Air Afrique goes after leisure with holiday packages

THE leisure market is the new target of Air Afrique, which until now has emphasised the corporate traveller bound for West Africa. The airline has commenced discussions with tour operators on the formulation of leisure packages, mainly to its home country of Ivory Coast and neighbouring Senegal. One of these tour operators is Club Med, owner of a resort 80km from Abidjan, capital of the Ivory Coast, and another two villages in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Says sales representative Sadiq Dindar, the plan is to release package details in good time for the area's high season, which runs from November through to April. An agent educational is also in the pipeline, to familiarise consultants with the product. Commercial manager for SA, Eugene Moussana, says the airline has also recorded encouraging interest from corporate clients regarding the incentive market. With flights going out on a Thursday and back early Monday morning, the timing lends itself to such groups. The flying time of six hours is not too long. In pursuit of leisure business, Air Afrique has expanded its sales staff, and a team of four sales executives are now out on the road calling on travel agencies. A current Air Afrique special offers first class passengers travelling to a number of West African destinations, a 50% discount on spouse fares. (Michelle Colman)