Welcome Tourism Services responds on web review
21. May, 2009
2 Comments
In response to your article “‘SQ’ is just a waste of time, really” on Travelwires.com published on 18 Feb, as Director of TIO Solutions, I believe I need to respond by initially commenting that the comparison of the Welcome Tourism Services website with Thompson Holidays own is not justifiable for reasons that both these companies and websites target markets quite differently! Welcome Tourism Services is a brand with powerful international trade recognition, and is in actual fact strictly a wholesale business to business inbound tour operator targeting tour operators internationally; whilst Thompson Holidays’ focus combines, local consumers and local travel trade.
Thompsons Africa, which operates a separate website to Thompson Holidays’, is a better comparison to the business of Welcome Tourism Services. This in itself would explain the absence of pricing as our Welcome Tourism Services website is not aimed at the local public, nor privileged overseas money spinners (individuals) as suggested, but solely as a brochure site imparting information to foreign tour operators working with us as a company.
Further and in-keeping with TIO’s philosophy to meet our international tour operator clients requirements, we recently launched during Indaba a revised live online booking system incorporating a online rates manual, marketed as the Dynamic Product Catalogue. The whole objective of this new live version of Welcome’s destination management manual is to provide agents with personal password protected access, with the knowledge that the information contained on the site is always current and relevant to them. The response has been phenomenal. Basically it is a live, one-stop-shop for international tour operators working with Welcome Tourism Services, and is an indication of commitment to our core business of inbound tourism operations. Please refer to www.welcome.co.za/brochure-download.cfm to access the full (323 page) product manual, which I have no doubt will impress you likewise.
I trust that my explanation has clarified the difference not only between the two web sites but also two very different companies and their philosophies.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can assist you further.
Kind Regards
Dieter Holle
My name is Muzi Mohale a full-time travel blogger, your host at Travelwires.com responsible for all editorial on this blog. I blog about the travel and tourism industry in Africa. Apart from blogging about tourism, I also run 
Hello Mr Holle,
Thank you for your letter, and for taking the time to write it.
Perhaps I can clarify with the following:
The comparison is meant to be about two different company sites (and their philosophies), as both sites facilitate and promote travel within our region (and elsewhere).
Your new online booking system sounds impressive – and now responds to the absent pricing issue I covered. I believe that transparent pricing (whether in Dollars or Euros) is key – especially because you state your audience is not local. Such an enticing website will prompt people (no matter who your client is) to ask “how much?”. If you have quoted costs, people are more likely to engage with the product as they immediately know whether their interest will be viably realised.
The site comparisons (and there are many, feel free to peruse the others) are about the usability and browser-friendliness of the site. While the world population progressively continues to access and engage their lives from a keyboard and screen in front of them – I believe sites like yours and others have to answer a potential client’s question – before they have even asked it.
Whether the site targets the public or B2B relationships – you still have a client. Your client is anyone looking for information with the purpose of moving forward on product acquisition. The comparison of any two websites therefore that facilitate a common purpose or industry, is then completely justifiable.
The difference between the two sites is fundamentally what leads to their comparison, and although your target audiences(s) may differ slightly – you are still client focused – and therefore subject to lessons through comparisons.
Thank you once again for your feedback Mr. Holle. Some very valid points noted.
Kind regards,
Dylan Balkind
Dear Mr Balkind
Thank you for your comments.
First and foremost I would like to thank you for the compliments regarding the look of this website. It was intended to be pretty (and distinguishable) from other travel websites (which tend to all look the same …
I would however like to add a few more points as I feel that much of your article was written in an uninformed manner relying on fragmented information and incorrect assumptions and that this has not been rectified (or acknowledged) in your reply.
Ok let’s get started on the pricing issue.
I am sure Dieter’s explanation has now clarified the “absence” or rather “visibility” of pricing on this website. However, for future use, perhaps some research into the workings of a company (before wildly flinging opinions around) would be a good route for you to take. .. Hence, having an opinion (as a single entity which is nowhere near the target market of this company ***) is 100% fine, but blindly publishing articles, is not. Also, regarding your comment “SQ is just a waste of time, really”… Welcome Tourism Services aims at developing a relationship with their agents as opposed to turning themselves into an online booking sausage-machine as it ensures better long-term service and customer satisfaction. Hence, the vital point re pricing is missed here – Welcome Tourism Services target Tour Operators who receive personalised rate manuals.
Now, regarding “I think a one-man show might get a little frustrated clicking through the endless endless endless options” on the establishment listing pages…
Grading the properties in some way is probably not a the worst idea ever, but once again, this site is not aimed at the local consumer or lone tourist browsing around for a place to stay. Hence someone viewing these listings would know exactly which properties to go and look at as they would have been directed there by Welcome Tourism Services. The property might also already have been included in their tailor-made itinerary so once again, they will know exactly where to go. The properties are listed alpahabetically so a specific property should be easy enough to find…
Moving on to “If you are not familiar with a name or region however, well good luck”.
Knowledge of the regions should be a given as this website is aimed at tour operators who have extensive product knowledge of regions and establishments in SA already…Hence the problem here is not ours, but rather your wrongful assumption of who we are catering for…
Lastly, seeing that you hold the “Request a Brochure” feature on the Thompsons site in such high regard, I deem it neccessary to suggest that you check out our version of this function as well. http://www.welcome.co.za/brochure-download.cfm – use the top link to access out our full (323 page) product manual “Welcome Tourism Services Product Brochure 2007/8″ and you might be pleasantly suprised. The (323 page) brochure is conveniently broken up into seperate sections to ensure the browser downloads only what he/she is interested in instead of clogging up bandwidth with things they don’t want or need. AND it opens in a new window…
So, that having been said, comments and (constructive) critisism to improve our brand is always welcomed but not when done in such a manner. If you were to remove yourself from this for a moment it might become to clear to you have been comparing an Empire apple to a Golden Delicious apple all along…
Thea-Lize Moolman – BrandBoard