If you are looking for the best travel agencies in Johannesburg, we’ve got you covererd.
Looking to swap the city of gold for blue seas and skies? Keen to escape Mzansi for a little while?
We’ve compiled a list of ten great travel agencies in Gauteng. We’ve really focused on some of the lesser-known travel agents around Johannesburg, who still offer great services, have fantastic reviews, and really engage with their followers on social media. Check out the following 10 travel agencies, based in and around Johannesburg, who could make your holiday dreams a reality!
Table of Contents
What is a travel agency and how can they help you?
A travel agent is someone who organizes travel for individuals or groups. They book flights, hotels, and other transportation, and often act as a tour guides. Travel agents typically have a wide knowledge of destinations and can offer advice on what to see and do.
Most travel agents work for a travel agency, but some are self-employed. There are many different types of travel agencies, ranging from small, independent businesses to large, international companies. Some travel agencies specialize in a particular type of travel, such as leisure travel or corporate travel.
The job of a travel agent can be both exciting and challenging. It is important to be organized and efficient in order to provide excellent customer service. Travel agents must be able to deal with last-minute changes and unexpected problems. They also need to be familiar with a wide range of products and services in order to be able to find the best deals for their clients.
The role of a travel agent is changing in the age of the internet. Many people now book their own travel online, using websites such as Expedia or Kayak. However, there are still many people who prefer to use a travel agent, as they can offer personalized service and advice.
The future of the travel agent industry is uncertain, but there will always be a need for experts who can help people plan their dream vacations.
Our list of Travel Agencies in Johannesburg
Travelleeto
Travelleeto is a true hidden gem and the agency that we use for our bookings because they get us the best price, simple and plain.
The also make things simple because you can contact them on WhatsApp and not have to go through the expense of having to buy R50-R100 airtime just to be put on hold. I just give them a text and get a response within 15 minutes.
If you are looking for holiday packages and want the best deals from all the tour operators listed below without doing all the searching yourself, definitely give Travelleeto a shout.
They are a travel agency based in Johannesburg that assists with holiday planning. They reason we like them is because they do all of the queries with tour operators for you and then find you the best price for your holiday package. So instead of paying more when you could have saved elsewhere, they find you the best prices from the tour operators available.
Their aim is to make travel more approachable with innovative offerings and by engaging with you, their client on the platforms you are most comfortable and allowing you to choose exactly what you want for your travel plans. This is includes the option to create travel packages on lay-by where you can pay in installments, and engaging with you wherever you are most comfortable, whether by email, WhatsApp, DM… which ever feels best for you
So whether you want immediate travel arrangements or a planning for a trip months down the line, you can give them your brief and let them do all the leg work to create your perfect getaway.
The company has created a good impression on its Google reviews has an average of 4.8 with professionalism, quality, and value coming up consistently in the comments.
To get in touch with them, drop us an email at info@travelleeto.com or a WhatsApp at +27827496478.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
Visit Website
Thompsons Holidays
Thompsons Holidays has over 40 years of experience in the South African travel industry. They offer basic travel agency services such as accommodation, entertainment, flights, and meals. Their social media accounts are very active with 2.1K posts on Instagram, an average of one post a day on Facebook, and 5.4K tweets on Twitter. Thompsons has a great following on social media numbering at 22.3K Instagram followers, and an impressive 67K Facebook followers, and 3.8K Twitter followers.
Website: https://www.thompsons.co.za
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.3
Number of Reviews: 105
Best Compliment: “Trip package was organized seamlessly by Xilu..the resort was beautiful, the staff very nice and hospitable” – Lindokuhle Ngcobo (5/5 stars).
Worst Complaint: “I’ve emailed to get quotes for a destination wedding. No one in this company is interested in doing business with you” – Rock88 Moreleta (1/5 stars).
Certification: IATA & ASATA certified.
XL Novo Mundo Travel
With over 50 years of experience in the travel industry under their belt, CL Novo Mundo Travel is definitely worth considering when looking for a travel agency in Johannesburg. Their services include accommodation, car hire, cargo services, corporate travel management, cruises, and flights. Unfortunately, their only social media account, Facebook, has been inactive since 2021. However, they still maintain 7.5K Facebook followers. Even their worst complaint on Google Reviews is an unusual 3/5 stars with the complaint being “great service, although there is sometimes a wait”.
