EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa

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EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
HOTEL SUITES
In vogue

AIR MILES
For a good cause

                                   AIRPORTS
                           Entertainment zones

EXECUJET
From safaris to business
ISSUE 148: FEBRUARY 2020    www.businesstravellerafrica.co.za
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
rwandair.com

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sales.johannesburg@rwandair.com
Terms and conditions apply
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
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EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
ADVERTORIAL

WINDMILL CASINO

Located just off the N1 Highway in Bloemfontein, Sun International’s
Windmill Casino is not just a one-stop entertainment destination, but        As with every modern-day venue
                                                                             worth its salt, Windmill Casino
also an attractive business travel option and a meetings and events
                                                                             offers free wi-fi to hotel guests
venue that ticks all the right boxes.                                        and conference delegates.

T
                                                                               If, in turn, you’ve had a long
        hose boxes include            - 4 6 double complex rooms (28m²)     day at the office on your business
        comfortable                      – Double bed, overlooking the       strip or have been in a full-
        accommodation, a variety         casino complex, separate bath       day conference or meeting, the
of event venues, free wi-fi, a host      and shower, pull-out double         Desired Images Spa is on hand
of dining options, and a location        sleeper sofa                        to offer relaxing massages and/or
that provides convenient access                                              beauty treatments.
to Bloemfontein’s popular tourist     EVENT VENUES                             You can, alternatively, take a dip
attractions.                          Windmill Casino caters to both         in the hotel’s outdoor pool, which
  So, whether you’re in               small events and grand affairs,        during summer, in particular,
Bloemfontein on business or are       with a variety of venues.              offers welcome relief.
looking to put on an event in the       The Ei¬ffel and Versailles Rooms
area, here are just some of the       are great for boardroom meetings       DINING
reasons to consider Windmill          or strategic planning sessions and     Windmill Casino has a host of
Casino.                               these two meetings rooms can be        dining options, catering to all
                                      joined together for bigger group       tastes:
ACCOMMODATION                         sessions and think tanks.              - O cean Basket is renowned for
Windmill Casino has a total of 80       The Lodge Boardroom,                   its fresh seafood and varied
rooms, made up of the following:      meanwhile, is a small venue              menu that appeals to every
- 14 double rooms (28m²) –           that’s perfect for important group       palate
  Double bed, separate bath and       meetings, allowing you to host         - R osie’s Brasserie is a carvery
  shower, can be inter-leading to     your meeting in comfort and style.       buffet restaurant that treats
  a twin room, pull-out double          Then there’s Windmill A & B,           guests and delegates to over 90
  sleeper sofa, pool-facing           which can be utilised as two small       menu items, served from nine
- 14 standard twin rooms (28m²)      venues or joined together to create      food stations
  – Twin beds side by side,           a big ballroom ideal for small         - T he Golden Nugget Spur is a
  separate bath and shower, pull-     weddings or a birthday bash.             well-known steakhouse with a
  out double sleeper sofa               Diamond Lil’s is ideal for hosting     variety of options
- 4 standard suites (80m²) –         year-end functions or birthday         - T he Can Can Bar is located on
  Double bed, separate lounge         parties for up to 180 people.            the main casino floor
  and dining room table, guest
  toilet, separate bath and shower,   ON-SITE FACILITIES                     CONTACT
  pull-out double sleeper sofa        Take your pick from 401 slot           A: Corner Jan Pierewiet Avenue
- 2 accessible rooms (28m²) –        machines and 18 games tables,          and N1 Highway, Pellissier
  Double bed, shower with hand-       whilst for Sun International Most      Tel: +27 51 410 2000
  rails, can be inter-leading with    Valued Guests cardholders, there       E: crobook@suninternational.com
  a twin room, pull-out double        are private gaming facilities in the   W: suninternational.com/windmill
  sleeper sofa                        Salon Privè.                           F: Windmill Casino ■

2 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                         Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
Contents

                                                                                    14                                        20
                                                                                                                              24
                                      26                                                    27
              COVER
              ExecuJet
              Already established as a global player in
              the business aviation space, ExecuJet
              is now exploring the high-end leisure
              market, with an offering that ticks all
              the right boxes, if you’re looking for a
              seamless African safari experience or
              bucket list trip.

        FEATURES                                           REGULARS

14 Hotel Suites
          Everyone loves an upgrade, but it’s not
                                                          04 Message from the Team 26 Tried and Tested
                                                              What’s the editor ranting about now?          • Hotel Check
          always worth the extra cost, unless                                                               Radisson PE
          you’re a business traveller who can see
          the benefits and make full use of what a        06 News
                                                              Airline, hotel and other travel news
                                                                                                            • Hotel Check
                                                                                                            Tau Game Lodge
          hotel suite has to offer. So says Business
          Traveller Asia-Pacific’s Michael Allen.             from Africa and beyond
                                                                                                        28 Q & A Interviews
20 Air Miles
          If you work the system, frequent flyer air
                                                          10 HTI Consulting Column
                                                              CEO Wayne Troughton gives us his
                                                                                                            • Frank Palapies – Wings
                                                                                                            • Jan van der Putten – Hilton

          miles can be a real bonus for the regular
          business traveller, but there’s also the
                                                              views on the African hotel industry
                                                                                                        30 People on the Move
          opportunity to do some good with them,
          as detailed by Business Traveller UK’s
                                                          11 ASATA Column
                                                              The latest from Chief Executive Officer
                                                                                                            The movers and shakers –
                                                                                                            what they’re up to now

                                                                                                        32 Bite with the Editor
          Hannah Brandler.
                                                              Otto de Vries

24 New Age Airports
          Modern-day airports have become
                                                                                                            Mandy Lerena & Liezl Gericke –
                                                                                                            Virgin Atlantic
          entertainment centres that have the
          ability to make any delay or layover a
          memorable experience, as explained by
          Business Traveller India editor Akanksha
          Maker.

