the sole distributor to Air India for domestic bookings in point of sale India. Globally, agents also have access to all Air India fares and enjoy exclusive access to Air India domestic fares, including branded fares and ancillaries plus international fares in conjunction with domestic fares.

Seema Sukhdeo, manager of One Stop Travel, an agency that specialises in selling India and the surrounding area, has seen a lot of growth to this area from the South African market. She said any increase in airline offerings in this region would be well received as One Stop Travel booked through Travelport. n

Govt gazettes no change for localsFOREIGN families who arrive in South Africa from visa-free countries will no longer be required to carry birth certificates for minors, according to an amendment published in the November 30 Government Gazette.

South African minors, however, will still need to carry a birth certificate with both parents’ names, until such time as government rolls out a passport with both parents’ names listed.

Asata has reiterated its

call for a repeal of the birth certificate requirement and also criticised the new child passport. “In our modern South African society, there are many different types of families, with single-parent families no longer a rare exception,” says Asata ceo, Otto de Vries. “As it stands, both parents will be required to be present when applying for a child’s passport and when the child travels. This is not realistic.” n

39%

29%

17%10%

3% 2%