family travel

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY
February 24 2016 I No. 2387
INSIDE
TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY
TNW7450SD
NEWS
FEATURE
NEWS
FC TRAVEL EXPO
LUXURY GOLD
FAMILY TRAVEL
Travellers do their homework
Insight launches new product
Outbound can still be affordable
Page 2
Page 4
Page 10
Agents, we’re hiring!
Darise Foster
T
RAVEL agencies are
looking to increase their
staff numbers this year,
predominantly in the leisure
sector, despite the economic
slump.
Pentravel aims to up its
staff numbers by a minimum
of 10% this year, says
ceo Sean Hough, with the
opening of three new stores.
Travelstart, too, is planning
to grow its South African
office by 15%, following
Amadeus Capital and MTN’s
recent investment in the
online travel agency.
Flight Centre has
already increased its staff
component by 8% this year.
“Even with the downward
turn in the economy, Flight
Centre has had an incredible
year so far,” says Sam van
Gool, gm of the group’s
retail, wholesale and human
resources arm, Peopleworks.
At its recent Travel
Expo, Flight Centre ran a
recruitment drive using the
hashtag #workforflightcentre.
Md Andrew Stark says
the campaign received
an overwhelming amount
of interest and saw the
recruitment team walk away
with over 100 hand-picked
CVs from the many that were
submitted on the day.
“We are seeing nationally
that travel companies
are recruiting,” says Kim
Botti, director of Lee Botti
and Associates. “While
the value of the rand has
made it expensive to travel
internationally, there seems
to be an increase in demand
for consultants who can
come up with innovative
ideas while also offering
unique experiences to the
local market who are looking
to travel domestically.”
“We are not seeing a
slowdown in enquiries
coming in from travel agents,
which automatically tells
me that they are busy and
vibrant,” says Thompsons
Holidays PR and media
manager, John Ridler.
“Demand for travel is still
there, therefore the appetite
for employing and replacing
staff is still good.
Internship programmes are
also making a difference.
Travelstart HR manager,
Shireen McWhite, says:
“We have several permanent
employees who started out
as interns at Travelstart.”
Nurturing and developing
raw talent is also a top
priority for Thompsons
Holidays this year, says HR
manager Lynn Phipson.
“For the most part, tertiary
institutions do not focus on
the skills needed to develop
a travel consultant, thus
we have our internship and
mentorship programmes
to retain our existing staff
and grow them into future
promotion roles,” she said.
Lynn admits that technology
plays a part in the number of
opportunities available – to
graduates in particular. “With
technological developments,
job roles have changed.
There are no longer as many
reservation assistant roles
or document processor
roles because all of that is
automated,” she says. “So
now, when we recruit, we are
looking for sales consultants
who can do more than just
issue documents.”
This trend is particularly
evident in the corporate
travel space. Tourvest Travel
Services’ online travel
management tool, TravelIT,
has been developed to
improve productivity and
operational efficiency, says
chief sales and marketing
officer, Claude Vankeirsbilck.
“We can now do much more
with our existing resources
than before.” As a result,
Tourvest will look to continue
to grow with its current
resources, he says.
Wings Travel Management,
too, is focusing on retaining
rather than recruiting
staff. Frank Palapies, coo
for Africa and the Middle
East, says: “The current
economic climate, which is
dominated by a weak rand,
a significantly low oil price
and a slow-down in business
travel, has made it imperative
that travel businesses
implement a human capital
strategy reflecting this
economic situation.” ■
Free tech for travellers!
Travellers are given a free tablet when they visit Mauritius
with kulula holidays in April (one seven-inch tablet per
room per stay to keep). The special includes stays at the
four-star Solana Beach Resort from R15 617pps or the
four-star Preskil Beach Resort and Spa from R15 872pp.
See Travelinfo for more details. Pictured here (from left)
ready for fun in the Mauritian sun are kulula holidays’
Karen Camm (product manager) and Chanelle Mashinini
(Indian Ocean Islands consultant). Photo: Megan Fischer
SAA fails to submit financial
statements… again
Dorine Reinstein
MINISTER of Finance,
Pravin Gordhan, has asked
Parliament to allow SAA one
more month to submit its long
overdue financial statements.
The original deadline for
the airline to table its annual
report was in September last
year. However, SAA was unable
to submit its financials at that
time because it needed a
R5bn guarantee to continue
Visit AgentConnect.biz your dedicated website.
TNW7543
to establish itself as a going
concern. Before the request
could be considered, then
Finance Minister, Nhlanhla
Nene, requested that SAA
expedite the finalisation of
a number of matters, which
could assist in improving the
airline’s financial sustainability
and reduce the amount
of support required from
government. The airline was
granted an extension to table
To page 16
NEWS
Top web stories
 Airlines still requesting unabridged birth certificates
 Letter to ed: Greed jeopardises relationships
 Refurb at OR Tambo affects operations
 Where are the job opportunities in travel?
 TNW pick: Flyafrica.com – the comeback kid
TNW6003SD
Rubes®
By Leigh Rubin
Founding Editors:
John H Marsh (1914-1996)
TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY
www.etnw.co.za
Published by
Travel & Trade Publishing (Pty) Ltd
Printed by Juka Printing (Pty) Ltd
Phone: (011) 327-4062
Fax: (011) 327-4094
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.nowmedia.co.za
Address: Now Media Centre,
32 Fricker Road, Illovo Boulevard,
Illovo, Johannesburg.
PO Box 55251, Northlands,
2116, South Africa.
It’s not all about cheap –
Flight Centre Travel Expo
Debbie Badham
S
OUTH African travellers
aren’t just looking for
the cheapest deal – they
want value for money and
they’re doing their homework
to make sure they get it.
The buying behaviour at
Flight Centre’s recent Travel
Expo, held at the Ticketpro
Dome from February 6-7,
contradicts the logic that
the poor state of the
economy and weak rand are
discouraging travellers, says
Flight Centre md, Andrew
Stark.
Both attendance and total
sales from the expo were up
22% and 29% respectively
from 2015. Paid-for bookings
increased by 64%, indicating
that visitors came to the
show with the intention of
finalising their holiday plans.
While last year attendees
were in a booking frenzy, this
year they were more focused
on good deals, he says.
