No More Malaysia Airlines Flights

Malaysia Airlines plans to pull its flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town early next year.

Malaysia’s The Star Online has just reported that the airline is planning to axe various unprofitable routes in a bid to reduce costs. These include flights to South Africa and Buenos Aires in South America as early as February. The airline will also pull out of Dubai but this will be done gradually with a reduction of frequencies.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines Country Manager for South and Central Africa, Yusno Said, said the airline would soon notify the South African market of any official developments.

Source: SA Tourism Update

WTM 2011: New Breed Of Chinese Tourist Interested In Niche Travel

A new type of Chinese traveller is emerging who is more interested in a quality travel experience than simply ticking off the sights. Speaking at World Travel Market (WTM), China Outbound Tourism Research Institute Director, Wolfgang Georg Arlt said the new type of tourist was far more likely to be interested in niche products than before.

“Now for the first time you have a chance to get hold of extra Chinese customers who might be more interested in your product if you package it right and sell it right.” Arlt said the new consumers were emerging as a result of the country's increasing wealth with many now simply wanting to relax, have an enjoyable experience and do things like shopping rather than joining large groups of sightseers.

Dragon Trail Co-Founder and President, Jens Thraenhart, agreed: “Chinese consumers are being moved towards an experience-based model rather than a price-based model.” Arlt said the new tourist would be far more resilient should the Chinese economy crash, which is expected, largely because of its ongoing property boom.

He said companies dealing with Chinese travellers needed to ensure that basic elements such as Chinese signs and brochures were available. Thraenhart said, with 80% of outbound Chinese travellers researching their trips online, it was vital for travel companies wishing to be taken seriously in the market to have a Chinese-friendly website with Chinese text. He said companies also needed to consider mobile technology and micro blogging to develop a multi-channel marketing plan to target the market.

While European Tour Operators Association Executive Director, Tom Jenkins, said the Chinese market was a strong one, he warned of their negotiating skills. He said in 2003 that his members were able to charge an average of €71 (R903) per person per day but this had been driven down to €48 (R610) in 2011. “These guys know how to negotiate and they know how to negotiate like nobody else does.”

The Netherlands Wins The Coveted World Chocolate Masters 2011

Frank Haasnoot of the Netherlands proudly wins the Chocolate Masters Toque 2011 in Paris.

His masterpiece is called Warrior and he describes it as, 'Warrior of darkness is in search for cocoa in the mysteries of the jungle'.

Mango First Out Of The Blocks

Mango will be the first airline in South Africa to offer WiFi on board its aircraft from early next year, announced Mango and Wireless G.

The announcement comes after the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last week approved Wireless G & Row 44’s application to install its in-flight WiFi-enabling equipment on South African commercial aircraft. GSM still has to be switched off when using dual model devices but airlines equipped with the technology may now apply for special exemption from the CAA to accommodate the use of WiFi only with such phones. The CAA confirmed that in-flight WiFi technology had been rigorously tested.

Elize Ferero, Executive Marketing for Wireless G, said Mango would be the first South African airline to feature the WiFi option on-board its aircraft. She added, however, that the approval provided by the CAA to Wireless G was for the B737 800 series and not limited to any specific operator.

Hein Kaizer, Mango Communications Officer, said Mango was pleased to be one step closer to in-flight Internet access being possible. “In a digital world, being online makes a significant difference in terms of business and social connectivity. In an increasingly time-poor world, imagine the productivity potential of in-flight connectivity, socially connecting through Facebook or Twitter en route to Cape Town or, for that matter, surfing the net.”

Both Ferero and Kaizer remain tightlipped about the pricing of the WiFi option on board and said the pricing would be finalised and announced simultaneously with the roll-out plan. Ferero did reveal that Wireless G would like to see more affordable rates than 3G. “The idea is not to charge per megabyte but rather provide uncapped access for the duration of the flight on a fixed-fee basis and to make it on a par with international trends in terms of in-flight as well.”

Source: Dorine Reinstein

Well Done To 138 Marine

We say well done to 138 Marine beachfront bed and breakfast guesthouse for receiving another well deserved award. 138 Marine has been chosen by Trivago as the best bed and breakfast establishment in Hermanus for 2011.

At Your Service

The second Annual South African Guest Relations and Concierge Conference took place on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 at La Toscana Montecasino in Johannesburg. This new forum was established in 2010 for both guest relations managers and concierges from four- and five-star properties in Johannesburg to share ideas, keep up to date with the latest industry trends and discover the attractions and activities in and around Johannesburg that can assist them in creating the unforgettable experiences guests expect.

The first conference in 2010 was initiated and set up by Deon Prinsloo, guest relations manager at The Palazzo Montecasino, with the aim of creating an opportunity for local guest relations managers and concierges to raise the bar of excellence. Prinsloo, one of South Africa’s top concierges, has been the driving force behind the guest relations and concierge conferences and regular meetings over the past 12 months.

“The annual Concierge Conference serves to create an awareness of the value of concierge services offered by hotels to ensure guests enjoy an unforgettable experience,” notes Prinsloo. “The concierge is a direct link between guests and service providers, providing exposure for the many products and services available around the country, whilst enhancing the guest experience. As such, the conference also provides an opportunity for some of these providers to exhibit their offerings of interest to guests staying at hotels in and around Johannesburg and to briefly introduce their activities to the attendees.”

The forum has been endorsed and is supported by the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), which sponsors special concierge tours of new attractions in and around the city and covered the full cost of each hotel representative at the 2011 Concierge Conference.

During the event, four new head concierges received their Golden Keys and were officially inaugurated into the Les Clefs d’Or, the International Concierge Society, which brings the total number of Golden Key head concierges working in South Africa to eight members. These include: Ronnie Govender from Sandton Sun; Archie Christodoulides from The Michelangelo Hotel; Claude-Francois Ndala from Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga; Deon Prinsloo from Palazzo Hotel Fourways; Lizelle De Haas from Radisson Blu Sandton; Vinny Maharaj from Intercontinental Sandton Towers; Billy Chetty from Davinci Hotel & Suites Sandton; and Ryan Van Zyl from Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence Cape Town.

Jetsetters To Enjoy Mile High Connectivity

South African jetsetters no longer have to forgo Internet connectivity, e-mail communication, SMS-services and even IPTV at 35000 feet.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved an application by WirelessG and Row 44’s to install its in-flight Wi-Fi enabling equipment onboard South African commercial aircraft. The approval will enable WirelessG to operate its G-Connect broadband services aboard commercial aircraft in South African skies.

“Although we still await quality assurance of the final installation, the CAA is proud to announce its consent for the use of this technology in South Africa especially as it is a South African company that will exclusively offer the service.” said Subash Devkaran, Senior Manager: Aircraft Certification at CAA.

Devkaran stated that although this new innovation will contribute greatly to South African industrial competitiveness in the global arena, the CAA’s first and foremost concern still remains passenger safety. The in-flight Wi-Fi technology has been rigorously tested by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The CAA’s approval of WirelessG’s in-flight Wi-Fi services was approved in a matter of weeks, following the safety endorsement and issuing of a supplemental type certificate (STC) release from Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the United States and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to equip 737-800 series commercial aircraft and operate Wi-Fi services.

According to Devkaran, the in-flight STC allows for the use of any Wi-Fi enabled mobile device. GSM still has to be switched off when using dual model devices, but airlines equipped with this technology, may now apply for special exemption from the CAA to accommodate the use of Wi-Fi only with such phones.