Strategic campaigns replace local representation
TOURISM authorities are
reducing their physical
presence in SA. The
Abu Dhabi representation is a
casualty, VisitBritain is another
(having declined any marketing
initiatives for 2018). Tourism
Malaysia’s offices closed last
year, and recently Tourism
Ireland and Dubai Tourism
decided not to renew retainer
contracts in the SA market.
According to John Ridler,
PR and media manager of
Thompsons Holidays, the
exodus is caused by the rising
cost of funding overseas
offices and the exorbitant
expense of importing brochure
material. The Internet is also
reducing traffic through tourism
office doors while the number
of people sourcing information
online is increasing.
Wendie White, md of
Lloyd Orr Communications,
which has for many years
represented a number
of tourism authorities,
agrees and says websites,
communications and database
management
are now all
updated remotely
while local
representatives
are only being
contracted to
run particular
marketing
campaigns.
Presently, Lloyd
Orr is executing
specific
campaigns
and providing local reports
for Dubai Tourism and has a
similar contract in place with
VisitBritain too. “Our business
model has had to adapt to
this trend. While previously our
company relied on three-year
retainer contracts that would
generally be renewed, we
now take on more clients and
focus on specific short-term
projects,” says Wendie.
John believes the presence
of an active tourism authority
working in conjunction with
trade, airlines and the media
is still effective in growing
tourism numbers, and he cites
Mauritius as an example.
“However, some
countries have
such popular and
well-developed
tourism industries
– like Italy and
the US – that
demand for a
destination grows
regardless of
a lack of local
presence,” he
adds.
John says a
physical presence is most
important for developing
destinations. “As tour
operators use their own
resources to develop markets,
they are more likely to drop
a destination where local
tourism boards do not provide
marketing assistance. This
leads to fewer destinations
being sold in South Africa,
which shrinks industry sales
and affects airline route
traffic.”
Jane Davidson, director at
Development Promotions, says
DP lost the Tourism Ireland and
Abu Dhabi contracts for similar
reasons. In both cases the
SA market had been showing
growth but due to budget
cuts at head office level, the
tourism offices had decided
to realign focus to supporting
the mass markets that were
able to produce higher visitor
numbers. While the Abu
Dhabi contract ended in March
this year, Tourism Ireland had
withdrawn three years ago. In
both cases the contract cuts
extended to a number of other
emerging markets, not only
South Africa.
“We believe that having a
physical presence in a country
adds huge value to a tourist
board particularly in the case
of developing destinations,
says Jane. “When we started
out working with the Abu
Dhabi account, no operators
in South Africa were packaging
the destination. Working with
Etihad we managed to engage
with 20 or so operator-partners
and the destination is now
regularly promoted in South
Africa. We still get calls from
the trade asking for assistance
and always try to help despite
the contract not having been
renewed. While anyone can
google a destination, you need
to know about the country
before you start researching it.
There is nothing like speaking
to someone in person who
has experienced a destination
and a physical tourist office
similarly adds a lot of visibility
and exposure,” she said.
TNW understands that
Cullinan Holdings is working
directly with Dubai Tourism’s
office in Dubai to run
workshops and educationals
for South Africa.
Not all tourism boards
are relinquishing local
representation. Lesley
Simpson, md of Lesley
Simpson Communications,
says Thailand has identified
South Africa as a tourism
market with a lot of potential.
“As the first-time-traveller
market to Thailand is now well
established, our mandate is to
spend budget developing new
markets, including a focus on
the four- and five-star markets
and special-interest niche
markets such as golf and the
LGBT community.”
GTA promotees "twinning"
THE Gauteng Tourism
Authority views tour
operators as a major link in
the travel-purchasing chain,
and it sees the importance
of upskilling them.
Over and above the
functions of marketing and
information dissemination,
GTA is involved in quality
assurance and product
training. While it does have
a specific focus on new
entrants into the industry,
this training is offered to all
tour operators registered
in the province, says Barba
Gaoganediwe, head:
Destination Promotions &
Marketing.