“Rather than cheap deals,
people were looking for
value for money,” agrees
Cathie Bester, national
sales manager for World
Leisure Holidays. “There were
some very serious buyers in
attendance. They had done
their homework and came to
the expo to take advantage
of the great deals that were
on offer.”
Thaybz Khan, contemporary
brand manager of Cruises
International, notes that
visitors were definitely more
value driven than bargain
driven. Clients knew exactly
what they were looking for
in terms of travel dates,
budgets, number of people
and destination, she says.
Spokesperson for the
Tourism Authority of Thailand
in South Africa, Lesley
Simpson, says travellers
knew Thailand like the back
of their hand. “A lot of people
had been to Phuket before
and were asking about
the other destinations in
Thailand.”
Flight Centre hailed valuefor-money destinations like
Thailand and Mauritius as
well as local and Caribbean
cruises as the hits of
the expo. Travellers also
demonstrated interest in
high-end packages. “With
the Beachcomber brand we
definitely saw more upmarket
travellers who were interested
in quality,” says Ettienne
Walters, sales executive of
Beachcomber Tours, adding
that the operator sold some
five-star superior packages.
He says the traveller
demographic was diverse,
ranging from families to
honeymoon couples of all
budgets and ages. Lesley
agrees, noting that there
were three specific traveller
groups that stood out for
her – more senior couples,
honeymooners and groups in
their mid-twenties. “However,
the one characteristic that
was common throughout
these groups was that they
were all seeking adventure.”
For Trafalgar, its budget
brand, CostSaver, brought in
the lion’s share of bookings.
Together Trafalgar and
Trafalgar’s CostSaver holidays
made up 77% of all Travel
Corporation sales. “The top
selling CostSaver trip was a
12-day guided holiday that
takes in nine countries.
Priced from R23 800 per
person this is super value at
only R1 984 per person per
day,” says Theresa Szejwallo,
md of Trafalgar.
Visitors were particularly
taken with Trafalgar’s easy
payment terms; through
which travellers only have
to pay the full amount for
their holiday 40 days prior
to departure. “Paying in full
upfront is hard for people,”
she says. ■
Leona Marsh (1923-2003)
EDITORIAL
Managing Editor: Natasha Schmidt [email protected]
Deputy Editor: Debbie Badham [email protected]
Journalists:
Darise Foster
Dorine Reinstein
Carina Borralho Taryn Nightingale
Photographers:
Production Editor: Ann Braun
GROUP PUBLISHER
David Marsh
SALES
Sales Director: Kate Nathan
Ad Co-ordinator: Anthea Lucas
PRODUCTION
Design Head:
Shannon Van Zyl
Megan Fischer
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Dirk Voorneveld
SUBSCRIPTIONS
[email protected]
TNW7217SD
2 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
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AirHeads
NEWS
Insight launches new
luxury product
Darise Foster
I
NSIGHT Vacations’ newest
premium offering, Luxury
Gold, offers a range of
new itineraries that allow
travellers to get more
out of their experience in
the various destinations
they visit, says ceo, John
Boulding.
“We are trying to offer
guests the ability to interact
fully with a destination –
something they wouldn’t
otherwise do if they
travelled independently,” he
says.
For instance, travellers
will be able to speak to
the head chef of a popular
restaurant in Italy or learn
about the inner secrets
of the Renaissance, John
says. “Experiences like
these set this product
apart from anything else we
offer.”
The weak rand has not
derailed luxury travellers,
John Boulding
John says. “We find that
we appeal particularly to
baby boomers – those aged
between 48 and 68 who
are ready to tick items off
their bucket list.”
According to John, one
per cent of baby boomers
were retired in 2010. In
2014, that number rose to
18% and this year it sits at
about 21%. “Bear in mind
that most of these people
have sold shares and
assets and now want to
enjoy their money and travel
the world.”
This is a factor that travel
agents can take advantage
of, John adds. “We sell
bucket-list items and that
is precisely what agents
should tell their customers
when selling this product.”
John also points out that
the rates offered within
this product represent a
32% saving because of the
Rand Price Guarantee that
Insight Vacations offers
clients as part of The Travel
Corporation.
“What’s more, if the rand
stays the way it is at the
moment, the rates will be
32% more expensive next
year, so agents need to
encourage their clients to
go now,” John says. ■
A snapshot of the week's airline news
Cathay Pacific strengthens brand
THE Cathay Pacific Group is rebranding its wholly owned sister
airline, Dragonair, as Cathay Dragon. Cathay Pacific and Cathay
Dragon will remain two separate airlines, operating under their
own licences. “There will be no changes to the business structure;
Cathay Dragon will remain operating with the Dragonair prefix
and Iata code KA,” says country manager for Cathay Pacific
Southern Africa and Indian Ocean, Rakesh Raicar. The group
says merging the two brand names will capitalise on Cathay
Pacific’s international brand recognition and leverage on Cathay
Dragon’s unique connectivity into Mainland China. Since Dragonair
became a solely owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific in 2006 it has
added 23 destinations to the group’s portfolio and the number of
passengers travelling across both carriers has grown five times to
more than seven million in 2015.
Fastjet appoints new GSA
FASTJET has appointed Aviareps as its general sales agent
in South Africa, effective February 1. “Aviareps is a globally
recognised GSA that has a credible reputation, in-depth industry
knowledge and established relationships with the travel trade
market in South Africa,” says Richard Bodin, cco of fastjet.
Aviareps will now manage all fastjet’s reservations, sales and
marketing functions for the South African travel trade and
corporate markets. Holiday Aviation, the airline’s previous GSA,
says the loss of the airline will not have an effect on its revenue
streams. “We did not provide a full service GSA solution for fastjet
as our role was confined mainly to ticket sales on its behalf. There
was a conflict of interest with one of our other airline clients,
which compromised the viability of an ongoing relationship with
fastjet,” says Matthew Simpson, sales and marketing manager of
Holiday Aviation.
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4 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
PillowTalk
A brief look at this week’s hotel news
Hilton Garden Inn to open in Windhoek
THE United Africa Group (UAG) will soon start construction of the
Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the centre of Windhoek. It will be the
third Garden Inn in Africa and will cost around R325 million and
be solely owned by UAG. Construction is planned to start soon and
is expected to be completed by early 2018. “This hotel will be the
biggest in the city, with a huge conference and convention centre,
restaurant and a parking lot for up to 350 cars, and at least 180
rooms,” said Haddis Tilahun, UAG founder and executive director.