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                                                              FEBRUARY2020 | 3
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
ED’S LETTER

                    T
                             his is my final issue as editor of Business
                             Traveller Africa magazine.                    PUBLISHER
                                                                           Richard Lendrum
                               That’s after 106 issues and nearly nine
                      years in the saddle!
                        As with all things enjoyable, it’s fair to say     EDITOR
                      that my time has zipped by and taking the reins      Dylan Rogers
                      ahead of the May 2011 issue seems like an event      dylan@thefuture.co.za
                      that took place just yesterday.
   For that issue, I recall having The Palazzo at Montecasino in           JOURNALIST
Johannesburg on the cover and one of the features we looked at             Kate Kennedy
was titled “Laptops vs Tablets”! My, how things have changed
and moved on, and that’s perhaps the standout feature of my                CONTRIBUTORS
time at Business Traveller Africa – witnessing the progression of          Michael Allen, Hannah Brandler, Richard Holmes, Caroline Hurry,
technological development and its impact on business travel.               Akanksha Maker.
   Tools such as apps and bots are now commonplace, whilst
biometric screening at airports is no longer a rarity.
                                                                           DESIGN AND LAYOUT
   So, where else have we seen the impact of technolog y in the past       Nadette Voogd
nine years?
   Well, there’s been disintermediation and the GDS companies
have had to evolve their offerings, to the point that they are now         SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PRODUCTION
                                                                           Mabel Ramafoko
‘tech companies’, the car rental industry has had to deal with the         mabel@thefuture.co.za
emergence of Uber (although they’ll tell you the impact has been
minimal), and there’s now such a thing as a ‘smart’ hotel room and
‘virtual conferencing’!                                                    SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICE
   Additional developments have stood out, and if one looks at the         Postal Address:
                                                                           PO Box 1746, Saxonwold, 2132
African travel industry, it includes the continued and voracious           Physical Address:
appetite of the international hotel groups for more branded                6 Rodwiella Rd, Edenberg
properties on the continent, with W Hospitality Group’s annual             Telephone: +27 11 327 6107
Pipeline report a real eye-opener for anyone with an interest in this
space.                                                                     NIGERIAN OFFICE
   There’s also been consolidation in the TMC industry, the                3rd Floor, EuniBrown House195,
introduction of the millennial business traveller, the continued           Ikorodu Road, Palmgrove,Lagos, Nigeria
growth of the Gulf carriers in the airline space, and the re-              Tel: +234 1 740 3236
emergence of the mid-market hotel segment.                                 Mobile: +234 803 963 0155
   I could go on.
   But, over the course of the past nine years there has been so           PUBLISHER – NORTH & WEST AFRICA
much more closer to home. At Future Group, we also launched                Tope Ogbeni-Awe
the incredibly successful Business Traveller Africa Awards, moved          tope.ogbeni-awe@topcommng.com
offices four times, worked for – and exited – a big corporate, seen a
host of staff come and go, and ensured that Business Traveller Africa      EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
has not only survived, but flourished.                                     Mohammed Abdullahi
   Lastly, my thanks to publisher Richard Lendrum, without whom
the past nine years would not have been possible. His guidance,
                                                                           Business Traveller Africa is published under licence from Perry
vision and support have been invaluable.                                   Publications Limited.
   It’s been a great ride, but my time to go has come.                     Warwick House, 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PP.
Wishing everyone a prosperous future and safe business travelling!         Tel: +44 20 7821 2740
                                                                           www.businesstraveller.com

Dylan Rogers
Editor                                                                             Follow us on:
dylan@thefuture.co.za

4 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                                                    Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
JHB 23206
DStv Business Last Stay/2

                                                                                                                                                                                 As seen on DStv
                            MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE TODAY
                            Get your business the right entertainment
                            Ever wonder how is it that super-hosts keep their scores so blissfully high? Or how they keep their guests coming back?
                            One word: entertainment. And all you need to do is make the right entertainment switch for your business.

                            DStv Business ensures that you can cater to each unique guest that enters through your doors. With our Stay packages,
                            you’ll be home to the families, the honeymooners, sports lovers, backpackers, kids and everyone in-between; when you
                            choose from packages designed to suit your business and your guests.

                                 Stay                             R519                      R375                                        R255
                                                                  PM/TV                      PM/TV                                      PM/TV
                                 With the Stay package you
                                 can give your guests the
                                 best in-room entertainment      Stay Ultra                Stay Essential                          Stay Basic
                                 with over 95 channels of
                                                                 95+ Video Channels        80+ Video Channels                       50+ Video Channels
                                 the best in sports, lifestyle
                                                                 55+ Audio Channels        55+ Audio Channels                       55+ Audio Channels
                                 entertainment and movies,
                                 suitable for any hospitality
                                 establishment.

                                                                                                     SMS “Business” to 42507 for more info.
                                                                                                     Entertainment is our Business.
                                                                                                     T&Cs & standard SMS rates apply.

                                                                                                     dstv.co.za/business | +27 (0)11 289 2289 | dstvbusiness@multichoice.co.za
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
NEWS

                                                                                  SAA Operates First
                                                                                  A350 Commercially
                                                                                  South African Airways recently operated its
                                                                                  first Airbus A350-900 aircraft for the first time
                                                                                  commercially in the domestic market. The aircraft
                                                                                  is one of four new Airbus A350-900 jets in SAA’s
                                                                                  fleet. As additional aircraft are introduced, more
                                                                                  routes will be operated by the Airbus A350-900s,
                                                                                  such as SAA’s ultra-long haul routes between
                                                                                  Johannesburg and New York’s John F Kennedy
                                                                                  International Airport. The Airbus A350-900 is
                                                                                  configured with a maximum of 339 seats, of
                                                                                  which 30 are business class and 309 economy
                                                                                  class seats, with the first six rows in economy
                                                                                  offering extra legroom. The business class cabin
                                                                                  has lie-flat beds. To accommodate the new planes,
                                                                                  is selling nine wide-body aircraft – five Airbus
 Rosebank Hotel Gets Rebrand                                                      A340-300s and four Airbus A340-600s – and 15
                                                                                  spare engines and four auxiliary power units.
 Tsogo Sun Hotels began to rebrand and refurbish its Crowne Plaza The
 Rosebank property into the Southern Sun Rosebank on 1 February. An

                                                                                   Southern Sun
 extensive refurbishment will include the reception and lobby areas, the
 Circle Bar, the Fresh Restaurant, and the opening of The Grill Jichana.
 The balance of the refurbishment of the hotel, including bedrooms, will
 take place over the course of 2020/21.                                            Ridgeway Completes
                                                                                   Refurb
 RwandAir Launches Flexi Flight                                                    Southern Sun Ridgeway Lusaka, in Zambia,
                                                                                   has completed a long-awaited refurbishment, to
 Options                                                                           the value of over $7 million. Inspiration for the
                                                                                   refurbished rooms focused on the rich copper
 RwandAir customers could now save from their ticket purchases thanks
                                                                                   and gemstone resources of Zambia, with the
 to a new partnership with Optiontown. The new offering enables
                                                                                   colours of emeralds, amethyst, aquamarine,
 customers to pre-purchase RwandAir flights at the best available price
                                                                                   tourmaline, garnet and rose quartz informing
 and decide when they want to travel at a later date. Customers buying a
                                                                                   the hotel’s new colour palette. Every room is
 RwandAir Flight Pass can choose between four and 500 one-way flights

