Afr 4-6 apr10 3/4/09 17:48 Page 49
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Safaris may be regarded by your clients as an indulgent excess during these straitened
times, but operators are responding to track them down. Catherine Quinn reports
C
hallenging, chaotic, magnificent
and rewarding – Africa is defined
by overstatement and superlative
sights.
But while few customers would turn down
the chance to get face to face with the conti-
nent, there is little doubt that a safari can be
viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity.
As a result, operators specialising in Africa
are going all out to attract visitors – and that
means there are some great opportunities
for agents to secure some lucrative business.
“We’ve got lots of offers at the moment,”
confirms Louise Newton, marketing
manager at Somak, which has put together a
brochure specifically to showcase the deals.
The brochure, entitled Eye Catching Offers,
can be overbranded with agents’ own logos.
“Agents can use reductions to tell would-
be safari-goers that they’ll never have a
cheaper chance to see the big five,” confirms
Explore! product manager Peter Eshelby.
“Our South West Africa Overland itinerary
in particular is a chance to tick off four
classic safari destinations (Zambia, Namibia,
Botswana, South Africa) on one trip, and now
it’s backed by an extra financial incentive.”
Competitive pricing
The most straightforward way that operators
are adding value is by cutting prices, and
these seem to be widely available, especially
on longer trips.
At the time of writing, The Adventure
Company was offering £430 off its Victoria
Falls package and £530 off a 17-day safari in
South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.
ourism
an T Cox & Kings had reduced its Governors’
South Afric 10.04.2009 49
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