Starwood to debut Four Points in Ethiopia
STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is to introduce its Four
Points brand in Ethiopia. Due to open in 2019, the Four Points by
Sheraton Addis Ababa, Meskel Square, will have 450 guest rooms,
including 44 suites and a presidential suite. Facilities will include
an all-day dining restaurant, a roof-top speciality restaurant, a pool
bar and a lobby bar and lounge featuring the brand’s signature Best
Brews programme. There will also be a fitness centre, an outdoor
pool, spa and over 2 000 sqm of meeting and ballroom space. Fast
and free WiFi will be offered throughout the hotel.
MHG acquires Tivoli Hotels and Resorts
MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) has completed the final stage of its
acquisition of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, a Portugal-based brand
with 14 properties across Portugal and Brazil. This follows MHG’s
acquisition last year of five Tivoli hotels in Portugal and two in
Brazil, along with the Tivoli brand in Brazil. The final stage of the
acquisition comprises seven hotels in Portugal: the Tivoli Jardim
Lisboa Hotel; the Tivoli Sintra Hotel; Tivoli Palácio de Seteais; the
Tivoli Lagos Hotel Beach Club & Golf; the Tivoli Victoria Vilamoura
Golf Resort Conference & Spa; The Residences at Victoria Clube de
Golf; and the Tivoli Coimbra Hotel.
NEWS
Last stage of OR Tambo’s
Terminal A refurb begins
T
HE last phase of
refurbishments at OR
Tambo International
Airport began on February 13
and will relocate the security
and emigration handling
processes for international
passengers from terminal
A to the Central Terminal
Building (CTB) opposite the
KFC outlet.
The check-in for
international passengers
will remain at Terminal A
international departures.
Passengers checking in
for airlines that currently
operate international or
regional flights from Terminal
B will continue to check in
at Terminal B and proceed
to the CTB security and
emigration processing
points.
The airport advises
passengers to provide
sufficient time for checkin. Once passengers have
completed the check-in
process, customer care
agents wearing orange
T-shirts inscribed with ‘How
can I help you’ will be on
hand to assist with the route
to be followed.
The gm of the airport,
Bongiwe Pityi, says the
airport aims to have all
contractors working on the
renovations removed from
the site before the Easter
peak season starts. ■
Fastjet ups JNB-HRE flights
FASTJET is to increase the
frequency of flights on its
daily Johannesburg-Harare
service by four flights a
week, effective February 29.
This follows high consumer
demand after the launch of
the route on February 1.
The extra flights will
operate on Mondays,
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Sundays and increase the
current amount of flights
from seven to 11 a week.
Flight FN 8104 will depart
JNB at 21h15 to arrive in
HRE at 22h50. Flight FN
8103 will depart HRE
at 18h50 to arrive in JNB
at 20h30.
“This increase is a
stepping stone in possibly
increasing the current
service to a double-daily
service operating seven
days a week. That,
however, would be
dependent on consumer
demand,” says cco of
fastjet, Richard Bodin. ■
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QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE
Wednesday February 24 2016 n 5
NEWS
Checkout Tours reaches
out to the trade
Darise Foster
C
HECKOUT Tours is focusing on
fostering relationships with its
preferred consortiums and travel
agents this year, with a number of new
initiatives.
“Networking and chatting with
agents face to face helps
build up relationships and
allows agents to put a face to
the name of the person they
are actually dealing with.”
The operator will host educationals,
visit travel agents around the country
and hold a number of road shows, says
Checkout Tours director, Giles Clinton.
“We find that networking and chatting
with agents face to face helps build up
relationships and allows agents to put
a face to the name of the person they
are actually dealing with,” he says.
Ultimately, Checkout hopes to
establish itself as “more than a call
centre” for agents, Giles adds. “More
often than not, agents get through to
call centres and deal with a number of
different people, which takes away that
personalised feel.”
Giles started his career in retail
travel where he says he learned that,
when it came to relationships with
tour operators, it was important to
use specific consultants for certain
destinations. This is why Checkout
Tours employs consultants who
specialise in particular destinations
that they themselves have visited,
he says.
“In line with this, we will be holding
a number of educationals this year
to Zanzibar as well as to Thailand.”
Checkout has partnered with the
Tourism Authority of Thailand in South
Africa to make the educational to
Thailand possible.
“My hope is that these educationals
will not only assist agents in learning
more about the destinations, but also
strengthen our relationships with them
and enable us to work more closely
together in the future,” he says.
The tour operator has also recently
become affiliated to Asata in the hope
that this will give agents the confidence
that they are booking with a reputable
supplier. ■
BA brings romance to flying
British Airways held an interactive pop-up street art exhibition at
Melrose Arch on February 11. The airline selected six of the most
romantic destinations in the world for display. Visitors were able to
post images on social media of themselves next to the illustration of
the place they would most love to visit. By the end of the day, two
couples had their wish come true. Pictured here welcoming visitors to
the art exhibition are BA ambassadors Salama Detlefsen (left) and
Tracey Lanjopoulos (right) along with British Airways corporate sales
manager for South Africa, Cristina Graham. Photo: Carina Borralho
Beachcomber goes paperless
FROM mid-March, South African
travel agents will receive their
clients’ Beachcomber Tours
documents by email unless they
have specifically requested the
documentation to be delivered in
paper format.
This will be faster than the current
paper system and agents will be able
to automatically e-file documents. ■
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6 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
FAMILY TRAVEL
The weak rand and UBC requirements need not deter
families from travelling abroad. Darise Foster reports.
Outbound travel can still be affordable
T
RAVELLING abroad as a
family has undoubtedly
become a daunting
thought for many South
Africans this year, with the
rapidly depreciating rand
leading to a strong preference
for local destinations over last
year’s festive travel season,
according to Cape Town
Tourism.
What’s more, concessions
made to the controversial
immigration regulations did not
include specific provision for
outbound travellers – meaning
that the unabridged birth
certificate is still required for
minors leaving South Africa.
But it is still possible
for families travelling on a
budget to go abroad – travel
agents just need to do some
homework to find the best
solutions for their clients.