                                                                                                                                                       TBWA\HUNT\LASCARIS 919456
                                                                                   equipped with blackout curtains and walk-
 to multiple destinations, valid for up to two years from the start date.
                                                                                   in showers. Additional amenities include
 Customers can set their own advance booking limit – from 180 days to
                                                                                   complimentary wi-fi, flat-screen TVs with
 just four hours before departure. Up to 200 individual customer names
                                                                                   DStv and 24-hour room service. The hotel has
 can be added to the Flight Pass, making it possible to share with family,
                                                                                   also completed upgrades to its reception area,
 friends and colleagues. To find out more or to book the RwandAir Flight
                                                                                   public toilets, and business centre.
 Pass, visit rwandair.optiontown.com

              COMFORT WITHOUT BORDERS
           AS A HOTEL GROUP BORN AND BRED IN AFRICA, WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR PRESENCE IN THE CONTINENT. YOU CAN NOW
             CHECK INTO 60 HOTELS ALL OVER AFRICA – INCLUDING SOUTH AFRICA, DAR ES SALAAM, GABORONE, WINDHOEK AND
           NAIROBI – KNOWING THAT YOU’LL FIND THE COMFORT AND RELIABILITY YOU’VE COME TO EXPECT FROM A STAY WITH US.
                   FOR THE RATES AND RESERVATIONS OF YOUR PREFERRED DESTINATION ACROSS THE CONTINENT, VISIT CLHG.COM

6 | DECEMBER2019                                                                                  For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
ADVERTORIAL – MAURITIUS

                                                                              ACTIVITIES
                                                                              The island also boasts a variety of
                                                                              activities specifically geared for
                                                                              MICE groups, ranging from golf to
                                                                              adventure sports such as quad-
                                                                              biking, trekking, mountain biking,
                                                                              trail-running, zip-lining, fishing,
                                                                              kite-surfing, parasailing, canoeing
                                                                              and sky-diving, together with a
                                                                              host of water sports.
                                                                                The island also offers stunning
                                                                              outdoor locations for interactive
                                                                              and adrenalin-fuelled activities
                                                                              and adventures perfect for team-

RATHER MEET IN
                                                                              building exercises. There are
                                                                              also many cultural festivities and

Mauritius
                                                                              spiritual festivals that take place
                                                                              on the island that can be enjoyed.

                                                                              WHEN TO VISIT
                                                                              Mauritius has a tropical climate,
                                                                              with warm weather all year round.
                                                                              The best months to visit are from
                                                                              May to December, when the
                                                                              weather is cooler, dry and sunny.

                                                                              Enjoy everything that Mauritius
                                                                              has to offer as your ideal MICE
                                                                              destination, combining quality,
                                                                              elegance and style, in a paradise
                                                                              island setting!
Planning an incentive trip to reward your top performers, an
international conference for a few thousand delegates, an exclusive high-     #RatherMeetinMauritius – the
level meeting for a government delegation, or a product launch event?         idyllic Indian Ocean destination
                                                                              for all your MICE needs.

I
                                                                              www.tourism-mauritius.mu
     f you are, look no further than   accommodation, the attention to        www.ratherbeinmauritius.co.za
     the Indian Ocean island of        detail in service delivery, state-
     Mauritius. Here you will find     of-the-art conferencing venues,        CONTACT
the perfect venue, staffed by a        professional and friendly staff, and   Mauritius Tourism Promotion
professional and dedicated support     the additional activities on offer,    Authority – SA Representative:
team, to deliver a unique, world-      all guarantee a unique experience.     Janet de Kretser / Philippa Piguet
class event, with a touch of island-                                          – Meropa Communications
style elegance and flair.              CONFERENCE FACILITIES                  Tel: +27 11 506 7300
   The paradise island of Mauritius    Boasting the largest and most          Email: mauritius@meropa.co.za ■
is fast becoming one of Africa’s       modern convention centre in
tourism and meetings jewels with       the Indian Ocean region, the
its scenic beauty, hidden treasures    Swami Vivekananda Convention
to explore and an exotic melting-      Centre provides all the facilities      The Mauritius Tourism
pot of cuisines and cultures. It’s     needed for large, international         Promotion Authority has an
a short flight from South Africa’s     conferences, accommodating up to        attractive incentive scheme in
three major cities and visa-free for   5,000 people.                           place for the MICE segment.
South African passport holders.          Other venues include the                This applies to bookings
                                       International Conference Centre in      for large groups of 100 people
MICE                                   Grand Baie (up to 600 people), the      or more to the island and
Mauritius offers the MICE buyer        Freeport Exhibition Center in Mer       includes a 15% VAT rebate,
the infrastructure to cater for        Rouge (up to 1,000 delegates), and      on the ground assistance and
a variety of groups and sizes,         the Trianon Convention Centre in        cash incentives, if three nights
all year round. As a MICE-             Trianon (up to 3,000 delegates).        or more at the same hotel are
friendly destination, the island       Many Mauritian hotels also offer        booked for the group.
has the key ingredients to host        conference facilities and can cater       More details are available
successful meetings, incentive         for up to 800 people at a time,         through the Mauritius
groups, conferences and events.        with spectacular marquees and           Tourism Promotion Authority
The quality and variety of             set-ups on the hotel properties.        office.

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                                   FEBRUARY2020 | 7
EXECUJET From safaris to business - HOTEL SUITES - Business Traveller Africa
NEWS

 Airlink to Operate Own Flight Code
 Independent airline Airlink will operate under its own 4Z flight code with effect from 11 June. This will enable Airlink to
 develop more routes and frequencies on an independent basis, as well as extend opportunities to establish new agreements
 with leading international airlines. Airlink and South African Airways have redefined their partnership by replacing their
 franchise agreement with a new commercial arrangement from 11 June 2020. Customers holding SAA 083 tickets for flights
 after 10 June, who do not want to be re-accommodated, may apply to SAA for a refund or through other channels, such as the
 credit card issuer used for payment or insurance. SAA refunds will be managed in line with its business rescue policies.

                                                                             ONOMO Acquires
                                                                             BON Hotels
                                                                             ONOMO Hotels has acquired a 60,1% controlling
                                                                             stake in BON Hotels, setting Africa’s hospitality
                                                                             industry up for a major shake-up. The acquisition
                                                                             establishes ONOMO as a key player in the Nigerian
                                                                             market and will reinforce its presence in Southern
                                                                             Africa. ONOMO will benefit from BON Hotels’
                                                                             extensive experience of offering its services as
                                                                             a hotel management company. The strategic
                                                                             partnership reflects the parties’ ongoing confidence
                                                                             in Africa as the go-to region for economic
                                                                             opportunities and growth potential, particularly
                                                                             in tourism.