Website: https://www.novomundotravel.com/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.7
Number of Reviews: 42
Best Compliment: “Always get the best service from here. Been a loyal customer for over 20 years” – Dominic Ribeiro (5/5 stars).
Worst Complaint: “Great service, although there is sometimes a wait. Celebrating their 50th anniversary today, 15 August.” Alf Chomse (3/5 stars).
Certification: IATA & ASATA certified.
XL Nexus Travel
XL Nexus Travel offers a large variety of services including accommodation, corporate travel management, finance reconciliation, flights, foreign exchange, group travel arrangements, parking, trains, Travel insurance, and VIP travel arrangements. XL Nexus is also a member of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry. No social media accounts could be found for XL Nexus Travel with the exception of 7 videos on YouTube, culminating in a total 22 subscribers.
Website: https://www.nexustravel.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.5
Number of Reviews: 52
Best Compliment: “The Johannesburg office is quite impressive. Beautiful water feature as you enter the reception area. The receptionists are friendly, polite, professional and helpful. The staff are generally pleasant and accommodating of your needs. A generally pleasant experience.” – Prabash Gordon (5/5 stars).
Worst Complaint: “Utterly utterly terrible service. Right from the booking agents to the accounts department.” – Sithembiso Dlomo (1/5 stars).
Certification: IATA & ASATA certified.
SMS Travel
SMS Travel offers services such as accommodation, flights, travel insurance, and visa applications. Unfortunately, their social media accounts are unavailable. Although they have an absolutely remarkable 5 stars out of 110 reviews on Google, a lot of these reviews are suspiciously identical. More than 90 of their reviews are the same comment by people who have only left that one review, which is definitely something to be concerned about when evaluating this Johannesburg travel agency.
Website: https://smstravel29info.wixsite.com/coza
Google Reviews (out of 5): 5
Number of Reviews: 110
Best Compliment: “Really good service and I learned many things things about Air tickets and traveling. Thank you SMS TRAVEL” – Next Time 303 (5/5 stars).
Certification: Unavailable.
Sure Ibex Travel
Sure Ibex Travel has a wide service offering with services such as accommodation, activities, car hire, flights, meals, tours, transfers, transportation, and visa applications. Their social media accounts vary in activity with an average of three posts a day on Facebook, and nine tweets in total. However, their following is low with only seven followers on Facebook and one follower on Twitter. A great positive for Sure Ibex is that they only have positive 5-star reviews from their 27 reviews on Google. A bit of a negative for Sure Ibex is that they don’t provide any information on their certifications such as ASATA and IATA.
Website: https://ibextravels.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 5
Number of Reviews: 27
Best Compliment: “Got my whole trip sorted out without any hassle. They handeled all the visa applications, flight tickets and accommodation and were available to help literally at anytime i have called them” – Shafin Noor (5/5 stars).
Certification: Unavailable.
Gateway Travel & Tours
Gateway Travel & Tours offers the basic services required to meet your needs including accommodation, flights, transfers, transportation, and travel insurance. Their social media is fairly active with an average of 3 posts a week on Facebook resulting in 2.3K followers. Concerningly, Gateway Travel hasn’t made their certification available on their website.
Website: https://www.gatewaytours.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.6
Number of Reviews: 8
Best Compliment: “Best tour and travel agency” – GARIS SATV CHANNEL (5/5 stars).
Certification: Unavailable.
Harvey World Travel
Harvey World Travel boasts services such as accommodation, corporate travel management, cruises, flights, meals, safaris, and transfers. An average of 1 post a day on Facebook, and 1.3K tweets on Twitter lead to a massive social media following of 118.5K followers on Facebook, and 1.2K followers on Twitter. With 4.9 stars out of 19 Google Reviews and no complaints to speak of, you can rest assured that Harvey World Travel provides a fantastic service to their Johannesburg clients. Information on their IATA certification is not available, however, they are ASATA certified.
Website: https://www.harveyworld.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.9
Number of Reviews: 19
Best Compliment: “Fast, efficient and friendly service always” – Ahmad Desai (5/5 stars).