“At a time like this when
there are various challenges
hampering outbound travel –
especially in the case of family
travel – travel agents have
to let their clients know that
there are still destinations that
South Africans can travel to
and packages available that
are affordable,” says Cathie
Bester, World Leisure Holidays
national sales manager.
Cathie says the poor
rand exchange rate is the
biggest cause for concern
at the moment, which is why
destinations such as Mauritius
that are a short flight away and
do not require visas (which
would have been an additional
cost) are still viable options.
“These sorts of destinations
should thus be an agent’s first
suggestion to their clients,”
Cathie says.
“There are still a host of
affordable destinations that
families can travel to despite
the stronger dollar,” agrees
Noorjehan Vadachia, sales
and marketing director at
Avoca Travels. China, Malaysia
and Turkey readily come to
mind, she adds.
Noorjehan says some
families may reduce the
extravagance of their vacations
or reduce their length of stay
to compensate for the weaker
Thaybz Khan
exchange rate. “Those who are
committed to travelling will still
be able to do so within their
budget,” she says.
Guaranteed rates
Agents should also remember
that tour operators such as
World Leisure Holidays have
negotiated the rates of a
number of resorts in rands
in order to offer protection to
passengers and guarantee the
rates, Cathie points out.
Similarly, Trafalgar has a
Rand Price Guarantee to
ensure its guests are not
affected by the fluctuating
currency. “Our brochures
were priced in August 2015
and since then the rand has
depreciated by over 30% to the
euro,” comments Trafalgar md,
Theresa Szejwallo. “Despite
this, we’ve held our brochure
prices and honoured our Rand
Price Guarantee.”
Agents should, however,
advise potential travellers to
make their reservations as
soon as possible, says Cathie.
We are not certain of what
will happen to airfares and, of
course, the dreaded airport
tax.”
Constant communication
between travel agents and
tourism offices will ensure
agents are always kept up
with the best options for their
clients, adds Jean Martins,
country manager for the
Tourism and Culture Authority
Abu Dhabi.
When it comes to the
unabridged birth certificate
requirement, travel agents
should go above and beyond
in assisting their clients with
travel arrangements and
requirements by providing
their clients with as much
information as possible,
says, Cruises International’s
contemporary brand manager,
Thaybz Khan.
Joanne Visagie, sales
and marketing manager at
Beachcomber Tours agrees:
“Ensuring that clients are well
informed as far ahead of time
about the new legislation and
requirements is vital.”
Trafalgar, for instance, did not
see any drop in sales numbers
to any of its specialised Family
Experiences during 2015
because it was quick off the
mark to advise clients about
the new requirements, says
Theresa.
Thaybz says value is going
to be an important element of
selling travel this year. “The
more ‘challenges’ agents take
away from their clients, the
more inclined their clients will
be to travel,” she says.
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Wednesday February 24 2016 n 7
FAMILY TRAVEL
All-inclusive packages offer
peace of mind
ALL-INCLUSIVE packages are
the key to offering a family
holiday that is true value for
money in the midst of socioeconomic challenges, the
experts agree.
“Families will choose allinclusive holidays to ensure
the cost of their holiday is
fixed,” comments Avoca
Travels’ Noorjehan Vadachia.
Travellers will definitely
consider the all-inclusive
option to give them peace
of mind when booking their
holidays because they can
relax knowing that the bulk of
their holiday has been paid for,
agrees World Leisure Holidays’
Cathie Bester.
“Family discounts and
special offers will prove to
be valuable selling points
this year as the challenges
affecting outbound travel (the
immigration regulations and
the weak rand) are ironed
out,” says Thaybz Khan from
Cruises International.
As such, travel agents’ ability
to renegotiate pricing with
suppliers will prove vital during
these tough economic times,
agrees Noorjehan. “Agents will
need to create more affordable
packages and offer valueadded services to their clients
who have been discouraged by
the challenges that affected
travel in 2015.”
Family cruising, as a result,
will continue to grow in
popularity, believes Thaybz.
“Cruising is guaranteed to
give you more bang for your
buck,” she says, adding that
the value of a cruise holiday
in terms of inclusions, from
dining to entertainment and
transportation, significantly
outweigh those of a land
package.
She says cruising was very
popular with families last
year. “This is because we
saw cruise lines offering more
TNW7430SD
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8 n Wednesday February 24 2016
incentives for families and
groups – and these incentives
will continue this year,” she
says.
Crystal Cruises, for example,
offers full-fare-paying parents
with children aged 11 and
younger a 50% discount on
their children’s fare throughout
2016. “Also, the luxury cruise
line often offers parents free
sailing specials for children
from time to time, when
parents book a room that is
shared with children,” says
Thaybz.
Similarly, with Beachcomber
Tours, children sharing in
family units do not pay for
accommodation or meals,
says Beachcomber’s Joanne
Visagie.
“We try to ensure that family
travel to Mauritius remains
affordable. Family travel is a
huge segment of the market
for us and we place a massive
focus on families and kids.”
Adventures in Costa Rica!
Trafalgar is offering a special promotion for families
travelling to Costa Rica. The Monkeys, Jungles and
Volcanoes trip to Costa Rica is an eight-day guided
holiday that is fun filled and packed with adventure. For
example, families can find themselves walking along the
Arenal Hanging Bridges within the lush canopy during a
guided trek at Arenal National Park. It is priced from
R23 400pp twin-share with a Young Travellers’ Discount
applicable as well as an Early Payment Discount.
Read your customer!
DESPITE the various factors
discouraging families from
travelling beyond South Africa’s
borders, there is still interest
in international travel – and
where there is interest, there
is room for a potential sale.
John Ridler, media and
public relations manager at
Thompsons Holidays, spoke
to TNW to provide tips for
travel agents daunted by the
prospect of selling outbound
travel to families in the current
economic climate.
John says agents can keep
the customer if they are
creative and proactive in their
selling and customer profiling.
“There will always be people
who can afford to travel
overseas but this year they will
really be looking for good deals
and all-inclusive packages,”
John says.
“You have to read the
customer to make sure you
keep the sale. If you sense you
are losing the deal because of
the cost of the holiday, try and
give them an alternative and
make it attractive.”
For instance, a father will
enquire about a holiday in
Europe for his family, then his
body language will change and
his face will drop when the
prices are discussed, John
says. “It is at this point when
the agent can jump in and
say ‘that is quite a high price
because of the exchange rate,
however we do have much less
expensive holidays in Mauritius
or Thailand’,” he says.
