Holiday In South Africa

[petercallen]

I have already posted this topic on the visa and migration forum and had no response,

With the amount of expats living here maybe someone can help me.

Does anyone know of travel agents in Phuket who arrange package deals to other countries,

And have a choice of packages which include airfares, accommodation, tours and visas or

advice on what visas are required.

They all seem to do tours in Thailand or overseas airfares only with the ones i have checked

Any advice will be much appreciated

[pagallim]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

[petercallen]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

[MrMakMak]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

try to check the yellow pages from your home city and check for china town agencies, they can probably get you a good package deal even from around the world

[BangTaoBoy]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

I'm afraid 'Pagallim' is right. If you can find a like for like trip, that is cheaper to buy on the island, than it is from the companies directly or agents based off the island, then I will pay for your trip myself.

[grumpyoldman]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Good morning PC.

In the Bangkok Post in the classified section is a travel page. This is where I scan the travel boards for inexpensive tickets to the U.S. when I go to see family every year. Basically they are ticket consolidators, buy up tickets at a cut rate, resell. Not sure if I have seen promotions for South Africa, but I'm sure one of those travel agencies can hook you up.

I've used Nilton travel the last couple years, nice thing is you can take half a dozen email addresses off the boards on the page, send your itinerary to all, and they will get back to you, pick the best one for you (times, cost, layovers, etc.)

Grab your Sunday Bangkok Post today and check it out. Be sure to do a wine country tour, SA is producing some excellent wine these days. Cheers, GOM

[petercallen]

try to check the yellow pages from your home city and check for china town agencies, they can probably get you a good package deal even from around the world

I have checked with someone i know in the travel industry in Australia

They do not do travel packages from other countries

I wish they did

Maybe someone will set up a business here, i sure they would have customers

They do not have phone books in Phuket, i have never seen one anyway

[petercallen]

Good morning PC.

In the Bangkok Post in the classified section is a travel page. This is where I scan the travel boards for inexpensive tickets to the U.S. when I go to see family every year. Basically they are ticket consolidators, buy up tickets at a cut rate, resell. Not sure if I have seen promotions for South Africa, but I'm sure one of those travel agencies can hook you up.

I've used Nilton travel the last couple years, nice thing is you can take half a dozen email addresses off the boards on the page, send your itinerary to all, and they will get back to you, pick the best one for you (times, cost, layovers, etc.)

Grab your Sunday Bangkok Post today and check it out. Be sure to do a wine country tour, SA is producing some excellent wine these days. Cheers, GOM

Thanks mate, i will check it out

[madmitch]

Also look at skyscanner, Kayak and Zuji.

[pagallim]

I would try the major airline carriers, particularly Singapore Airlines. They have daily flights from Singapore to J'Berg. Thai only fly BKK/J'Berg 3 or 4 times a week. Emirates could also be a potential source. I think the internet has made agents redundant in many cases.

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Surely that's the whole point, we're not in Australia, UK, US or anywhere else that has a large vacationing population that can support multi destination tour packages, and the resultant agents. A very large percentage of Thais have never been outside their home province, let along Thailand.

An observation, you seem to make a habit of posing questions for which you don't really appear to want an answer, only the opportunity to indulge in some form of childlike arguing and point making.

[KarenBravo]

An observation, you seem to make a habit of posing questions for which you don't really appear to want an answer, only the opportunity to indulge in some form of childlike arguing and point making.

It's called "debating" (cough).

[petercallen]

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Surely that's the whole point, we're not in Australia, UK, US or anywhere else that has a large vacationing population that can support multi destination tour packages, and the resultant agents. A very large percentage of Thais have never been outside their home province, let along Thailand.

An observation, you seem to make a habit of posing questions for which you don't really appear to want an answer, only the opportunity to indulge in some form of childlike arguing and point making.

There is a population of 10000 registered expats here i have been told

And a lot of these people can afford to travel regularly.

Of coarse there is a market for it, get your facts straight :jap: :jap:

[pagallim]

There is a population of 10000 registered expats here i have been told

And a lot of these people can afford to travel regularly.

Of coarse there is a market for it, get your facts straight :jap: :jap:

Nothing to do with whether expats here can afford to travel regularly or not (many of us can, and do). Perhaps though, that's the real purpose of your post, to 'announce' you can afford an exotic holiday. Maybe you've hit on a potential business winner! I look forward to reading the results of your enterprise if you believe that it would be so successful.

Most expats here are already well travelled, and for most (and I use the significant number of expats I know as a representative example), the primary destination for holidays outside of Thailand and SE Asia is to their home countries.

