A brand-new travel start-up, AirStudent, officially launched in Johannesburg yesterday (May 3), established by co-founder and CEO, Ndabenhle Ntshangase, co-founder and COO, Lwanda Shabalala, and Chief Business Officer, Brian Kitchin.

Ndabenhle and Shabalala came up with the concept after identifying a gap in the travel market – catering for travel for students.

They finalised the idea of AirStudent in a university dorm room with the initial aim of enhancing the student travel experience. By pooling students into larger groups they were able to negotiate preferential deals with airlines to enable more affordable travel and a better overall experience.

They have since extended their services to all travellers, and AirStudent has no intention of limiting itself to domestic travel. Ntshangase and Shabalala said AirStudent ultimately aimed to give travellers affordable access to a range of travel solutions, including accommodation and car hire. 

Serving the ‘new-age traveller’

“Technology is allowing new players to enter the market in other ways to serve the ‘new-age traveller’. It isn’t just making it possible for small businesses to get a foothold in the tourism industry, it’s helping to break down barriers by enabling the development of new products and services,” said Ntshangase.

‘New-age travellers’ are not just younger travellers like students. Increasingly, they are small-business people, the person in the street and even government groups looking for ways to travel more cheaply and have a better customer experience while doing so.

“As a result, the industry is seeing a wave of new entrants using technology to make tourism more inclusive and travel cheaper, and helping more people explore the world in new ways.

“The cost of travel is just one of many barriers that students face in their quest for higher education and opportunity. If you live in KZN but study in Cape Town, travel is an expense that takes away from other areas where you could spend. Or worse, it blocks the opportunity to study at all. If we can use technology to break down barriers, we’re creating opportunities and experiences that go way beyond buying the cheapest flight or bus ticket that you can find,” added Ntshangase.

Shabalala said what set new-age travellers apart was their savvy use of technology and social connectedness.

“There are a couple of reasons why this is important for the industry. For one, social media and peer pressure significantly influence their travel decisions. They tend to look for fast responses and instant gratification. They’re not brand loyal: they want the best price. To understand and service this market, we must lean heavily on technology, which will open up access to the tourism industry even more.”

‘Online booking platforms becoming the norm’

Blacky Komani, Chairman of the TBCSA, said the rise of the platform economy meant online platforms were fast becoming the norm for booking travel. By connecting travellers with service providers, these platforms were making it possible for small businesses and start-ups to reach wider audiences and to compete with larger, more established players.

“When everybody in the industry has access to the same technology, what sets you apart is how you meet the needs of your customers, and the type of experience you can provide to them,” said Komani.