                                                                             Radisson to Debut on
 Century City Extends                                                        Reunion Island
 Hospitality Offering                                                        Radisson Hotel Group will enter its third of the
 Century City Conference Centre and Hotel in Cape Town has broken            four main Indian Ocean Islands with the signing
 ground on a brand-new hotel in the complex. Aimed for completion            of the Radisson Hotel Saint Denis on Reunion
 in mid-2021, Century City Hotel Bridgewater is an exciting addition         Island. Saint Denis is the administrative capital of
 to the acclaimed Century City Hotels brand, and is set to complement        the French overseas region, located on the north
 the existing hospitality offering in the node. The existing Century         end of Reunion Island, and Radisson’s newest hotel
 City Hotel will be rebranded as Century City Hotel Urban Square. The        is located within walking distance of the main
 new hotel will increase accommodation from 125 rooms at Century             commercial and financial district. Positioned in
 City Hotel Urban Square to 223 rooms between the two properties,            front of the Promenade, between the old town and
 and almost 700 rooms within walking distance of Century City                the main highway, the hotel offers easy access to
 Conference Centre. When complete, Bridgewater One will consist              Saint Denis Roland Garros International Airport,
 of an 80-room hotel flanked by 122 apartments, overlooking three            the main airport on Reunion Island. The hotel will
 hectares of waterbody and greenery, and three individual office             feature 124 upscale rooms and suites; five food and
 buildings for a R600 million mixed-use development. Between this            drink outlets, including a rooftop bar and lounge;
 cluster of buildings, a sunny, sheltered, central courtyard will be lined   416m² of meeting and events space made up of a
 with shops and restaurants. And beneath them, two levels of parking         large conference room and six meeting rooms; and
 will provide 376 secure undercover bays.                                    a fully-equipped gym.

8 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                                For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
BA and KQ
Enhance
Partnership
British Airways and Kenya
Airways have enhanced
their interline partnership,
providing better connections for
customers flying into and out
of Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport and London Heathrow.          SWISS Now Flying Fully-Refurbed
The partnership will allow
KQ customers to access BA’s
                                      A340 Fleet
extensive European network.           Swiss International Air Lines concluded the cabin refurbishment programme for its
British Airways’ customers will       Airbus A340 aircraft fleet in mid-January. SWISS has newly equipped the cabins of
be able to connect through            its five A340s with the first, business and economy class seats already featured on its
Nairobi to Kenya Airways’             Boeing 777s, together with a new inflight entertainment system that includes internet
African network.                      connectivity. SWISS operates its Airbus A340s on services between Zurich and Boston,
                                      Johannesburg and Shanghai.

Catalyst Hotel to Open in Sandton
The Catalyst Hotel, a premier establishment managed by Newmark Hotels, Reserves, Lodges and Residences, is set to bring
luxury and comfort to both business and leisure travellers in the middle to last quarter of 2020. Positioned close to the
Gautrain station, the hotel offers 206 rooms for both short and long-stay guests. From deluxe bathroom finishes to top-class
in-room conveniences, each suite has been built for comfort with all the stylish efficiencies geared towards the discerning
guest. On-site facilities include a restaurant, a fully-equipped conference area, a state-of-the-art gym, swimming pool, and a
full-service spa.
COMMENT

                      Hotels ‘get personal’
                      A
                             s with many things, we’ve come full circle!       Another favourite way to court g uest favour is to
Wayne                           For years, travellers were content to be       integrate their social interests into their travel
Troughton                    unknown to hotel hosts…‘another booking,          opportunities. An important factor in adding
CEO: HTI Consulting   another room number’. Today, however, the trend          value and deepening customer insight is also to
                      towards personalisation is once again prevalent in the   understand the reason that the g uest is there – be it
                      hospitality sector.                                      business, leisure or conference participation.

                      In my last column I mentioned that by 2022 the           Having a sense of a trip's purpose (not just W HO
                      experiential market is estimated to account for          the g uest is but W H Y they travel) allows hotels
                      nearly two thirds of the global luxur y hotel market.    to cater to preferences that apply not just to the
                      According to a recent report by Infosys, around 86%      particular g uest but also to their travel persona.
                      of international consumers also say personalisation      A leisure traveller persona effectively translates
                      plays an important role in their purchasing              to particular accommodation preferences, ser vice
                      decisions.                                               levels, and assistance requests and, of course,
                                                                               additional revenue opportunities. A business
                      People are actively seeking hospitalit y experiences     traveller persona may be more inclined to
                      that are relevant to them and make them feel             concern themselves with loyalt y point earning
                      like they matter as an individual, rather than           opportunities, but less inclined toward inclusive
                      merely being clumped together with ever y other          meals or ser vices, since their bill is a reimbursable
                      consumer and offered the same treatment. The             business expense.
                      drive is therefor for hoteliers to reconstruct and
                      develop their product offering to be more engaged,       Business travellers would be more likely to
                      personalised, immersive, adventurous and more            take advantage of express check-in and check-
                      adjusted to local culture.                               out ser vices, and less likely to seek extensive
                                                                               assistance or g uidance from front desks. Applying
                      The ‘game changer’ in delivering 21st centur y           travel personas can therefore be an important
                      non-standardised hotel accommodation is the              differentiator to customise and enhance the g uest
                      technolog y of sharing.                                  experience.

                      In the past, it generally wasn't practical to get        When you think about the word ‘personalisation’,
                      insights, references and reviews before you              what should first come to mind is technologies that
                      committed to your stay. Today, it's hard to imagine      provide the tools to better know, understand and
                      any form of accommodation that hasn't been               recognise g uests, their needs and their desires.
                      photographed, shared, blogged, rated and reviewed        In the chain hotel's world of highly standardised
                      online.                                                  options, it is customer relationship management
                                                                               software that often provides the best competitive
                      For those hotels seeking to collect and interpret        advantage in a marketplace that has beg un to value
                      data about their g uests in order to deliver a           the unique above all else.
                      personalised user experience, gathering g uest
                      profile data has never been easier. Guests are           Ultimately, the deeper the level of knowledge hotels
                      generally happy to provide some personal                 have about their g uest, the more likely that g uest
                      information if it means that they’re getting             will stay loyal, because they trust you know what
                      personalised ser vice and relevant information,          they want from a hotel experience.
                      post-stay, about deals that would suit their specific
                      requirements.                                            Brands that create personalised experiences by
                                                                               integrating data and advanced technologies are
                      If a particular g uest stays at a hotel repeatedly for   currently achieving revenue increases of between
                      business trips, their information can be noted and       6% and 10%.
                      used the next time they book a room at the hotel,
                      perhaps to point them to a wi-fi-enabled work            The best approach is for a personalisation
                      area, free conference room, or other areas suited to     programme that brings hotel g uests into sharper
                      their business-related needs. Better yet, hoteliers      focus and improves the customer relationship. More
                      are increasingly using technolog y apps to enable        rewarding g uest experiences that offer a ‘you first ’
                      the g uests to control their own experience. Via an      proposition are therefor an increasing requirement
                      app some g uests are able to adjust the temperature      and brands that don’t take the necessar y steps
                      in their room, order content for the mini-bar, or        towards personalisation will run the risk of
                      stream content on hotel T Vs.                            becoming irrelevant in the near future. ■

