. The domestic airlines serving the city say they are ready to discuss travel packages to East London with local tourism and accommodation bodies. South African Airways executive coastal sales manager Thulani Nzima told the Dispatch newspaper that SAA was due to launch a range of packages to East London on an ad hoc basis when there was capacity on its planes. "We are speaking to hotel groups and car hire companies about this and are to make an announcement soon." Nzima said SAA and SA Express airlines were prepared to talk about special fares for conferences and sports groups coming to the city but the job of selling East London as a destination was up to the local tourism industry. "Let us know what you have got to offer and we will see what we can do about fares, but it is no good us having to cut our fares while hotels are not prepared to cut their prices." Mike Hendrikse of Tourism Buffalo City said local hotels all had to reduce their prices on tour packages to compensate for the high air fares to East London. The Premier hotel group's Sam Nazimov said he had slashed his rates to around half to attract small to medium-sized conferences to the city. "We come in at around 25percent of Johannesburg prices and because of the air fare we still lose out," he said. Nzima said that SAA and SAX would discuss conference rates should this situation arise again. Competitor Nationwide Airlines has been holding meetings yesterday with travel agents.