GTA has set out to
emphasise diversity in
packaging, through a
twinning concept in which
popular and trending
experiences are coupled
with activities or sites
that provide additional
and complementary
dimensions. The trade,
says Barba, in the course
of business, realises
what tourists wish to see
and do. “Our role is to
engender diversification
and ensure we bring in new
players,” he says.
So, GTA will twin the
Cradle of Humankind with
the Origins Centre at Wits
University, or Liliesleaf
with shopping in Sandton.
It contributes content,
but leaves the costing,
however, to the trade.
Trade and technology highlighted
AS THE
traditional
bricks-andmortar
tourism
office becomes
something of a
dinosaur in South
Africa, local
representatives
of international
tourism
authorities still
active in the
country are
putting their
efforts behind
the trade.
With the task of information
dissemination largely filled
through the Internet and
information technologies,
marketing has become a
primary concern.
The abundance of digital
information available to the
public has, to a large degree,
replaced the traditional
brochure and played a role
in many tourism offices
vacating the country. Today the
Association of National Tourist
Office Representatives (Antor)
South Africa is inactive.
Joint ventures dominate
Lesley Simpson of LSC PR/
Marketing, which represents
the Tourism Authority of
Thailand (TAT), says the
most prominent form of
collaboration today is joint
marketing ventures. “These
can take the form of social
media or digital campaigns,
traditional marketing and joint
staging of workshops.”
Financial support comes into
play, as well as the supply of
brochures and introductions
to Thai-based hoteliers and
DMCs, to better enable tour
operators to create packages
that align with the overall
marketing objective of TAT.
“It is also our key goal to
promote and create awareness
of new provinces and islands
within Thailand, so although
we will always promote Phuket,
it is integral to a marketing
strategy called Shades of
Thailand, that we also promote
gastronomy and local culture
in other regions.”
TAT’s assistance to the
retail trade revolves around
education, through fam trips
and in-house events. The office
also offers digital assistance
with agency campaigns, and
supplies brochures and maps.
Says Hélène Bezuidenhoudt,
regional director of Atout
France (which also represents
Réunion): “Tour operators
require information, training,
familiarisation trips and
general assistance to support
their promotions.
It is also about
contact, keeping
the relationship
going, and
bringing in new
ideas, new trends
and new products
that will fit in with
new, existing and
custom-made
packages.
“Travel agents
have direct
access to the
client, which we
do not always
have,” says Hélène. “We are
at the disposal of agents to
give them contacts, to supply
information, to do training and
to give them the confidence
to talk to their client about a
destination.”
Hélène points out that while
consumers do a lot of webbased
research, there’s a lot
of digital information that isn’t
necessarily correct, and it is
important that tourism boards
ensure that the trade has
accurate information at
all times.
Tech to the fore!
These days, social media
looms large in the activities of
most tourism offices. “We are
very active on social media
and we do encourage the
public and the agents to ‘like’
our pages and to interact with
us on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter,” says Hélène.
Atout France regularly updates
blogs and sees its website as
a useful educational tool for
both trade and consumer.
Says Lesley: “TAT uses
social media as a means
of educating people about
Thailand, to change the
perception that Thailand is just
another beach destination and
to create an awareness of Thai
culture.” Website banners and
email blasts are also proving
to be effective for TAT.
What is the future for tourism
authorities? Lesley says
there will always be a need
for a tourism office in South
Africa, to offer knowledge and
enthusiasm, and to establish
trade partnerships where all
parties know and trust each
other.
“As much as the travel
agent is here to stay, so is
the tourist office in one way
or another,” says Hélène.
“Even a millennial who looks
at their phone screen gets the
information from somewhere
and tourism boards need to
ensure that the information is
correct by using their channels
and the trade.
Trade and technology highlited
AS THE
traditional
bricks-andmortar
tourism
office becomes
something of a
dinosaur in South
Africa, local
representatives
of international
tourism
authorities still
active in the
country are
putting their
efforts behind
the trade.