John also suggests that
agents should give clients
hope that the rand will
increase soon. “Agents could
suggest to their clients that,
instead of going to Europe,
the family go to an island like
Mauritius and wait for the rand
to improve before booking that
Europe holiday,” he says.
Offering something free will
also prove vital, says John.
“The ‘free’ word is going to
be the key word. Even in a
struggling economy, a good
special can still go a long way.”
For as long as the rand
is weak, selling travel is
going to be about showing
potential clients how much
value you have brought to the
transaction, says John. “Tell
your clients that you have
negotiated good rates and
present the package to them
by showing them the value
first. Offering a basic package
and saying ‘take it or leave it’
is not going to work.”
Travelling closer to home
will also prove to be a good
option for travellers this year,
says John. “Remember as
well that the SADC countries
traditionally give South Africans
better rates than they will give
foreigners.”
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
Find what you seek
Play, drive, stroll, see, catch, feel, shop, climb…
Or the many other things that you can do in Incredible India
To know more, log on to www.incredibleindia.org. Mail: [email protected]
TNW7532
FAMILY TRAVEL
Local suppliers need to step up
IT’S still a reality, however,
that outbound family travel
is out of the question
for a lot of South African
families. “There will always
be affordable destinations
and good deals but the rand
will continue to depreciate
and even a good deal may
well be out of reach for a lot
of families in our country,”
points out Alan Campbell,
group brand manager at
Premier Hotels and Resorts.
As a result, more
families will travel locally
as challenges affecting
outbound travel take time
to stabilise, says Noorjehan
Vadachia of Avoca Travels.
“We have already started a
huge focus on local travel,”
agrees Thompsons Holidays’
John Ridler.
According to Alan, tourism
service providers in South
Africa will need to step up
Alan Campbell
to the plate. “Prices have
already begun to increase
here and there, but we need
to try and stimulate local
travel at this time and focus
on getting South Africans
travelling domestically.”
It is for this reason that
Premier Hotels and Resorts,
like several other tourism
service providers, has placed
a large focus on family travel
this year, to encourage
South Africans to travel
locally and bring the family
along.
“We noticed an increase
in families visiting our
resorts over the festive
season already,” Alan says,
suggesting it was because
many of Premier’s resorts
are coastal based.
Many of the resorts are
child-friendly and offer
activities for parents and
kids alike, Alan says. “In
Knysna, for instance, we
launched a new play area for
kids last year which comes
complete with a giant chess
set,” he says. “Our resorts
also offer golf and volleyball
for the adults.”
Malawi offers a diverse range of activities for families.
Photo: Drifters Adventure Tours
Go off the beaten track
in Malawi
ALTHOUGH perhaps not
the first place to come to
mind for South Africans
looking to book a holiday,
Malawi is a good choice for
family travellers because of
its diverse range of family
activities on offer.
A trip to Malawi will
see travellers welcomed
to a safe and friendly
environment that is perfect
for families who enjoy offthe-beaten-track adventures
in the bush, at the lake and
in the highlands, says Vice
Consul of Tourism for the
Malawi Consulate General
in Johannesburg, Salad
Nthenda.
Malawi Tourism says the
destination is one of the
safest places to visit in
Africa. “This, together with
the various wildlife-sighting
opportunities, beautiful
landscapes, and beachfringed lake, makes the
country a top attraction for
families,” Malawi Tourism
said on its website.
The majority of the
country’s lodges and
hotels in Malawi cater
especially for families, Salad
comments. The country
also offers beaches and
exotic islands where kids
can enjoy kayaking, scuba
diving, snorkelling, sailing as
well as other water sporting
activities.
“For instance, a perfect
family trip to Malawi
usually commences with an
experience with a safari in
one of the national parks,
spending time with the local
community and finally to the
lake where the family can
rest and relax,” says Salad.
Trips to Malawi are also
tailored to include the
interests of the family in
question and there is always
a lot of interaction with the
local communities, says
Salad.
“Malawi offers a perfect
mix for family travel in the
form of cultural interaction,”
he adds.
Take note!
Royal Caribbean Cruises is offering 30% off its standard
cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom across all
stateroom categories. The offer is applicable to all
destinations, excluding China for departures on or after
March 16. Booking Window: Feb 16 – April 3.
TNW7440SD
10 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
FAMILY TRAVEL
The Valley of the Waves. Photo: Sun International
New ride opens
at Sun City
AS PART of an ongoing
upgrade, Sun City’s Valley of
Waves has launched a new
155-metre-long slide.
The one- or two-person
raft slide starts 18m above
the pool. Riders are taken
through a dark and twisting
portion that leads to a
section that propels riders
12m above the pool.
Maximum total weight
allowed for a two-rider raft
is 185kg and 136kg for
a single rider. There is no
minimum age requirement
for the ride, but riders must
weigh at least 45kg and be
1,22m in height.
“Thrill seekers will love the
sharp summits, high-banking
turns and heart pounding
plunges,” says Sun City’s
managing executive, Mike
van Vuuren.
Later this year another
slide will be installed,
bringing the number of
slides at the Valley of Waves
to seven.
Discounts in Abu Dhabi
Accommodation and attractions in Abu Dhabi are offered to families at discounted
prices between June and September. Yas Island, for example, has a range of
accommodation from three- to five-star as well as reduced dual-park combo tickets to
let travellers enjoy Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld (pictured here) at a reduced cost.
There is also a free shuttle on Yas Island to make getting around easy.
TNW7448SD
QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE
Wednesday February 24 2016 n 11
FAMILY TRAVEL
Harmony of the Seas will offer a line-up of kid-friendly entertainment.
Harmony of the Seas goes big
on family entertainment
ROYAL Caribbean International
is focusing on family fun
on board its newest ship,
Harmony of the Seas.
When Harmony of the Seas
debuts in approximately four
months, it will bring a familiar
cast of DreamWorks Animation
characters, including Po of
Kung Fu Panda; Shrek, Fiona
and Puss in Boots of Shrek;
and from Madagascar, Alex the
Lion, Gloria the Hippo, King
Julien and the Penguins.
The ship will be based in
Port Everglades, Florida.