Certification: ASATA certified.
WOLO Travel
Your basic travel needs are covered by WOLO Travel which offers accommodation, activities, flights, meals, tours, transfers, and working holidays. Their social media presence is great with 463 posts on Instagram, an average of 2 posts a day on Facebook, and 52 tweets on Twitter. It’s therefore, unsurprising that WOLO Travel has accrued 9.8K followers on Instagram, 22K followers on Facebook, and 39 followers on Twitter. It is recommended that you ask for their certification details before using their services, as no information on IATA or ASATA is available on their website.
Website: https://wolotravel.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.6
Number of Reviews: 18
Best Compliment: “WOLO Travel was a pleasure to work with it. Samantha was a gem of agent to communicate with, she took her time to plan the best trip possible. Her efforts are so greatly appreciated. I look forward to the next trip with WOLO.” – Daniela Baltasar (5/5 stars).
Worst Complaint: “Unfortunately for me, after numerous calls and emails to Sibigonile, still no quotes for family. We are supposed to be going as a family, booked my daughter without family quote or booking as family. Very disappointed with this agent/agency.” – Sharmaine De Silva (2/5 stars).
Certification: Unavailable.
MJF Travel & Tours
MJF Travel & Tours offers the most services on this list of Johannesburg travel agencies, including services such as accommodation, car hire, cargo services, corporate travel management, documentation, flights, foreign exchange, group packages, international driver’s licenses, travel insurance, and visa applications. An average of 1 post a day on Facebook, 805 tweets on Twitter has resulted in 2.5K followers on Facebook, and 556 followers on Twitter.
Website: https://www.mjftravel.com/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 4.3
Number of Reviews: 8
Best Compliment: “Excellent services. Friendly people. I always leave with a smile.” – Gbenga Akintade (5/5 stars).
Certification: Unavailable.
One Stop Travel & Tours
One Stop Travel & Tours offer some unique services on this list, notably their Umrah pilgrimage packages. Other services include accommodation, car hire, conferencing, cruises, flights, foreign exchange, tours, transfers, travel insurance, Umrah pilgrimage, and visa applications. One Stop has a massive social media following, and this is mainly due to their consistent activity: 2.6K posts on Instagram, an average of 4 posts a day on Facebook, and 1,2K tweets on Twitter. This results in a fantastic following of 28.8K followers on Instagram, 69.7K followers on Facebook, and 705 followers on Twitter.
Website: https://onestoptours.co.za/
Google Reviews (out of 5): 3.7
Number of Reviews: 18
Best Compliment: “We book a maldives holiday with One Stop 2 weeks ago.Great Service from One Stop Fordsburg. Ameena Hafejee was very efficient and professional. THANK U ONE STOP FOR A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.” – Dawood Mots (5/5 stars).
Worst Complaint: “Just tried calling and put on hold over and over by Kim . She could not help . Poor service” – Shivana Maharaj (1/5 stars).
Certification: IATA & ASATA certified.
What are Travel Agent Consortiums?
A travel agent consortium is a group of travel agents that have banded together to form a collective group. The group is usually formed to get better prices for their clients or to offer exclusive deals. The consortium may also negotiate with suppliers on behalf of the group to get better terms. The day-to-day operations of the branch are managed by a franchisee, which is known as owner managed operations. Procurement is centralised and handled by the head office, which allows the group to leverage better packages for all their branches.
Travel agents consortiums often have loyalty programs for their end clients, which give them the best deals available with their partners and suppliers. Consortiums also offer benefits such as software, portal and dashboards which allows for their branches to better manage their client’s needs. On top of this, many consortiums offer additional training for their agents as well as marketing and website templates to ensure that the end users’ experience is as seamless as possible.
Examples of travel consortiums rthat we’ve listed before are Flight centre, Pentravel, XL Travel (such as Nova Mundo and Nexus, both listed above), and Sure travel (such as Ibex Travel, listed above). All of which can be found around South Africa and in Johannesburg. Travel consortiums are usually the larger, more reputable, brand names that most South Africans are familiar with such as Flight Centre. The advantage of this is that their track record is well known and their services are clearly defined. The disadvantage is that their services might not have the personal touch that a smaller, younger brand might be able to offer.
