SOUTH AFRICA: Travelcheck.co.za Starts In South Africa

Online travel agency Travelcheck has launched in South Africa. The new company is a privately funded venture and offers flight and hotel bundles, online booking for all major airlines, and more than 300 000 hotels around the world.

Travelcheck.co.za differentiates from other online booking websites with a dynamic packages feature which enables travellers to custom create holidays.

Pre-defined packages are available to book should travellers desire recommendations.

“We are excited to launch Travelcheck in South Africa,” said CEO, Odette Faling. “Travellers can save up to 25 per cent by booking flights and hotels in a bundle rather than reserving these components separately, and features such as dynamic packages will give South Africans more choices when booking travel online.”

The flight search engine features ‘Quick Share’ to facilitate seamless itinerary and price sharing to third-party messaging apps such as WhatsApp directly from the search results page.

Mix & Match allows travellers to book more than one airline in the same ticket – for example, travellers can choose to fly from Cape Town to London on British Airways and return on Turkish Airlines without booking separate segments.

Travelcheck has partnered with third parties to offer useful ancillaries which can be added during the online booking, including: lost luggage insurance, a cancellation and refund policy and flight ticket amendments.

The website takes EFT and credit card payments (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club), and customers can also complete payment over the phone. Travelcheck customer service agents are active from Monday to Sunday inside business hours, and after-hours support is available around-the-clock to assist with urgent reservations.

Dynamic packages and bundled bookings have helped travellers in more developed markets save time and money. We’re enthusiastic about being the first to bring this technology to South Africa, said Faling.

Travelcheck is a proudly South African online travel agency that offers innovative international technology to simplify the travel planning and booking process, for you, our valuable client.

Travelcheck, provides you with the convenience of comparing and booking flights and hotels that are perfectly suited to your travel needs.

Thanks to a smart search engine, you now have a travel gateway right at your fingertips and can search, customize and build your very own holiday package. There are multiple accommodation and flight options to choose from; you will be spoilt for choice.

Travelcheck allows you to tailor your accommodation and flights to suit your individual needs perfectly.

The price range of the trip, the type of flight, the flight duration, the location of the flight layover, the flight departure and arrival time, luggage allowance, meal preference and so much more can all be arranged, in one single place, our website.

Once your trip has been selected, you can simply complete the reservation process, by proceeding with payment, which is simple, straightforward, and safe. Payment at Travelcheck.co.za is secured by the most reliable security and is fully Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant.

We at Travelcheck aim to bring South Africans a seamless experience by dynamically packaging their travel needs in an affordable and convenient way.

You will have complete control over selecting exactly what you want. The ticket reservation process at Travelcheck.co.za is simple and fast, giving users an enjoyable, hassle-free purchasing experience.

We look forward to delivering a dream holiday to you and yours. Your next vacation is as close as a click of a button.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Investors No Longer Need To Provide Bank Guarantees To Dubai Tourism To Set Up Tourism Companies

Dubai will waive bank guarantees required to set up tourism companies as the emirate seeks to lower the cost of doing business and attract investments in line with government initiatives to stimulate the economy.

The move will exempt more than 2,000 travel and tour operators from bank guarantees worth a total of about Dh250 million and free up capital to reinvest in their businesses, Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing said in a statement on Tuesday.

Relaxing regulations in support of the business community, especially supporting start-ups and SMEs, is fundamental for sustained sector growth, Helal Almarri, director-general of Dubai Tourism, said.

It is a very positive signal for prospective investors and new ventures to launch tourism projects by taking advantage of the quick and hassle-free processes in place.

Dubai has slashed various corporate and government fees as part of efforts to increase the emirate's competitiveness and stimulate business growth after the introduction of a five per cent value-added tax (VAT) last year.

The emirate has set a target to attract up to 25 million visitors annually by 2025 and to become the world’s most visited destination. Tourism numbers remained flat at 11.58m visitors in the first nine months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, according to Dubai Tourism data.

The rate of annual passenger growth at Dubai International Airport in 2018 has decelerated after years of massive expansion.

Before the new deregulation measure, tourism companies were obliged to provide bank guarantees ranging from Dh100,000 to Dh600,000 as a pre-condition to acquire a trade license from the Department of Economic Development (DED).

The amount depends on the type and number of business activities that the company will engage in.

The DED totaled the bank guarantees paid by each of the 2,000 companies to arrive at the Dh250m figure, which it will exempt operators from paying.

Going forward, investors will no longer need to provide bank guarantees to Dubai Tourism to set up tourism companies or offer travel and tour-related services in the emirate.

Dubai Tourism earlier proposed a plan to attract more transit passengers to visit the emirate, including introducing time share accommodation to attract more families and luxury yachts to stopover in Dubai.

Last year, Dubai slashed aviation and municipality fees as part of initiatives aimed at making it easier to do business. The emirate will scrap 19 fees related to the aviation industry as it seeks to attract more than Dh1bn of foreign investments into the sector.

In seeking to diversify its economy from oil, Dubai focused on developing its aerospace sector as part of plans to boost non-oil revenue, transform the city into a business hub, create jobs and attract tourists.

Open skies policies, large investments in infrastructure and a foreign investor-friendly business environment spurred the development of the aviation industry.

Aviation will account for 37.5 per cent of Dubai’s gross domestic product in 2020 and about 45 per cent of GDP by 2030 from 27 per cent in 2013, according to Oxford Economics.

Dubai is the world’s fourth most-visited cities after Bangkok, London and Paris, according to a Mastercard annual survey in 2018.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Bangkok Beats London As World's Most Popular Travel Destination

The Thai capital of Bangkok has beaten London to be crowned the world's most popular travel destination this year, according to an annual ranking by global payments and technology company Mastercard.