With the task of information
dissemination largely filled
through the Internet and
information technologies,
marketing has become a
primary concern.
The abundance of digital
information available to the
public has, to a large degree,
replaced the traditional
brochure and played a role
in many tourism offices
vacating the country. Today the
Association of National Tourist
Office Representatives (Antor)
South Africa is inactive.
Joint ventures dominate
Lesley Simpson of LSC PR/
Marketing, which represents
the Tourism Authority of
Thailand (TAT), says the
most prominent form of
collaboration today is joint
marketing ventures. “These
can take the form of social
media or digital campaigns,
traditional marketing and joint
staging of workshops.”
Financial support comes into
play, as well as the supply of
brochures and introductions
to Thai-based hoteliers and
DMCs, to better enable tour
operators to create packages
that align with the overall
marketing objective of TAT.
“It is also our key goal to
promote and create awareness
of new provinces and islands
within Thailand, so although
we will always promote Phuket,
it is integral to a marketing
strategy called Shades of
Thailand, that we also promote
gastronomy and local culture
in other regions.”
TAT’s assistance to the
retail trade revolves around
education, through fam trips
and in-house events. The office
also offers digital assistance
with agency campaigns, and
supplies brochures and maps.
Says Hélène Bezuidenhoudt,
regional director of Atout
France (which also represents
Réunion): “Tour operators
require information, training,
familiarisation trips and
general assistance to support
their promotions.
It is also about
contact, keeping
the relationship
going, and
bringing in new
ideas, new trends
and new products
that will fit in with
new, existing and
custom-made
packages.
“Travel agents
have direct
access to the
client, which we
do not always
have,” says Hélène. “We are
at the disposal of agents to
give them contacts, to supply
information, to do training and
to give them the confidence
to talk to their client about a
destination.”
Hélène points out that while
consumers do a lot of webbased
research, there’s a lot
of digital information that isn’t
necessarily correct, and it is
important that tourism boards
ensure that the trade has
accurate information at
all times.
Tech to the fore!
These days, social media
looms large in the activities of
most tourism offices. “We are
very active on social media
and we do encourage the
public and the agents to ‘like’
our pages and to interact with
us on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter,” says Hélène.
Atout France regularly updates
blogs and sees its website as
a useful educational tool for
both trade and consumer.
Says Lesley: “TAT uses
social media as a means
of educating people about
Thailand, to change the
perception that Thailand is just
another beach destination and
to create an awareness of Thai
culture.” Website banners and
email blasts are also proving
to be effective for TAT.
What is the future for tourism
authorities? Lesley says
there will always be a need
for a tourism office in South
Africa, to offer knowledge and
enthusiasm, and to establish
trade partnerships where all
parties know and trust each
other.
“As much as the travel
agent is here to stay, so is
the tourist office in one way
or another,” says Hélène.
“Even a millennial who looks
at their phone screen gets the
information from somewhere
and tourism boards need to
ensure that the information is
correct by using their channels
and the trade.
Better synergy needed
AGENTS canvassed
by TNW all highlighted
training and collaboration
with the trade as key roles
for tourism authorities.
“Tourism authorities
should engage with
the trade, keep open
communication by sharing
updates, participate in
workshops, familiarisation
trips and other training as
well be more prominent
alongside suppliers
promoting their product
to agents,” says Luana
Visagie, marketing
manager for Club Travel.
She adds that many
tourism authorities do
this very well. “It has
a noticeable positive
impact and assists agents
in promoting various
destinations, especially
when agents are wanting
to sell more than the
‘standard’ itinerary for
that destination.”
Travel agents account
for a great deal of leisure
and corporate bookings
in this market, Otto de
Vries, ceo of Asata, points
out, highlighting the value
of tourism authorities
aligning their efforts with
the trade.
He suggests that
tourism authorities offer
more training, possibly in
the form of educationals.