Guests can enjoy events
and activities based on
DreamWorks Animation’s
popular feature films, including
a DreamWorks character
breakfast in the main dining
room, ‘meet and greet’
experiences throughout
the day, as well as photo
opportunities that can be
immediately shared with family
and friends back home with
VOOM, the fastest Internet
at sea according to Royal
Caribbean.
What’s more, Royal
Caribbean’s complimentary
kids’ programme, Adventure
Ocean, has added Adventure
Ocean Theatre – Away We Go!
– a puppet show created by
Tony-award-nominated actors
and imaginative producers
John Tartaglia and Michael
Shawn Lewis of Gable Grove
Productions.
Book it!
TNW7422SD
For a FREE subscription to TNW
contact Gladys on [email protected]
Travel Vision is running a special offer for families visiting India. Travellers can spend five nights
experiencing the Golden Triangle from just R17 575pps. The special is valid until March 16 and
includes return airfare departing Johannesburg (including taxes), two nights each in Delhi and Jaipur
and one night in Agra in four-star hotels with breakfast daily, a traditional welcome upon arrival and
all transfers. An English-speaking local guide, entrance fees to sights, an elephant ride and porterage
at all hotels will also be included.
TNW7434SD
12 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
FAMILY TRAVEL
New 24-hour helpline
launched in India
THE INDIAN government has
launched a 24-hour toll-free
tourist infoline, available in
12 international languages.
The infoline will advise
callers on action to be taken
if they encounter problems
while travelling in India. Its
call centre agents will also
alert concerned authorities
on behalf of the travellers,
if need be.
Speaking at the launch of
the infoline, Indian Minister
of State, Dr Mahesh Sharma
said the introduction of the
Infoline had marked the
fulfilment of the promise
made by government to
prioritise safety and security
for tourists.
“Travellers visiting India
can now seek help and
information for a hasslefree experience much
more easily than before,”
Dr Sharma said in a
statement. The infoline’s
call centre offers assistance
in English, Hindi, Arabic,
French, German, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Chinese,
Portuguese, Russian and
Spanish.
An Incredible India mobile
app would also be launched
very soon, he said.
Tourists can call
1800111363 once in India
to make use of the service.
Did you know?
Trafalgar offers agents an extra 1% commission for online
bookings. The new Past Guest Discount Policy also extends to any
of Trafalgar’s sister brand clients and is valid for life (Trafalgar
offers a 5% discount on trips if guests have travelled on any of its
brands).
Central Hospitality International Hotels and Resorts offers a family
plan through which children under 12 can stay free, sharing a bed
and using the same meal policy as their parents. Complimentary
activities for children are also on offer in the resorts, including
water slides, kids’ clubs and in-house entertainment teams.
A transit visa is required for travellers flying through India if the
traveller wishes to leave the airport while in transit, or stops over
in India for longer than 24 hours.
To the point
Wat Khao Sukim is an elaborate Buddhist temple in Chanthaburi, Thailand.
Thailand – affordable for families
DESTINATIONS that are more
affordable are expected to
continue to attract families.
Thailand was a popular
destination for South African
families in 2015, says Avoca
Travels’ Noorjehan Vadachia
says.
Central Hospitality
International (previously
Centara Hotels) regional sales
and marketing officer, Janine
Pienaar, says the reasonable
rand-Thai baht exchange rate
makes the country affordable
for families. At the time
of going to print, R1 was
equivalent to 2,18 Thai Baht.
Janine notes, however,
that all-inclusive packages
will prove vital, even when
booking travel to affordable
destinations such as
Thailand. “Families will look
for all-inclusive meal plans
in Thailand rather than the
standard bed and breakfast
plans,” she says.
“In terms of addressing
budget constraints, quite
a number of Phuket-based
hotels have introduced
fully inclusive packages for
families, notes spokesperson
for the Tourism Authority
of Thailand in South Africa,
Lesley Simpson.
She says South Africans
visiting Thailand appreciate
not only the value for
money but also the diverse
attractions, which are great for
travellers visiting on a family
holiday or as a part of a family
group. “We have noticed that
this type of holiday is often
paid for by the grandparents
to commemorate a special
occasion and will see the
whole family meet in Thailand
for a special holiday together.”
With Beachcomber Tours, guests can benefit from an early-booking
discount of 20% on their entire land package throughout the year
and repeat guests receive an additional 5% discount on their land
package portion, irrespective of date of travel. These discounts
also follow through to the optional all-inclusive top-up food and
beverage packages available at most Beachcomber hotels.
Malawi Wildlife and
Beach Tour 6Days/5Nights
Packages available from R13 560 PPS staying in Majete
OR from R14 785 if staying in Liwonde National Park.
Includes: 6 days fully guided trip, accommodation on
full board basis, start & finish in Blantyre, 2 activities p/
day (Sunset Cruise & Snorkelling trips), 2xGame drives
and 1 boat safari.
Excludes: Flights and taxes.
Subject to availability.
Package is NETT.
Valid until 31 May 2016
Contact Details: Tel: +27 1123 48577
Mobile: +27 82 801 2015
Web: www.malawiconsulate.co.za
Email: [email protected]
TNW7538
QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE
TNW7454SD
Wednesday February 24 2016 n 13
FAMILY TRAVEL
Something for everyone
Kite surfing. Photo: Beachcomber Hotels
Kids stay free!
DURING the mid-year
period of April 18 to
October 9, children under
18 share and eat free at
all Beachcomber resorts.
Entertainment is also
Cities across Thailand offer a range of experiences for the whole family to enjoy
including snorkelling, lazy rivers and the chance to release turtles and clams back into
the sea. Twelve of these hidden-gem cities, according to the Tourism Authority
of Thailand in South Africa, are Lampang, Phetchabun, Nan, Buri Ram (picured above),
Loei, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Trat, Chanthaburi, Trang, Chumphon and Nakhon
Si Thammarat.
TNW7417SD
included for kids at all
Beachcomber hotels and
special teens programmes,
activities and excursions
are organised at certain
properties as well.
Book it!
Air Seychelles is offering special fares to India. Valid for travel
any time in 2016, travellers can fly to Mumbai from R6 355pp in
economy class, with 30kg baggage allowance, 7kg hand luggage
and 50% Etihad Guest Miles earned. The fare includes taxes
subject to G class.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection offers river cruises
through India. Culturally curious travellers can enjoy spending
13 days cruising from New Delhi to Kolkata, visiting India’s
Golden Triangle and the sacred Ganges. 2016 voyages begin in
September and the cruise package includes 12 buffet breakfasts,
10 lunches, nine dinners, welcome and farewell dinners and
complimentary local beers and soft drinks throughout the cruise.