Tourism has been one of the rare bright spots for Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, which has grappled with weak consumer confidence and exports after a 2014 coup the military said was aimed at ending months of political unrest.

Last month's wave of bomb blasts in southern Thailand, which police have blamed on Muslim separatists, appears to have had a limited effect on tourism.

Bangkok, also known as the "city of angels"', topped the 2016 listing of 132 cities, beating London, Paris and Dubai to become the city most visited by international travellers in the Mastercard Index of Global Destination Cities.

"It isn't a flash in the pan. Bangkok is in a strong position to be the top destination city for a long time," Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Mastercard chief economist said.

"There's the value for money, especially for visitors coming from high-income countries."

Thailand expects to welcome a record 33 million visitors this year, thanks to a jump in the number of Chinese tourists.

Sprawling Bangkok is projected to receive 21.47 million international visitors in 2016, just ahead of second-ranked London, with 19.88 million visitors.

"The pollution makes it a less than ideal city to stay long term, but the food is second to none," James Donnelly, 31, a tourist from Britain who was visiting the city on his way to Vietnam, said.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Japanese city of Osaka has shown the strongest growth in international visitors over the past seven years, attracting tourists from neighbouring countries, particularly China and South Korea, said Mastercard.

The British capital topped the 2015 ranking of global destinations, but Mastercard did not say why some of its shine had rubbed off for travellers this year.

The two cities have topped the ranking for most of its history.

MasterCard Offers Tips On Credit Card Safety

Make a record of your passport and credit card information, including the contact number to reach your credit card issuing bank in case of emergency. Keep this record in a safe and secure place away from your passport and credit cards (i.e., not in your wallet or purse). Also, leave a copy of this information and your itinerary at home with a family member or close friend

Whatever you’re looking for from your vacation this holiday season, whether it’s sunshine, relaxation, adventure or exploration, having an experience that is hassle free, secure and enjoyable will be high on anyone’s priority list. Here are a few simple safe spending habits to follow from Mastercard to protect yourself against fraud and theft while traveling locally and abroad.

Before you go…
•Make a record of your passport and credit card information, including the contact number to reach your credit card issuing bank in case of emergency. Keep this record in a safe and secure place away from your passport and credit cards (i.e., not in your wallet or purse). Also, leave a copy of this information and your itinerary at home with a family member or close friend.

•Be sure to notify your bank of your travels, this will avoid triggering a fraud alert. A sudden increase in transactions in a foreign city could raise suspicion with your bank.

•Staying In Control. A big benefit for travelers is Mastercard’s In Control platform, the perfect planning tool for travel spend. Providing real-time alerts via SMS or e-mail, In Control helps you set spending limits and “turn on” or “turn off” your credit, debit and small business cards at individual retailers or in specific countries. Once set-up, you can then access In Control either through your bank’s mobile app and website or at a standalone site or app.

•Carrying large amounts of cash while adventuring unknown territory can be dangerous. Mastercard debit and credit cards enable you to shop safely without any hassles.

•There’s nothing fun about lost luggage or missed flights, and nothing beats fast and generous compensation to help you through a tight spot. Check to see if your card offers protection that reimburses you for replacing essential items in your baggage.
•Clean out your wallet by taking out everything but the essentials. The more items and pieces of information a thief gets, the more damage they can do.

While you’re there…
•Make sure to use an EMV-enabled card with embedded chip in it when you travel. The cards are widely used across the world. Given their enhanced technology, chip cards protect your account information from fraud and are more secure than cash or a regular card. Tip: make sure you set up a PIN before traveling as many retailers require a PIN.

•Use a credit card for purchases because it’s the safest and most reliable way to spend while you travel. Mastercard is accepted around the world and you’re protected by Mastercard Zero Liability from unauthorised transactions in case of a lost or stolen card. Keep your card with you at all times and never leave it in your hotel room.

Upon return…
•Keep receipts for your credit card purchases in a safe place, throughout your travels. When you get home cross-check your saved receipts against your e-statement. Notify your card issuer immediately if you see any unusual or unexpected items.

There is nothing more rewarding than a holiday and the end goal is to return home feeling relaxed and fulfilled. Mastercard is committed to protecting their cardholders which is why we have a multifaceted approach to securing transactions. With safety and security being a main focus, Mastercard is constantly working to provide better and safer payment options, all with the aim of ensuring your peace of mind.

PERU: Machu Picchu One Of South America’s Leading Tourism Destinations.

The famous Machu Picchu ruins have long made Peru one of South America’s leading tourism destinations. More recently Peru has attracted new segments of international tourists with Peruvian cuisine, ecotourism and other cultural highlights which drive continued growth in Peru’s tourism sector. With major infrastructure projects underway, the city of Lima attempts to position itself as a regional hub for business tourism. The Jorge Chavez airport in Lima is also an important hub strategically located for connecting flights within South America.

Tourism to Peru has more than tripled since the year 2000. The MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index has ranked Lima the most visited city in Latin America since 2011, when it surpassed Buenos Aires. In 2015, MasterCard estimates Lima received 5.1 million international overnight visitors, which was significantly more than Mexico City (2.6 million) and Sao Paulo (2.5 million).

The sites with the highest proportions of international visitors are Raqchi (88.8%), Huaca Pucllana (79.7%), the Titicaca National Reserve (75.6%) and the Santa Catalina monastery (72.4%). The sites with the lowest proportions of international visitors are the Paracas National Reserve (17.3%), Huaca del Sol y de la Luna (22.4%), Chan Chan (23.2%) and Huascaran National Reserve (24.1%).

Visitors from other countries in South America account for 57.4% of international visitors to Peru. With Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the total reaches 60%. The United States, Canada and Europe account for just over 35% and Asia makes up 4% of total visitors.