Vanya Lessing, ceo
of Sure Travel believes
that if domestic tourism
authorities worked closer
with the retail travel trade
they would achieve a lot
more traction in domestic
tourism. She says that a
collective and integrated
strategy supported by
the trade, can also drive
more tourism to small
towns. “There should be
a lot more training offered
to the retail trade,” she
says. She acknowledges
that SA Tourism has done
some work with Asata to
present product to big
corporates in order to
encourage employees to
travel.
Agents back the youth
BBBEE legislation is
increasingly focused on
training and development
and simultaneously, youth
initiatives are no longer
voluntary altruistic projects,
but now form part of South
African organisations ongoing
operational processes.
Sam van Gool, gm for
Peopleworks at Flight Centre
Travel Group (FCTG) said
FCTG is very involved in
youth training initiatives. The
group’s full year learnership
programme was launched
during 2017, following
the group’s appointment
as a Cathsseta training
provider. Ten unemployed
candidates were recruited
and will complete their
final assessments at the
end of July. Sam says that
the programme involved
approximately 70% in-store
training and 30% classroom
training and all of the
candidates are now very
shop- and customer-ready.
Sam expects 100% of the
learners to be immediately
absorbed into formal
positions within the group.
She added that FCTG is
currently recruiting for
the second learnership
programme which will
commence in August for 15
successful candidates.
Employability
Lisa Sebogodi, md for
Batsumi Travel, who is
currently completing her
Global Executive Development
Programme at GIBS said that
the organisation’s Individual
Action Leadership programme
had been her favourite
initiative, as it educates
participants to be mindful of
the legacy that they would
leave in the industry. Lisa
explained that it inspired her
to start running regular fiveday
travel programmes for
township children.
“At an industry entry level,
qualified graduates struggle
to find employment without
practical work experience.
Wherever possible, we try
to employ people from
internship level at Batsumi
Travel in order to provide
them with work experience
opportunities, allowing them
to be more
employable in
the future,”
added Lisa.
From an
industry level
Asata has
also recently
launched its
Professional
Programme
(APP). While
it isn’t aimed
specifically at
youth, Nivashnee
Naidoo, professional project
and programme manager
for Asata, explained that the
APP would offer a long term
solution for empowerment
and career path development
in the industry.
“The professionalisation
of the travel industry will be
a transformational process
and not simply an overnight
solution. However, it is our
hope that it will change the
perception of our industry,
encouraging a larger pool
of entrants to join outbound
travel.” she said.
Nivashnee says the entry
level professional designation,
“Travel Practitioner”, was
available to any industry
member with a minimum
of two years of experience.
Asata hopes to capture the
attention of all young travel
industry employees and
encourage them to join the
programme at this level,
regardless of whether they
are Asata members or not.
From here the programme is
designed to drive candidates
to upskill themselves in order
to both maintain and improve
their qualification levels.
Tammy Arendse, hr
officer for Club Travel told
TNW that the consortium
had been running its Work
Integrated Learner (WIL)
programme since 2004 and
that it recruited five or six
learners per year from Cape
Town travel colleges for this
purpose.
Practical
“The six month
programme is
designed for
college students
studying towards
a National
Diploma in
Travel and
Tourism. The
purpose is to
integrate their
theoretical
knowledge with
practical workbased
learning to become
travel consultants. Our
contribution is to prepare
and equip the learner
with the skills required
in order to enhance their
employment options,” she
explained. Tammy added that
approximately 80% of the
learners were absorbed into
formal employment positions
at Club Travel.
Sailesh Parbhu, md for
XL Nexus Travel says the
group started several
training initiatives the
group has started to
create jobs and empower
youth in the industry. XL
Nexus Travel took on 24
internal candidates as
part of their graduate
programme this year. The
agency’s heavy investment
in the formalisation of this
programme also assisted
Nexus Travel with scorecard
ratings from a BBEEE
perspective.
Sailesh added that
partnerships had been
formed with a number of
training colleges offering
tourism diplomas in
Gauteng in order to source
candidates. College
syllabuses do not always
fully translate into day to
day skills, but the Nexus
programme is designed
to offer a more holistic
experience, including
mentorship and work
experience in each of the
agency’s departments.