10 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                                             Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
COMMENT

                            Still investing in Africa
I
    n a digitally-connected world, where      cancelling and expensing travel. The         with the complexities of effective risk
    booking travel can be done in seconds     vast majority (70%) of business travellers   management. It’s the travel professional
    using a smartphone app or website,        indicated that they felt this was a waste    who is best placed to educate a company
what are travel professionals bringing        of their valuable time.                      on its exposure and to take the necessary
to the table that robots, internet or            By combining technology-led innovation    measures to mitigate those risks.
technology don’t?                             with human expertise, the modern travel        21st-century TMCs are focusing their
   Research by ASATA has shown that,          professional provides customers with         attention on identifying the opportunities
on average, a leisure traveller will visit    intelligent solutions that save travellers   and tools that exist beyond the
20 websites before engaging a travel          time and companies money – from              transaction.
consultant to finalise the booking.           streamlined payment and reporting              They are asking critical questions like:
However, travel agency services are           functions to customised itineraries and      What are our non-customers saying?
experiencing a worldwide revival.             comprehensive safety controls.               What services do they think we should
   In corporate travel, the travel               Customers today are not only looking      provide? What risks have been identified,
management company (TMC) has                  for the best price anymore. They expect      and are we considering these things
increasingly started filling a valuable and   competent, qualified travel professionals    when making strategic decisions?
strategic role for customers beyond what      to offer them a fully-personalised service     We can help businesses and their
technology can offer.                         across multiple channels, manage             travellers manage risk in 2020 and
   A recent US-based survey showed            complex itineraries, loyalty programmes,     beyond if we master the answers to these
that the average frequent business            and act as a crucial safety net when         simple questions. ■
traveller spends 108 hours per year on        things go awry.
admin work related to corporate travel,          Bots are not equipped to handle           Otto de Vries
i.e. researching, booking, adjusting,         complicated itineraries or to deal           ASATA CEO

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                                                   FEBRUARY2020 | 11
ADVERTORIAL

 ExecuJet
 Experiences
                                                                               this astonishing continent,” says
ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, is a well-established and             Gavin Kiggen, Vice-President
trusted charter service provider to companies, entrepreneurs,                  Africa, ExecuJet. “Private aircraft
governments and VIP’s alike                                                    are perfectly suited to this kind
                                                                               of exploration – they afford you
                                                                               increased travel flexibility, can

H
         owever, ExecuJet’s service       Another unique destination           land on short or dirt runways
         offering is not only          experience offered by ExecuJet is       so will take you directly to
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As part of ExecuJet’s ongoing          White Desert, the only company          customers enhanced luxury,
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ExecuJet launched its Tours &          the real interior of Antarctica         our clients bespoke and seamless
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   ExecuJet Tours & Safaris offers     to five or eight days. You can             “To experience the romance of
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   For an authentic bush living        hours of continuous sunshine.           provide secluded, ultra-luxury
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12 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                          Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
ExecuJet’s wildlife guide says:         serves as an office area) – and           no airport.
“Our family-run safaris have been       a separate stateroom in the aft              All ExecuJet’s charter aircraft
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watching herds of zebra and             flying non-stop to Dubai from                ExecuJet also offers a SimplyFly
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you’re passionate about preserving      24 Super Versatile Jets (SVJ)                In addition, ExecuJet offers
our natural heritage, understanding     available for charter. The PC-24          Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
the environment and learning            is simply unique. It’s the only           services within its African
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   Any of the safari packages           size of a medium-light jet and            and photography in greater detail.
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   ExecuJet’s African charter fleet     jet categories. The PC-24 has             but are seen as a natural extension
represents the latest in modern         been engineered to be “off-road”          of ExecuJet’s complete aviation
technolog y and flexibility, and it     compatible from the beginning.            solution offering to its clients.
recently added various business         Its outstanding short-field                  Adding to its extensive portfolio,
jets to its managed fleet – most        performance – even on unpaved             ExecuJet also caters to its clients’
notably, a Global Express with          runways – opens up an incredible          cargo charter needs, whether
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   The Global Express is a fast,        solution when it comes to
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divided into three sections –           professionals, and is suited to                +27 82 330 7399
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Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                                     FEBRUARY2020 | 13
FEATURE – HOTEL SUITES

                              Why an upgrade to a hotel suite is

The
                              becoming ever more attractive for
                              the frequent business traveller, as
                              Business Traveller Asia-Pacific’s
                              Michael Allen finds.

suite
life

14 | FEBRUARY2020                                    Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
W
                                                     hy shell out for a
                                                     spacious suite when
                                                     you stay at a hotel,
                                                     rather than just
                                      staying in a more budget-friendly
                                      standard guestroom? Different
                                      travellers have different reasons,
                                      but the consensus among frequent
                                      business travellers is that a
                                      standard room often does not quite
                                      provide everything you need to
                                      smoothly and seamlessly conduct
                                      your business when on a trip.
                                         Indeed, trying to conduct your
                                      business in too small a room can
                                      sometimes lead to embarrassing
                                      misunderstandings, as experienced
                                      by Business Traveller Forum user
                                      Nick Inkster, a UK-based retiree
                                      who worked in the hospitality
                                      business in CEO roles, during a
                                      Canadian hotel stay around the
                                      turn of the millennium.
                                         “In Montreal years ago – can’t
                                      remember which hotel – I had
                                      a colleague come to my suite
                                      for a very early conference call.
                                      Room service arrived with coffee,
                                      croissants etc, and the server,
                                      whilst placing the tray on the
                                      dining room table, said ‘Good
                                      morning, gentlemen, I trust you
                                      slept well’. We had both slept well,
                                      just not on the same floor of the
                                      hotel!”
                                         Such cheek-reddening incidents
                                      aside, the Business Traveller
                                      readership seems to broadly
                                      agree that if you can get a suite
                                      for a decent price – or upgrade to
                                      one using points from a loyalty
                                      programme – it’s often worth it.
                                         “Would I upgrade to one?
                                      That would depend entirely on
                                      the premium I have to pay and
                                      my requirements on that trip –
                                      whether I need to invite people
                                      into my room or hold meetings
                                      etc. However, if the cost is only
                                      marginal, I would not think twice,”
                                      says Ahmad Attaur Rehman, a
                                      barrister who lives in Islamabad
                                      and BT Forum user.

