Cater to new travellers' needs to stay in business, advises tourism expert

With Covid-19 causing a global tourism nightmare a few years ago and then slowly reopening, Kele Lekalake said being innovative and rebranding is what kept her business afloat during the tough time post pandemic. 

As travel gradually resumed in 2022, Lekalake, executive manager at Harvey World Travel, an agency that houses a network of independently owned travel agencies across the country and cross border, said she had to be smart about how she approached business after the crisis.

“Travel was one of the first industries to close and last to open. So, you can image the impact. We lost a lot of talent and it’s been the biggest challenge to close the gap. Some businesses did not return, some had to change their business mix and some adapted to different models of business to trade,” she told Sowetan.

“But by being agile and giving a more proactive response to customer needs, we are able to create more travel experiences than ever before.”

Lekalake said marketing and technology play a key role in the industry.

“Marketing your business correctly and rising above the noise is extremely crucial. We as head office are intentional to assist our franchises with this. We also teach them how to adapt to technology,” she said.

While tourism is a big industry, Lekalake said that the credibility of the agency is under threat due to many travel scams that cause clients to be sceptical.

“The industry has suffered some negative perceptions due to fly-by-night travel agents. By spending time with our members, understanding their needs and creating solutions that support growth and sustainability, we have managed to mitigate the issue."

As travel continues to grow, Lekalake advised that catering to the needs of new travellers is important.

“The new traveller is in charge of the narrative and so is the new business owner, and the two are in sync. Ours is to be close enough to respond to the needs and demands as the world evolves. These could range to digital transformations or humanisation of experiences in the social spaces.”

For those who wish to follow in her footsteps, Lekalake advised them to be true to themselves.

“It’s the most demanding industry especially emotionally because you are responsible for the type of experience a customer will have on their very first trip which they might [have] saved for years for. But if you stay true to your passion and allow room to adapt to change, you should be fine.”