For those of us battling post-festive season blues this January, you won’t need to wait long for light on the travel horizon.
Indulge your inner travel bug on February 10th and 11th when Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) throws open Randburg’s Ticketpro Dome doors to thousands of holiday choices, from skiing in the French Alps and cruising the Mediterranean, to all-inclusive beach breaks in Mauritius and guided holidays through Europe.
An estimated 135 travel exhibitors will bring their best deals to the table, more than the number of exhibitors in 2017 which means more opportunities to find the travel deal of a lifetime.
In its eighth year, the Travel Expo promises to be even bigger this year, with an anticipated 25,000 visitors expected and up to R650k in prizes, including flights, holidays, hotel stays, tours, cruises and more, up for grabs. If you book an Emirates or South African Airways ticket you could stand in line to win a car. More details are available here.
This year’s show will also include a much larger kids’ area and a Beer Garden to keep all ages happy, and if you want to get a taste of the myriad of travel destinations and opportunities available, special Travel Talks have been included in the line-up.
It’s a veritable travel extravaganza over two days, says Andrew Stark, FCTG Africa and Middle East Managing Director.
“The bigger the Travel Expo gets, the more we encourage and enable South Africans to travel. Our visitors can connect with the destinations they’ve been dreaming of travelling to and speak directly to our travel partners and experts to get the best advice and deals.
“In 2017, we saw visitor numbers grow by 10% and travel sales of R32m. In 2018, we hope to expand our visitor numbers by a further 15% and with the additional travel exhibitors showcasing what they have to offer, we anticipate even greater interest in planning and booking a holiday in 2018 than in previous years.”
The continued success of the Travel Expo flies in the face of perceptions that the local economic environment and international concerns over safety are deterrents to South Africans travelling.
“The cost of travel due to exchange rates, onerous visa requirements and the country’s economy of course could all be factors that influence South Africans’ decision to travel. However, the success of this Expo proves that South Africans are resilient and, even when times are tough, they make sure they’re investing in themselves and their families through shared travel experiences.”
The Travel Expo is the annual travel event that brings affordable travel to the South African consumer. Visitors won’t find more South African travel companies showcasing what they offer under one roof on one weekend, including such airlines as South African Airways, Emirates and Air Mauritius; tour operators like Beachcomber, Club Med and Trafalgar; and cruise lines, including NCL, MSC and Royal Caribbean, among other renowned travel brands.
Consumers will also encounter an extensive array of local holiday options, December breaks, school holiday specials and savings of up to 50% on selected flights and tours.
“All our Flight Centre Travel Group brands, including Flight Centre, Cruiseabout, Corporate Traveller and Flight Centre Business Travel, etc., will be exhibiting at the Travel Expo. And, as usual, we will have a large cohort of professional travel experts ready and willing to assist travellers who’ve been inspired by what they’ve found at the show to secure their 2018 and beyond holidays there and then.”
Pre-register on www.travelexpo.co.za for entry into prize draws and further information.