                                      ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
                                      Not all suites are created equal.
                                      The so-called Grand Suite at
                                      Oootopia West, a co-living
                                      property in famously space-
                                      constrained Hong Kong, clocks
                                      in at just under 14.5m 2 – much
                                      smaller than the average standard
                                      hotel room. So, suites come in all

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                        FEBRUARY2020 | 15
FEATURE – HOTEL SUITES

                                                                                  Of the six room types in the new
                                                                               Tower, four of these are suites,
                                                                               including the Tower Superior
                                                                               Cityview (51m 2), Tower Superior
                                                                               Harbourview (41-47m 2), Tower
                                                                               Premium Harbourview (56-57m 2)
                                                                               and Tower Premium Cityview (52-
                                                                               58m 2).
                                                                                  I stayed in a Tower Premium
                                                                               Harbourview suite at the start of
                                                                               November. My stay was fantastic,
                                                                               but I would not describe the suite
                                                                               as the height of luxury compared
                                                                               with other properties I’ve seen in
                                                                               the Asia-Pacific region. However,
                                                                               it was extremely well appointed,
                                                                               with brand-new furnishings and
                                                                               practical amenities that would
                                                                               definitely make any business
                                                                               traveller’s stay more convenient.
                                                                                  You could even catch a glimpse
                                                                               – albeit a rather distant one – of
                                                                               the city’s Symphony of Lights show
                                                                               that sees several skyscrapers along
shapes and sizes, from the ultra-                                              Victoria light up at 20h00 every
luxurious to the minimalist and                                                night and is a favourite of tourists,
practical. Price points, of course,                                            who flock to the Tsim Sha Tsui
tend to correlate to the level of                                              waterfront to watch it.
luxury you can expect.                                                            Victor Chan, general manager
   Indisputably at the ultra-luxury                                            of Harbour Grand Kowloon, says
end is the newly-refurbished                                                   his intention was not to make
Raffles Hotel in Singapore, an                                                 the suites “ultra-luxurious or
iconic property first opened in                                                excessive”. Rather, he and his
1887 that’s probably most famous                                               team wanted to design them at
for creating the Singapore Sling                                               a reasonable price point, whilst
cocktail. It’s an all-suite property                                           providing all the amenities
with nine categories of suite, and                                             necessary to ensure a comfortable
six of the 115 suites have been                                                and convenient stay for both
designated as Residence Suites                                                 business and leisure travellers.
exclusively for long-stay guests.      (including a limousine transfer)           Chan says Harbour Grand
The hotel says these guests tend       starts from $764 for a midweek          Kowloon has listened to its
to be CEOs and ambassadors in          stay in an entry-level 58m 2            customers and the suites were
need of a swanky residence when        Courtyard Suite King (in early-         designed based on customer
relocating to the Lion City.           December). Whilst many would            feedback, rather than looking at
   “We are an all-suite hotel and      consider laying down that much          what other hotels are doing.
all our suites have the same set-      cash worth it for a residence at one       “This hotel has been around for
up of having their own parlour-        of Singapore’s most coveted and         20-plus years. We have a good base
slash-living room, followed by         storied addresses, business travel      of regular customers who have
the bedroom and bathroom. As           these days often comes with strict      given us feedback. That is more
soon as you go in, you have your       budgets. For a more modest – yet        important than looking at other
parlour that you can actually make     still comfortable and practical –       hotels’ suite features and trying to
private by closing all the doors and   suite stay, Hong Kong’s Harbour         copy them,” he says. “The in-room
windows into the bedroom – and         Grand Kowloon might offer a good        sockets are very handy – which
that space is big enough to host a     solution for more budget-conscious      is something that people always
meeting for three to four people       business travellers.                    look for. The first thing they do in
very comfortably,” says hotel             At the start of August, the hotel,   a hotel room is plug in their USB,
manager Chadi Chemaly. “All our        set beside Victoria Harbour in          be it by the bedside or the writing
suites have the shared veranda,        Hong Kong’s Whampoa district,           desk.”
which is also a great space. All       opened 360 new guestrooms                  With ultra-luxury suites, hotels
through the hotel, you have small      (including 100 suites) in its Tower.    cannot afford to omit anything a
corners and spaces of which many       The hotel’s total room inventory        guest might expect to find in the
are exclusively for residents.”        will reach 967 by the middle of         room. In order to offer a suite at a
   The daily rate at Raffles Hotel     next year, including 216 suites.        good price point, Chan says there

16 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                          Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
were some features the hotel did       Robert Kelly was explaining
away with because they are not
strictly necessary.
                                       South Korean politics live on the
                                       BBC over video link when his           “ With ultra-luxury
  “We could quite easily have
included an in-room mini-bar,”
                                       two young children barged in –
                                       instantly making him a viral social    suites, hotels cannot
he says. “But we don’t really see
the point of that. Our in-room
                                       media sensation.
                                         Another area that business
                                                                             afford to omit anything
dining is offered 24 hours a day,      travellers like to keep separate in   a guest might expect to
around the clock – mini-bars are       their suites is their own personal
                                                                               find in the room.
something which I believe more
and more hotels are doing away
                                       bathroom. Fortunately, many
                                       suites – though not all – offer a                       ”
with.”                                 guest washroom. However, guest
                                       bathroom etiquette seems to be
MADE FOR MEETINGS                      lost on some people.
The priority of business travellers      “I remember staying at the
is to get work done in the most        Lanesborough in London once,
efficient manner possible –            where I had three meetings but
whether that be hunkering over         only the one bathroom,” says
spreadsheets or entertaining clients   LuganoPirate. “On each occasion
and business associates.               my guests nicked some of the
   “I often hold meetings in hotels    toiletries, and the last one to
and prefer the privacy of a suite in   leave took the whole lot. I was
which to hold them. So, for me, it’s   quite embarrassed having to ask
essential the suite can be divided     housekeeping each time to come
with a closing door. I don’t want      back and replenish them.”
guests looking into my bedroom,          Once your formal business
especially if housekeeping hasn’t      meetings are over, that same suite
got round to cleaning it when          space can also be used for a more
I have a very early morning            personal kind of entertaining,
meeting,” says “LuganoPirate”, a       suggests one hot-blooded Business
user of Business Traveller’s online    Traveller reader!
forum.                                   “A separate dining area, with
   Business travellers may also        a nice table and service entrance,
be keen to take advantage of the       along with mood lighting and
“bleisure” trend – the fine art of     built-in speakers, could turn a
mixing business and leisure when       heavy day’s business into a ‘Barry
travelling – and its increasing
acceptance amongst employers.
   Jean-Philippe Jacopin, general
manager of Orchard Hotel
Singapore, understands that
trend well. He says it’s important
for business travellers to have
separation between sleeping
and the living areas in their
accommodation.
   “Business travellers staying
at our Premier Suite with their
families can host business
meetings in the comfort of the
suite’s living room, while their
families relax in private in the
fully-partitioned bedroom. The two
separate entrances are also useful
for this function,” he says.
   However, mixing kids with
business does carry some risk and
guests may wish to warn their
children in advance not to enter
the working area of the suite
and interrupt mummy or daddy’s
meeting or phone call. You may
remember that in 2017 Professor

