NGE-9 ekuseni izolo, i-ribbon isikwe kwamenyezelwa ukuthi ivuliwe inkampani entsha yezokuvakasha emgwaqeni omkhulu wasePoulton-le-Fylde, ngaseBlackpool.
Akukho okungajwayelekile ngalokho, ngaphandle kokuthi sekuyiminyaka manje abahlaziyi bephephandaba kanye nabahlaziyi bemboni yezokuvakasha bebikezela ngokufa kwe-ejenti yasemgwaqweni ephezulu ezandleni ze-inthanethi nezikhungo zezingcingo. Izibalo ze-Association of British Travel Agents ziphakamisa ukuthi ama-ejensi ayi-1,400 avaliwe kule minyaka eyishumi edlule. Kodwa ingabe isimo singashintsha?
'Abafana abakhulu bavala izitolo ngenani lamafindo, engicabanga ukuthi kushiya igebe elikhulu emakethe,' kusho uPhil Nuttall, umqondisi ophethe we-ejensi esanda kuvulwa, i-thetravelvillage. 'Ubuchwepheshe obusha busho ukuthi abasebenzi esikhungweni abagcini ngokuthatha ama-oda ezincwajaneni, bangakwazi ukuhlanganisa amaphakheji enziwe ngendlela efanele. Empeleni abasebenzi bethu bazoba ngabaxhumanisi bezokuvakasha emgwaqeni omkhulu.'
Ukuvulwa okusha kukaNuttall mhlawumbe kumangaza kakhulu ngoba uchithe ishumi leminyaka elidlule akha i-Save'n'Sail, isikhungo sewebhu kanye nesikhungo sezingcingo, kodwa akayedwana ekwenzeni ukufuduka kusuka ku-inthanethi kuya emgwaqweni omkhulu. .
Ngesonto elizayo, iBlack Tomato, i-upmarket tour operator okwathi selokhu yavulwa ngo-2005 yasebenza kuphela ku-inthanethi nangocingo, yethula isitolo eShoreditch, eLondon, kuyilapho umqhubi wewebhu uMedinland, onguchwepheshe waseMedithera, evula isitolo sakhe sokuqala ngenyanga edlule.
'I-inthanethi iseyinkundla esemqoka kakhulu kithi, kodwa ohambweni oluyinkimbinkimbi - yithi ukuhamba ngezinyawo e-Amazon okulandelwa wuhambo oluya kwezinye izingxenye zeBrazil ne-Argentina - empeleni kungathatha isikhathi eside ukubhukha ku-inthanethi nangocingo nange-imeyili. kunokuhlala nje ubuso nobuso sikukhiphe ngaphandle,' kusho uTom Marchant, umqondisi weBlack Tomato.
Amanye amafemu akhomba ukwehlukana okukhulayo kwengcebo phakathi kwe-ejenti yasemgwaqeni 'yebhakede nefosholo' (i-TUI iyodwa ihlela ukuvala izitolo eziyi-100 eminyakeni emibili ezayo) kanye nochwepheshe abaphumelelayo bokuthunga.
'Sinayo isizindalwazi kodwa sikholwa wukuthi ayikho into engathatha indawo yokuthintwa komuntu,' kusho uNikki Davies weTrailfinders, osevule izitolo ezingu-11 kusukela ngo-2002.
Futhi ngenkathi amaketanga okuvakasha amaphakheji evala izitolo ukonga imali, abaqhubi bezitolo babonakala bekujabulela kakhulu ukutshala imali ezitolo zabo. I-Select Travel ngenyanga edlule yavula isitolo ku-South Audley Street eMayfair, yathi amakhasimende afuna 'isevisi yokubonisana ewubukhazikhazi njengendlela ephikisana ne-inthanethi'.
Utamatisi Omnyama uhamba kangcono. Amakhasimende kufanele enze i-aphoyintimenti, kodwa isitolo sizovula kuze kube u-9pm, sinendawo yokuphuzela utshwala, futhi njalo ngenyanga yesibili sizohlotshiswa kabusha ukuze sibonise indawo ehlukile, ngemidwebo yasendongeni, imidwebo nezinto zobuciko ezivela ezweni elifakiwe.
'Sikuthole kuyasixaka ukuthi abadayisi bezokuvakasha badayisa umkhiqizo ojabulisa kakhulu, kodwa iningi lezitolo ngokwazo alinalutho nhlobo,' kusho u-Marchant. 'Besifuna ukungenisa abantu ukuze bakhulume ngendawo okuyiwa kuyo futhi bathole ugqozi ngempela.'
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