[madmitch]

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Surely that's the whole point, we're not in Australia, UK, US or anywhere else that has a large vacationing population that can support multi destination tour packages, and the resultant agents. A very large percentage of Thais have never been outside their home province, let along Thailand.

An observation, you seem to make a habit of posing questions for which you don't really appear to want an answer, only the opportunity to indulge in some form of childlike arguing and point making.

There is a population of 10000 registered expats here i have been told

And a lot of these people can afford to travel regularly.

Of coarse there is a market for it, get your facts straight :jap: :jap:

Package tours, although not dead, have a tiny fraction of the number of customers they used to have. Independent travel via the internet and maybe consolidators is much more popular now. If someone set up a business selling package tours out of Phuket with expats as a target market, I would guess they would be out of business within a very short time. That's why you, Peter, haven't found what you are looking for; it does not exist.

[HDRIDER]

whats wrong with going to S'pore and join??

http://www.travelpear.com.sg/singapore/package/747.html

[petercallen]

Also look at skyscanner, Kayak and Zuji.

The agents you recommend are based overseas as far as i can work out.

I will take GOM advice and check the Bangkok Post

[barka]

An observation, you seem to make a habit of posing questions for which you don't really appear to want an answer, only the opportunity to indulge in some form of childlike arguing and point making.

It's called "debating" (cough).

Or answering my own... questions

[petercallen]

whats wrong with going to S'pore and join??

http://www.travelpea...ackage/747.html

Thanks mate, but if i have to travel to another country for a package deal,

I am better of booking from Australia and having a family visit at the same time

[BangTaoBoy]

Also look at skyscanner, Kayak and Zuji.

The agents you recommend are based overseas as far as i can work out.

I will take GOM advice and check the Bangkok Post

What does it matter where they are? You said you were trying to get the cheapest deal you could in your OP, now it seems, as if the company being based in Phuket is your priority!

whats wrong with going to S'pore and join??

http://www.travelpea...ackage/747.html

Thanks mate, but if i have to travel to another country for a package deal,

I am better of booking from Australia and having a family visit at the same time

Can you get tickets to Oz for the same price as tickets to Singapore then? If going through Singapore was the cheapest way to get the package you wanted, then that would be the way to go wouldn't it. It's just that I don't think you really know what you want do you. Except a travel agents, based on Phuket, that offers cheaper deals than anywhere else, and everybody has told you already, that doesn't exist.

Edited February 14, 2011 by BangTaoBoy

[petercallen]

In my opening post i asked for information on travel agents who do international package holidays, i never mentioned the word cheapest

I have not been able to find anyone myself and was hoping someone had previous experience, If they are available in Bangkok i would

imagine they have sub agents here, if not i will book through Bangkok as i want to depart from and arrive back in Thailand.

I have had one constructive answer and that was checking the Bangkok Post.

If you cannot book a package in Thailand, which i find hard to believe, I will arrange a package in Australia to coincide with the next

time we are there and combine two holidays at the same time, Flying to Australia is not a lot more expensive than flying to Singapore

[BangTaoBoy]

In my opening post i asked for information on travel agents who do international package holidays, i never mentioned the word cheapest

I have not been able to find anyone myself and was hoping someone had previous experience, If they are available in Bangkok i would

imagine they have sub agents here, if not i will book through Bangkok as i want to depart from and arrive back in Thailand.

I have had one constructive answer and that was checking the Bangkok Post.

If you cannot book a package in Thailand, which i find hard to believe, I will arrange a package in Australia to coincide with the next

time we are there and combine two holidays at the same time, Flying to Australia is not a lot more expensive than flying to Singapore

Beg your pardon, it wasn't your OP, it was post number 2 in which you said:

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Implying that you wanted a travel agents that would work out cheaper than traveling independently. Think about it. I set up an agency tomorrow. How many people living in Phuket, do you think I would be able to book on to a package tour to South Africa in the next couple of months. The answer is probably one person. You.

Why would you wait until you were going to Oz to book a package tour, instead of traveling independently from here? Do you really find it that dificult to book flights and hotels on the internet?

[Old Croc]

Peter, you haven't gone into detail on the sort of trip you want.

Are you just looking for an airfare plus hotel in Joburg package deal, or a fully escorted tour of all the local sights and cities?

If you are thinking of doing the full Southern African thing including places like Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, safari park tour, Sun City, Skeleton Coast, etc, you may be better off finding an appropriate airfare on line and then join with a local tour group there.