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                            FEBRUARY2020 | 17
FEATURE – HOTEL SUITES

                                                                             of what guests consume and what
                                                                             they don’t.
                                                                                “With the turndown amenities,
                                                                             we need to be on brand. We try to
                                                                             avoid any low-class, calorie-full
                                                                             items. If you’re serving something
                                                                             in the luxury way, we need to
                                                                             check if it’s chocolate, not cheap
                                                                             chocolate from the supermarket;
                                                                             it’s high-quality dark chocolate,”
                                                                             he says. “With our fruit platters,
                                                                             not all guests like to eat all
                                                                             types of fruit. Our butlers will
                                                                             understand what the guests’ habits
                                                                             and preferences are. If we notice on
                                                                             the first night that the guests really
                                                                             like bananas, we will add extra
                                                                             bananas.”
                                                                                Whilst bowls of fruit are a pretty
                                                                             universal welcome gift, some
                                                                             hotels like to shake things up a
                                                                             bit and offer their suite guests
                                                                             something unique to the local
                                                                             culture. For example, at Conrad
                                                                             Guangzhou, which has 62 suites
                                                                             in four different sizes, guests get
                                                                             a daily savoury Chinese welcome
                                                                             soup served in a beautiful painted
                                                                             lacquer container inspired by the
                                                                             traditional food basket.
                                                                                “Normally, guests arrive in the
                                                                             rooms around 15h00 to 16h00. A
                                                                             cup of soup is a benefit for them
                                                                             before they join the dinner outside
                                                                             or in the hotel,” says general
                                                                             manager Ken Chow.

                                                                             ENDURING POPULARITY
                                                                             The majority of hotel guests stay in
                                                                             suites as a luxury upgrade from a
                                                                             standard room. However, a select
                                                                             few seem to love staying in suites
                                                                             so much that they try to book them
                                                                             on a more permanent basis – think
                                                                             the CEOs and ambassadors moving
                                                                             to Singapore who set up residence
                                                                             in the Raffles.
                                                                               Sometimes guests even try
                                                                             more unorthodox methods of
                                                                             establishing semi-permanent
                                                                             residency in a suite.
White evening’ – of course with      (indeed, the home-sharing site            “I recently had a long-time
the right company,” says UK-based    now has a box you can tick to find      customer who has an office here
BT Forum user “MartynSinclair”,      business travel-friendly properties).   in the neighbouring office block,
who works as an aviation and            Aleksandar Vucic, the executive      but he also wanted an office in
property consultant.                 assistant manager for rooms at          the hotel and wanted the furniture
                                     the 2018-opened St Regis Zhuhai,        moved to make it into an office,”
PERSONAL TOUCHES                     says that offering a tailored service   says Chan of Harbour Grand
In-room amenities and room           helps personalise the experience        Kowloon. “We found that a bit
design can only do so much. A        (the St Regis brand is famous           unusual, but it’s something we
hotel without service would not be   for its butler service). His hotel      can accommodate. Though as a
a hotel; you may as well rent out    carefully selects what items are        permanent office use – that’s not
a large Airbnb apartment instead     put into its suites and takes note      encouraged.” ■

18 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                        Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
FEATURE – FREQUENT FLYER MILES

Smart
Traveller
     How to donate unused
     frequent flyer miles to
     charity, by Business
     Traveller UK’s Hannah
     Brandler.

20 | FEBRUARY2020                     Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
5. CATHAY PACIFIC AND
                                                                           CATHAY DRAGON
                                                                           Flyers who earn Asia Miles when
                                                                           flying with Cathay Pacific or
                                                                           Cathay Dragon can now donate
                                                                           to one of five charities. UNICEF
                                                                           HK, Oxfam Hong Kong and Hong
                                                                           Kong Red Cross are some of the
                                                                           charities that are featured. Asia
                                                                           Miles can also be contributed to
                                                                           FLY greener, a programme that
                                                                           allows you to reduce your carbon
                                                                           footprint.
                                                                           asiamiles.com

                                                                           6. DELTA AIR LINES
                                                                           Through Delta’s Sky Miles,
                                                                           travellers can donate to
                                                                           participating SkyWish charities.
                                                                           You can browse these by region
                                                                           – US, Asia, Latin America &
                                                                           Caribbean and Europe, Middle

