This value proposition also addresses all segments of the market needs eg corporate travel, conferencing, incentives, MICE, travel trade and tour operators, as the program offers more value for money.
According to Carla da Silva, director of Air Mauritius and a member of the strategic think tank team of Air Mauritius in Mauritius, by achieving good revenue, yields and route profitability, additional capacity, schedules and frequencies can be introduced; thus ultimately benefiting the consumer, travel trade and all other stakeholders.
To drive home the benefits to stakeholders, the airline will have an extensive PR campaign and run workshops in Gauteng, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Knysna, George, Port Elizabeth and KwaZulu-Natal at participating Protea Hotels.
In explaining the difference between this program and other 'special offers', Da Silva says, "Most airlines introduce 'fire sales' during off-peak seasons whereby a reduced or discounted fare is offered in order to stimulate the market but these are only for a limited number of seats and for a specific limited period.
"In South Africa, the travel smart program voucher gives the consumer not only a reduced fare but also value added benefits throughout the year during low season periods, which equates in monetary terms as follows: A family of four (two adults and two children) travelling in May 2011 would enjoy a saving of R8550 by utilising these vouchers.
Mauritius, a four-hour flight away from Johannesburg, offers a year-round holiday destination that is malaria free and where South Africans do not require visas.
Program benefits
Program partners
"Leading hotels in Mauritius are also offering additional value added benefits when travelling on the Travel Smart Program via our tour operator partners," adds Da Silva. These partners include Beachcomber Tours, Thompsons Tours, Club Med, Holiday Factory, World Leisure, Holiday Tours, Infinity (Flight Centre), Naiade Holidays and Travellers Choice. In South Africa, the Protea Hotel Group and Europcar are also on board as partners.
"From January to December 2010, 81 458 arrivals were from South Africa, a 9.8% increases versus 2009," she continues. "The objective is to double the passenger numbers considering that the airline already established a 30% increase in terms of revenue in 2010 versus 2009, mainly due to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In response to fears about violent crime, da Silva added that Mauritius is a country with low levels of violent crime and incidents such as the murder of a tourist in early January are very uncommon. The Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Nando Bodha, said that Mauritius is a land of peace and something like this has never happened before.
"Travel smart to Mauritius, when it is quieter and cooler and enjoy a lot more value and benefits," concludes Da Silva.
For more information, go to www.airmauritius.com.
