NOTE FROM THE CEO
Departure
I
Lounge
t ’ s that time of year : time to escape the urban jungle , traffic , deadlines and the general pressures of life . Holidays are important ; we all need time to step away from the corporate front line , time to explore , play and share . At the end of the year we need a break to put a renewed focus on health , catch up on new books and movies … take the dog for a longer walk . This year my business travel took me across the length and breadth of South Africa , to Namibia and to Europe . I also had the privilege of being hosted by Réunion Tourism for my first visit to Réunion Island . I loved this gem of a destination : there ’ s so much to see and do , and it ’ s a no-visa destination for South Africans – what a pleasure ! I can ’ t wait to return . I am very excited to be travelling to Swakopmund this month to host the annual Sure Travel Management Forum . This is where we discuss the business of travel , our duty of care in managing travel logistics , traveller safety , new legislation and customer expectations .
Together with our preferred suppliers – a network of carefully chosen partners – we look at travel trends and the future role of the travel agent . In a recent Association of South African Travel Agents ( ASATA ) survey conducted with the travelling public it became very clear that knowledgeable travel consultants are still very much in demand , particularly when it comes to complex itineraries . Our travellers have the benefit of travel professionals looking on their behalf for the best value , affordability and access to experts in the event of disaster recovery situations . In the digital age it ’ s important to not only have a digital relationship , but also a human relationship to create amazing travel experiences . So how does Sure Travel see the future of travel ? Travel is a way of life , with more aircraft taking more people to more destinations at affordable prices . Travellers are looking for different experiences . Green travel has become increasingly important , with more travellers interrogating an organisation ’ s eco-credentials before booking . In today ’ s fast-paced world executives want “ digital detox ” holidays to guarantee real down time and relaxation . Governments and responsible travellers are looking at the impacts of “ over-tourism ” to protect tourism assets for the future . How privileged we are to work in a personal , connected industry , creating memorable experiences for our customers . Thank you for travelling with us ,
Vanya Lessing , CEO
journey
Published by Bonzai Media for Sure Travel
Editor : Melany Bendix 082-200-7088 editor . journey @ suretravel . co . za
Associate Editor : Will Bendix
Contributors : Natasha Johnson , Elisha Dibakoane , Kathryn Fourie , Leanne Farish , Meruschka Govender , Erns Grundling , Evan Haussmann , Richard Holmes , Dawn Jorgensen , Ami Kapilevich , Fiona McIntosh , TO Molefe , Gerrie Pretorius , Samantha Reinders , Janine Stephen , Theresa Szewallo , Carel Verhoef , Alan van Gysen , Zukiswa Wanner .
SURE TRAVEL ( Pty ) Ltd Chief Executive : Vanya Lessing Marketing Assistant : Martin Janse van Rensburg
GENERAL ENQUIRIES journey @ suretravel . co . za
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