Malawi Tourism is offering a Malawi Wildlife and Beach Tour,
which includes a six-day guided trip, accommodation and all
meals. Guests can stay at the Majete Game Reserve in Chikwawa
from R13 560pps or at Liwonde National Park from R14 785pps.
Guests can choose two activities each day from the following:
a sunset cruise and a snorkelling trip, two game drives and one
safari boat ride. The offer is valid until May 31 and does not
include flights and taxes.
World Leisure Holidays is offering a holiday package to the
Sugar Beach Resort & Spa in Flic en Flac, Mauritius, from
R15 700pps departing Johannesburg, R16 495pps departing
Durban, or R16 860pps departing Cape Town. The offer is valid
for travel between April 28 and June 24. It includes return flights
departing Johannesburg on Air Mauritius (excluding taxes), return
transfers, breakfast and dinner daily, all land and non-motorised
water sports, and unlimited green fees at the Ile Aux Cerfs Golf
Course. Maximum of two children under the age of 12 fly and
stay free of charge when sharing with adults (they still pay for
transfers and taxes).
Beachcomber Tours is offering a five-night stay at the Royal
Palm Hotel in Grand Baie, Mauritius, from R35 280pps. The offer
includes accommodation, return flights departing Johannesburg
on Air Mauritius (excl. taxes), return airport-hotel transfers,
breakfast and dinner daily, as well as use of land and motorised
water sports. Valid for travel between May 23 and June 24. ■
TNW7447SD
14 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS
COMMUNITYNEWS
JOBS
Births, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW’s Debbie Badham, at [email protected] or (011) 327 4094.
Club Med appoints new md
Pick of the week
CLUB Med has
Portugal. His career
appointed Olivier
trajectory has seen
Hannaert new md of
him running Club
its Southern Africa
Med resorts as
operations, taking
Chef de Village with
over from Stuart de
between 200 and
Bourgogne.
600 team members
Olivier will start his
in destinations
tenure on March 1
including The
and will be based in
Bahamas, Egypt,
Johannesburg. “My
Morocco, Tunisia,
vision is to continue
Morocco, France and
on the path of
Switzerland. Since
Olivier
Hannaert
exponential growth
2014, Olivier has
that Stuart set the brand on
been the sales director in The
course. It will possibly be one
Netherlands.
of my most exciting ventures
Stuart will be transferring to
since I started working with
Japan where he will run Club
the company in 1997,” says
Med’s operations as president
Olivier.
and ceo.
Olivier began his career with
“I know that I am leaving
Club Med almost 20 years
my awesome team in expert
ago, working as a golf GO in
hands. I wish Olivier all
resorts in Turkey, Mauritius,
the very best in his new
Senegal, France, Greece and
challenge,” says Stuart.
brought to you by
Groups Sales Representative –
Springs
Reynolds Travel Centre
Acquisition of new group
business for our MICE/leisure/
corporate division.
Email: [email protected]
Leisure Consultant –
Johannesburg North
Professional Career Services
Min 5 years’ experience handling
leisure bookings. Galileo essential.
Good product and geographical
knowledge. R12-R16000ctc +
medical aid & provident fund.
Email [email protected]
Business Development
Executive – Cape Town
Quantex Recruitment Group
An on-the-ball, go-getter with
excellent communication
skills, and proven business
development abilities wanted by
leading TMC. 3+ years’ related
work experience required.
Email: [email protected]
■ Table Mountain Aerial
Cableway Company has
announced the resignation
of md Sabine Lehmann, who
has held the post for the
past nine years. Sabine, who
spent a total of 18 years at
the Cableway Company, will
be taking a sabbatical with
her husband before moving
on to new challenges. She will
leave her post at the end of
April. “I leave behind a very
strong team who manage
the Cableway’s day-to-day
operations 365 days a year, so
it will be business as usual in
my absence,” said Sabine.
With his 24 years’ working
experience in both luxury
coach manufacturing and
tourism, Paul will now be
heading up the day-to-day
activities of this branch.
Responsiblities:
• Meet revenue objectives for
South Africa.
• Manage national sales team
• Penetrate the business and leisure
market segments to retain and
grow revenue.
• Management of budget
■ City
Sightseeing
South Africa
has appointed
Paul Nel as
its new gm in
Cape Town.
TNW7541
011 789 3337
Ticketing Consultant –
Cape Town – CBD
Club Travel
Experienced ticketing agent
needed for the centralised
ticketing department. Minimum of
one GDS is required. At least
2 years’ ticketing experience.
Email: [email protected]
We conduct :
■ Personal interviews
■ Thorough Reference checks
■ Criminal, Credit and Qualification checks
We have an extensive database of experienced applicants
looking for exciting new career opportunities. Please don’t
hesitate to contact either Jean or Nono to assist with all your
staffing needs.
QUICK READ FOR BUSIEST PEOPLE
Account Manager (Senior
Travel Corporate Consultant)
Flight Centre Travel Group
2 years’ working on Galileo/
Amadeus. Minimum 2 years’ in
corporate travel. Proven track
record with consistent sales
figures. Email: leigh.bootha@
flightcentre.co.za
Intermediate/Senior Consultant
– Kyalami
Wendy’s Travel Personnel
Exciting opportunity for
someone who has Africa and
Tourplan knowledge!
Email: [email protected]
Our highly trained consultants have a combined
experience of 20 years in recruitment. We have a solid
understanding of the travel industry and aim to source the
best staff for all our clients.
TNW7540
Intermediate Tours Consultant
– Johannesburg North
Equity Connections cc
Work with European/American
markets handling FIT’s into
South/Southern Africa.
Liaise with agents, plan,
cost itineraries. Relevant
experience essential.
Email: [email protected]
Key Account Manager
Flight Centre Travel Group
3-5 years’ current experience in
the corporate KAM position within
the travel industry. Leadership
experience is critical.