Difference between travel agents & tour operators
Travel agents and tour operators are both professionals who can help you with your travel needs. But how exactly do they differ? Here’s a quick rundown.
Travel agents are individuals or businesses that work with a variety of companies to offer transportation, accommodation, and other services to customers. They work with both individual travellers and large groups of people, usually taking care of all the details for their clients.
Tour operators are professionals who specialize in organizing group tours. They handle everything from finding and booking hotels to arranging transportation and excursions for their clients. If you’re planning a trip with a large group of friends or family members, tour operators are probably the best option for you.
A travel agent is someone who sells tickets or makes reservations for transportation, accommodations, tours, or packages for travellers. They may also assist with booking cruises or other planned events such as weddings or business conferences and conventions. Travel agents are usually associated with airlines and hotels because those are the types of businesses they work with most often; however, there are some companies that specialize in helping people book cruise lines or private jets for business executives who need to get somewhere fast but don’t have time for commercial flights (such as CEOs).
Tour operators typically arrange flights, hotels, and transfers for their customers, but they also take care of activities at each destination (e.g., guided tours). They’re often more expensive than travel agents because they have more overhead costs associated with running an entire operation instead of just booking individual flights and hotels for clients.
Pros and Cons of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators
The world of travel has never been more diverse, and that’s a good thing. It means we have more options than ever before to find the perfect vacation for our needs. But with so many options, how do you know which one is right for you?
That’s where travel agents and tour operators come in. While both offer great services, they are very different from one another. So, what are the pros and cons of each? Let’s take a look!
Travel Agents
Pros: Travel agents provide you with personalized advice, recommendations on itinerary planning, and customized itineraries based on your budget and interests. They can also help book flights and hotels, arrange tours, make restaurant reservations, and more. They’re there to help you make sure all of your details are taken care of so that all you need to worry about is having fun on your trip!
Cons: Travel agents don’t typically work directly with tour operators; they work with them through wholesalers or distributors who sell their products at wholesale prices to travel agents at a discount—so while they may be able to help you find what you’re looking for at an affordable price
Tour Operators
Pros: The big pro of using a tour operator is that they provide you with a tour guide, which can save you money on the ground. They also offer opportunities to see places that are hard to reach without your own vehicle. And for those who don’t like to plan their itineraries, it is a great way to go on an adventure without any planning at all.
Cons: On the other hand, tour operators have some serious cons as well. One downside is that they are more expensive than just booking your trip through a website or app on your own. Another downside is that it’s difficult to customize your trip with them because you are limited by what they offer in their packages and tours. And finally, for travellers who want more freedom and flexibility in their trips, tour operators may not be the best option because they dictate what you do each day of your trip.
How to select the best travel agent for your needs?
When planning a trip, it is important to select a travel agent that can provide the best possible service for your specific needs. There are a few key factors to consider when making your selection.
First, you need to decide what type of trip you are taking. Are you planning a leisurely vacation or an action-packed adventure? This will help you narrow down the type of travel agent you are looking for. There are agents that specialize in specific types of travel, so finding one that matches your trip goals is a good place to start. It is also important to consider where and when you want to travel, as some travel agents have more expertise and better deals in specific locations, such as XL Nova Mundo Travel (listed below), who offer Portuguese visa application services, and clearly have significant experience in travel to Portugal.
Next, you need to consider your budget. How much are you willing to spend on your trip? Travel agents can work with any budget, but some may be better equipped to work with yours than others. Be sure to discuss your budget upfront so that there are no surprises later on.
Finally, you need to consider your travel style. Are you the type of traveller that likes to be spontaneous or do you prefer to plan every detail in advance? There are travel agents that cater to both styles, so be sure to let them know what you are looking for.
If you keep these factors in mind, you should be able to find a travel agent that is a good match for your needs. Once you have found a few agents that you are interested in, be sure to interview them to get a better sense of their services and what they can do for you. To save you time and trouble, we’ve curated a list of 10 travel agencies in Johannesburg below. We’ve focused on travel agencies that have unique service offerings, a personal touch, and fantastic reviews from around Johannesburg and Gauteng.