Some that may be useful are: Southern Eagle, PlanetOkavango, Geckos Adventures, EscapeTours, African Sky.

There are many more who do tours for all budgets.

[petercallen]

In my opening post i asked for information on travel agents who do international package holidays, i never mentioned the word cheapest

I have not been able to find anyone myself and was hoping someone had previous experience, If they are available in Bangkok i would

imagine they have sub agents here, if not i will book through Bangkok as i want to depart from and arrive back in Thailand.

I have had one constructive answer and that was checking the Bangkok Post.

If you cannot book a package in Thailand, which i find hard to believe, I will arrange a package in Australia to coincide with the next

time we are there and combine two holidays at the same time, Flying to Australia is not a lot more expensive than flying to Singapore

Beg your pardon, it wasn't your OP, it was post number 2 in which you said:

Not in Australia, You can get a lot better deals through travel agents than you can through the airlines

to any holiday destination in the world.

I am hoping there be one or two travel agents who do the same thing here

Implying that you wanted a travel agents that would work out cheaper than traveling independently. Think about it. I set up an agency tomorrow. How many people living in Phuket, do you think I would be able to book on to a package tour to South Africa in the next couple of months. The answer is probably one person. You.

Why would you wait until you were going to Oz to book a package tour, instead of traveling independently from here? Do you really find it that dificult to book flights and hotels on the internet?

I know how to book flights and accommodation on the Internet thanks very much.

I am asking about South Africa where i have never been , Asia and Oz are easy

And since i have never been there been there i am quite happy to have a agent arrange

The whole trip including tours for me and arrange the schedule.

Stop being a smart ass

[stevenl]

I have had one constructive answer and that was checking the Bangkok Post.

You're confusing 'constructive answers' with 'answers to your liking'.

Edited February 14, 2011 by stevenl

[petercallen]

Peter, you haven't gone into detail on the sort of trip you want.

Are you just looking for an airfare plus hotel in Joburg package deal, or a fully escorted tour of all the local sights and cities?

If you are thinking of doing the full Southern African thing including places like Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, safari park tour, Sun City, Skeleton Coast, etc, you may be better off finding an appropriate airfare on line and then join with a local tour group there.

Some that may be useful are: Southern Eagle, PlanetOkavango, Geckos Adventures, EscapeTours, African Sky.

There are many more who do tours for all budgets.

I want the escorted tour/tours to, if its not available here i will get the necessary information sent to me from Australia

Probably a safari tour and a fly in visit to Victoria Falls, if no agent can arrange it here i will get my daughter in law to send

me the pamphlets with a choice of different all inclusive packages, which you know are available there

[petercallen]

I have had one constructive answer and that was checking the Bangkok Post.

You're confusing 'constrictive answers' with 'answers to your liking'.

Not you again, you are definitely a smart ass

I doubt you can give any useful information about South Africa.

If i need information about running a small restaurant or guest house i will ask you

[BillR]

Best travel agent in the world http://www.abercrombiekent.com/search.cfm?new_search=1&tdgf=2&tdcf=197

[stevenl]

Not you again, you are definitely a smart ass

I doubt you can give any useful information about South Africa.

If i need information about running a small restaurant or guest house i will ask you

A pity, I know much more about South Africa than about running a small restaurant.

This again proves you don't read what people write.

[madmitch]

Peter, you haven't gone into detail on the sort of trip you want.

Are you just looking for an airfare plus hotel in Joburg package deal, or a fully escorted tour of all the local sights and cities?

If you are thinking of doing the full Southern African thing including places like Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, safari park tour, Sun City, Skeleton Coast, etc, you may be better off finding an appropriate airfare on line and then join with a local tour group there.

Some that may be useful are: Southern Eagle, PlanetOkavango, Geckos Adventures, EscapeTours, African Sky.

There are many more who do tours for all budgets.

This is probably the best advice on this thread. I did something similar in Namibia some time ago, effectively creating my own package by booking the flights first and then a group tour. I also joined a Kruger safari at the end of the Namibian leg. It worked well and, as Old Croc says, there are dozens of group tour companies. Also, surely, local knowledge is better than advice from a Phuket (Australian/Singaporean/British) based agent. Plus you are cutting out the middleman so it could, but not necessarily, be cheaper.

[petercallen]

Thank you Mitch, did you travel from Thailand and if you did what airline did you use.

Were any special visas required or do you get them on arrival.

Do you recommend the tours you took and are there any you wished you had done

I am past the backpacking camping stage of my life and enjoy my comforts