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Travel agency runs on passion and commitment

Johan van Kradenburg, Managing Member of Advanced Travel & Tours

Johan van Kradenburg, Managing Member of Advanced Travel & Tours

The Advanced Travel & Tours team consists of (standing from the left) Johan van Kradenburg, manager and owner, Tanya Zuze, reception and admin, Jaydin Louw, reception and admin, Roswitha Havarua, junior travel consultant and Bennie Ortmann, senior travel consultant. Seated in the front is Carlen Nell, a junior travel consultant.

The Advanced Travel & Tours team consists of (standing from the left) Johan van Kradenburg, manager and owner, Tanya Zuze, reception and admin, Jaydin Louw, reception and admin, Roswitha Havarua, junior travel consultant and Bennie Ortmann, senior travel consultant. Seated in the front is Carlen Nell, a junior travel consultant.

When Advanced Travel & Tours had to define its own position in the market, its owner immediately realised it must be the travel agency and touring company of first choice for every client, and it must maintain the best customer service at all times. Owner Johan van Kradenburg told the Economist since he started his own travel agency, his first priority was to ensure that it becomes the most respected travel agency in Namibia. Advanced Travel & Tours was established in November  2001 and specialises in air travel, accommodation, car hire, insurance and many more facets of travelling.

Seeing an opportunity in the high travel needs and frequency for government officials, van Kradenburg decided to make the public sector one of his primary marketing targets stating that Advanced Travel & Tours focuses on “commissioning of affordable travel services for the Government of Namibia, NGO’s as well to the public.”
He explained: “Professionalism and care are the hallmark of Advanced Travel & Tour’s philosophy. Clients are served effectively and efficiently, saving companies and passengers time and money. Because we are small in size we provide a professional and an excellent service.”
Advanced Travel & Tours works through highly qualified consultants who have experience in the company’s core business. Van Kradenburg is a Member and office manager of Advanced Travel & Tours and also runs its daily operations. He started his career with the national carrier, Air Namibia , in December 1990. After attending various courses, mostly overseas, he steadily climbed the ladder to the level of the Assistant Manager: Reservations and Control. Over the years he gained extensive experience and knowledge of the airline industry. Today, he heads the sales, marketing and bookkeeping of Advanced Travel & Tours.
His righthand man is Bennie Ortmann, the senior sales consultant. He also started his career with Air Namibia, but somewhat later in March 1993. He attended various courses, mostly overseas, as well as served some travel agents in Windhoek.  Over the years he gained extensive experience and knowledge of the Airline and Travel Agent industry.
Said van Kradenburg We make sure that we understand exactly what our client’s needs in each case. Our knowledge of clients company need is invaluable. We are doing ongoing research into local and international developments in the travel industry.  Evaluation is done through our reservations system, Internet and Travel Info; keeping track with developments in foreign countries.”
“We also do our own evaluation and assessments to determine the best routes and countries before suggesting it to our passengers. This helps our clients to have the best choice of travelling and stay-over.”
Van Kradenburg said their speciality is their ability to find the cheapest airfares worldwide. “We are linked to all airlines, thus we provide loyalty programme application forms on behalf of the carriers and makes sure that passengers do get their miles on flown sectors.”
They also find cheap hotel accommodation worldwide. “We prefer but are not limited to the following hotel chains: – Sun International, Sheraton Hotels, Hilton Group, Intercontinental Hotels, Legacy Hotels and Southern Sun.”
As part of their package they organise travel insurance using preferably AIG Worldwide. Car rental, package tours, and even visa assistance, are not outside their ambit. The Advanced team is assisted by Roswitha Havarua, a junior travel consultant, who is reading her degree in Travel and Tourism Management at the Polytechnic of Namibia. As intern in Travel and Tourism she joined Advanced Travel & Tours in August 2013. After doing some travel courses locally, she became a junior travel consultant. The latest addition to the consultant bench is Carlen Nell, also a junior travel consultant. The office is further manned by Tanya Zuze and Jaydin Louw taking care of reception and admin. Advanced Travel and Tours is 100% owned and management by a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE ) company.

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