M
                                                                           East & Africa. 26 charities
              iles (or points) are                                         are sponsored (in Europe it is
              a perk of frequent                                           UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity
              travel and can be                                            and Make a Wish International),
              redeemed on future                                           and up to five charities can be
flights, upgrades, experiences,                                            processed in one transaction.
merchandise, car hire,                                                     delta.com
accommodation and so on.
   But sometimes it’s hard to                                              7. EMIRATES
spend them – air tickets may be                                            You must first log into your
restricted by time and destination,                                        Sky wards Miles account to access
for instance. Rather than waste                                            Emirates’ options for donating
them, here are some schemes           3. AMERICAN AIRLINES                 to charities worldwide. Options
that allow miles to be donated to     The A Advantage programme            include The Emirates Airline
partnered charities.                  focuses on three types of            Foundation, Sightsavers, Dubai
                                      charitable organisations – those     Cares and Care International.
1. AIR FRANCE AND KLM                 that work to support social good,    emirates.com
Flying Blue, Air France and KLM’s     well-being, or heroes. A minimum
frequent flyer programme, has         of 1,000 miles is required, though   8. ETIHAD AIRWAYS
selected 18 charities to which        members with a balance of less       Etihad Airways’ reward
its members may donate miles.         than this can donate their entire    programme Etihad Guest sponsors
Charities include Aviation Sans       balance.                             a diverse range of charity
Frontières, which provides air        aa.com                               organisations including the UN
transport to European hospitals for                                        Refugee Agency, the Fred Hollows
children with serious illnesses, the 4. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES,                 Foundation, the Choice to Change
French Red Cross and W WF.           LUFTHANSA AND SWISS                   Foundation, and Climate Care
f lyingblue.com                      Miles & More, the frequent flyer      that any number of miles can
                                     programme for these airlines,         be donated towards. Since the
2. ALASK A AIRLINES                  has partnered with two aid            initiative began in 2007, over 200
The Alaska Airlines LIFT miles       organisations – Help Alliance,        million miles have been donated.
programme offers members the         which focuses on promoting            etihadguest.com
chance to support 10 selected        nutrition, health and hygiene,
charities through donating miles     and My Climate, which promotes        9. FINNAIR
– these include Alaska Airlines      certified climate protection          Travellers can join Finnair Plus
Disaster Relief Pool, the Nature     projects. Members can either make     and donate miles to one of the
Conservancy and the United           a free donation, which is then        airline’s eight partnered charities,
Negro College Fund, which helps      allocated to the project most in      which include UN Women and
under-represented students to        need, or you can choose to support    Cancer Foundation: Pink Ribbon.
become highly-qualified graduates. a specific cause.                       finnairshop.com
alaskaair.com                        miles-and-more.com

Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                                                              FEBRUARY2020 | 21
FEATURE – FREQUENT FLYER MILES

10. FRONTIER AIRLINES                organisations. At the end of the      500 points to 18 charities.
This carrier partners with six       year, the airline promises to match   Organisations include the
foundations as part of the My        up to a half-million miles to each    American Red Cross, Carbonfund.
Frontier programme. Miles            participating charity. The airline    org, and Concern Worldwide.
can be donated to Austin Pets        promotes 13 charities which           Jetblue.com
Alive!, which flies volunteers to    support Hawaiian communities,
communities outside Austin to        including Blood Bank of Hawaii,       15. SINGAPORE AIRLINES
save homeless pets, and Shriners     Maui Forest Bird Recovery             KrisFlyer, Singapore Airlines’
Hospital, which uses the miles       Project, and Friends of Hokule’a      frequent f lyer programme, has
to fly patients and their guardian   and Hawai’iloa, which helps to        partnered with Make-a-Wish
to one of their hospitals for        maintain canoe building traditions    Singapore to grant the wishes
treatment.                           and values.                           of children with life threatening
Flyfrontier.com                      hawaiianairlines.com                  illnesses. A minimum of 1,000
                                                                           miles is required per donation,
11. GARUDA INDONESIA                 13. JAPAN AIRLINES                    and a maximum of 100,000 can be
The airline partners with            JAL has a Charity Mile project in     donated per transaction.
charities that promote education     which JAL Mileage Bank members        singaporeair.com
– Indonesia Mengajar and             can make donations towards a
#BalasBudiGuru – and the             number of campaigns carried out       16. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Sedekah Umroh programme which        by its charity partners, which        The airline’s Rapid Rewards
helps underprivileged Indonesian     currently include disaster relief     programme allows you to
Muslims to perform an Islamic        and environmental conservation.       donate miles to its participating
pilgrimage.                          jap.co.jp                             programmes, which include
garudamiles.com                                                            All Hands and Hearts, a
                                     14. JETBLUE                           charit y addressing the needs of
12. HAWAIIAN AIRLINES                The airline’s True Blue programme     communities impacted by natural
Hawaiian Miles allows members        gives members the opportunity         disasters, and Dream Foundation,
to donate miles to non-profit        to contribute a minimum of            granting wishes to terminally-ill
                                                                           adults.
                                                                           southwest.com

                                                                           17. UNITED AIRLINES
                                                                           Miles earned through the Mileage
                                                                           Plus programme can be donated
                                                                           to charities through the Miles
                                                                           on a Mission programme. United
                                                                           has partnered with 20 charities,
                                                                           and there are a number of active
                                                                           campaigns that you can donate
                                                                           a minimum of 1,000 miles to – if
                                                                           the campaign doesn’t reach its
                                                                           goal within 28 days, these will
                                                                           be returned to you. You can also
                                                                           campaign for your charit y to be
                                                                           one of the partners.
                                                                           unitedmileageplus.com

                                                                           18. VIRGIN ATLANTIC
                                                                           Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club has
                                                                           partnered with one charit y, W E
                                                                           (formerly Free The Children). In
                                                                           an effort to empower people in
                                                                           rural international communities
                                                                           to break free from the cycle of
                                                                           povert y, f lyers can donate a
                                                                           minimum of 2,000 miles to f ly
                                                                           volunteers to help efforts.
                                                                           virgin-atlantic.com ■

22 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                     Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
Helping you select a better
    quality guest house

                                      Guest House Accommodation
                                             of South Africa

                                          www.ghasa.co.za
Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za                               FEBRUARY2020 | 23
FEATURE – AIRPORT TERMINALS

New Age                                                                     experience has evolved a great
                                                                            deal over the last decade. Airport
                                                                            layovers are transitioning into

Terminal
                                                                            mini vacations, if time is a luxury
                                                                            on hand. A meal in the choicest
                                                                            of restaurants or relaxing spa
                                                                            therapy is now passé. Select
                                                                            airports are going the extra mile
                                                                            to ensure your time is made the
                                                                            most of. From being entertainment
                                                                            hubs to encompassing futuristic
Airport terminals are not what they used to be, as found by                 technolog y whilst showcasing the
                                                                            best in art, airports are evolving
Business Traveller India editor Akanksha Maker.                             and here is how.

W
               hen Viktor Navorski   I’m sure it would have another         ENTERTAINMENT HUBS
               got stranded at an    perspective. Perhaps, Viktor would     If you’re flying out of Frankfurt
               airport in Steven     be seen enjoying therapeutic spa       Airport anytime soon, catching a
               Spielberg’s movie     treatments at an airport spa after     flick before your flight should be
The Terminal that released in        an indulgent meal at Wagamama.         on your list. That’s because the two
2004, I sympathised with him.        He could then check-in into a chic     Movie Worlds in Piers A and Z are
Those unending hours spent           airport hotel — living his best life   inviting passengers in transit to
living out of a suitcase didn’t      and not being too upset about a        watch the latest blockbusters for
seem so appealing. However,          missed flight.                         free. Comfortable couches for up to
if the movie was remade today,         That’s because the airport           three persons are arranged in front

24 | FEBRUARY2020                                                                       Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za
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