Email: lauren.grobbelaar@
flightcentre.co.za
Please email your CV to
[email protected]
by 29 February 2016
E mail: [email protected] | [email protected]
Web: www.pcs-sa.co.za
APSO MEMBER
German FIT Consultant –
Cape Town
Lee Botti & Associates
CBD. Leading incentives brand
seeks savvy individual to
create magical getaways
into Southern Africa. Tourplan
advantageous! R 20000.
Email: [email protected]
Office Administrator –
Randburg
Equity Connections cc
Take charge of all administrative
functions. Brochure upkeep,
tickets, stock control, travel
packs etc. Must have retail
agency experience.
Email: [email protected]
Compulsory minimum requirements:
• University Degree / Diploma in
Sales & Marketing
• 5 years airline sales experience
of which 3 should have been in a
management position with a
proven track record.
Appointment
Reservations Supervisor/
Manager – Cape Town
Quantex Recruitment Group
3+ years’ reservations
management/supervisor
experience within a 5-star
environment. Hotel related
degree/diploma + proficiency
in Opera v5 & MS Excel.
Email: [email protected]
Sales Manager – Cape Town
Lee Botti & Associates
CBD. Manage driven team of
Southern Africa specialists in
sought-after role for luxury tour
operator. R 40 000.
Email: [email protected]
Sales Manager South Africa
Branch Manager –
Johannesburg North
Professional Career Services
Recruitment, staff motivation,
training & managing disciplinary
issues. Exp. in managing large
group of travel consultants
in corporate/government
environment. Galileo.
Email: [email protected]
National Networking
Consultant – Tygervalley
Club Travel
Looking for a system that
revolutionises the travel
industry? Look no further!
Experienced Galileo staff
required to assist in creating
travel entrepreneurs.
Email: [email protected]
TNW7539
Resignation
Senior Consultant – Cape Town
Cruise Options
Well travelled, experienced,
organised, reliable person with
initiative and excellent attention
to detail required. Admin &
systems key. Select top cruise
lines sold, no flights. Email:
[email protected]
These adverts were selected from the vacancy
section of www.travelinfo.co.za
For more details contact [email protected]
TNW7030SD
Wednesday February 24 2016 n 15
TNW NEWS
Govt travel cuts – TMCs need to adapt
Dorine Reinstein
G
OVERNMENT – the
travel sector’s biggest
corporate client – will
continue to reduce its travel
spend in 2016. This is a
reflection of the industry at
large, TMCs say.
President Jacob Zuma, in his
State of the Nation Address,
said that although excessive
and wasteful expenditure
had been reduced since
2013, there was still more
to be done. “Overseas trips
will be curtailed and those
requesting permission will
brought to you by eTNW and
Send me a mail!
have to motivate strongly
and prove the benefit to
the country. The size of
delegations will be greatly
reduced and standardised.
Further restrictions on
conferences, catering,
entertainment and social
functions will be instituted,”
he said.
Shariefa Allie-Nieftagodien,
operations director of XL
Nexus Travel, says the travel
industry has seen a demand
from government for lowered
room cost, fewer bed nights
and smaller delegations.
“Cost containment is very
high on the travel agenda
and although this process,
in practice, was initially
challenging, it has become
the norm and TMCs have
adapted to the changed
requirements.”
Asata’s role in working with
National Treasury to develop
the travel procurement
framework was already as
a direct result of the state’s
review on travel expenditure
in 2014, says Asata ceo, Otto
de Vries. The framework has
now been adopted and will be
implemented in the next three
months.
Government cuts are a
reflection of how all corporate
clients are viewing their travel
spend in 2016, says Shariefa.
“The tightening of one belt
is not a big impact on the
entire industry,” she says,
adding that it should rather
be seen as travel industry
players adjusting to a new
order of doing business.
“We cannot do the same thing
we did five years ago and
expect to grow. The private
sector is a bigger worry as the
challenges are different but
very real.”
These challenges include
an increased demand for selfbooking tools, a shift towards
Skype conferences, as well
as a trend whereby global
companies are moving their
travel spend abroad. ■
What is your clients’ preferred channel of consultation?
 Online and email communication
 Face-to-face or telephonic conversations
 Mobile chat
82%
17%
1%
For all trade enquiries
please call British Airways
010 344 0127
TNW7430
SAA fails to submit financial statements
From page 1
its report on February 16;
however it was still not ready
to submit in time for the new
deadline.
SAA spokesperson, Tlali
Tlali, told TNW: “Properly
understood, the process
leading to the tabling of the
annual report is preceded by
an Annual General Meeting,
which is a shareholder
process.”
The main issue is that a
decision still needs to be
taken on the guarantee SAA
has requested. The Minister
said in a statement that the
matter required “extensive
and careful consideration”,
especially given the potential
implications for the economy
of the country. He admitted
that until such time a decision
had been made on the going
concern application, SAA would
not be able to finalise its
annual financial statements.
SAA’s financial troubles
could deepen further over the
next months as the airline
is being sued by Nationwide
Airlines (now in liquidation) for
R325m in damages. Comair
has launched a similar claim
against SAA for R1bn, which is
set to go to trial in May.
In 2010, the Competition
Tribunal found SAA had
abused its dominant position
in the market to divert
customers from competitors.
It found that SAA’s incentive
scheme, consisting of
override incentive agreements
with travel agents, induced
agents not to deal with SAA’s
rivals and contravened the
Competition Act. The current
lawsuit is merely to quantify
how much SAA needs to pay,
Lucinda Verster, partner at
law firm Bowman Gilfillan, told
TNW.
A previous and similar
complaint against SAA for the
period from 1990 to 2001
was settled out of court.
The Competition Tribunal
said in its findings in
2010 that travel agents
remained the single most
important route to market
and distributed some 70% of
total domestic airline tickets
representing approximately
R3,3bn. The statement
reads: “Through this incentive
scheme, SAA sought to
immunise its fares distributed
through travel agents against
competition and to extend its
market power in that segment
of the market. Travel agents
had the ability to divert sales
away from rival products and
engaged in such practices in
order to receive the handsome
rewards for achieving the
volume or revenue targets set
by SAA.”
When asked about the
impact the damage claim
could have on SAA’s financial
situation, Tlali told TNW SAA
had provisioned for contingent
liability as was normal practice
for a company that could be
involved in litigation.
The trial is set to continue
until February 29. However,
judgment is only expected
in June. ■
TNW7449SD
16 n Wednesday February 24 2016
QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS