African Travel Inc. wildlife differs by region
IAN STALKER
African Travel Inc. says the African continent can accommodate wildlife enthusiasts ranging from A(ardvark) to Z(ebra).
The Travel Corporation brand offers safari experiences throughout much of Africa, enabling clients to see sights that may differ dramatically from region to region.
“Each country is unique, the cultures and landscapes are different in every region,” says African Travel Inc. president Sherwin Banda. “At the core, wildlife viewing done sustainably is something that is practiced across the regions. Experiences differ, based on land and water, offering unique wildlife experiences across Africa, whether it’s the gorillas in Rwanda or the lemurs in Madagascar or the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalo) in many of the safari destinations.”
Big Five members themselves differ from region to region, thanks to varying landscapes that have led to species evolving somewhat differently, he continues.
Banda reports that interest in safaris is strong, continuing to top traveller bucket lists.
“We are seeing a very strong growth when we compare ourselves to prior to pre-pandemic levels, but particularly for forward bookings in 2024,” he says. “Travellers are prioritizing exotic destinations as well as perennial destinations and are choosing to be different from an availability point of view. Clients are wanting to explore in-depth. The African continent is a destination that lends itself uniquely to the experiences that can only be done in that part of the world. The one thing that Covid has taught us is if you want to travel, the time is now to take that bucket list and explore the dreams that have been put on hold for so long.”
African Travel Inc. reports future safari bookings are up 100%.
“For 2024, we are seeing record breaking short lead bookings as well,” Banda says. “When we look at our Canadian market, Canadians are looking to travel longer and immersing themselves in each destination and to really walk away transformed with meaningful experiences in Africa. Canadians have always been far more adventurous. They tend to take longer vacations.”
Banda praises the nature of safaris for their “intimate nature of camps and the focus on sustainability, and those camps have always been built on the premise that we are in the space of our incredible wildlife and we need to protect them and our local cultures.
“So when we think about meaningful change, we are seeing that travellers are very conscious about how they travel — their footprint in a destination and making sure that they are able to give back by supporting local communities and wildlife conservation for future generations to enjoy.”
Banda adds that luxury safaris have always come at a premium, largely because the destinations are very remote and so bringing in supplies and getting to the destinations costs more.
“We are seeing that clients are actually choosing to pay more when they travel to Africa and really for two reasons: They want to pay for those experiences that they cannot have anywhere else and they are looking for meaningful experiences. The want to enjoy with their family and friends and traveling companions vacations that are unique and not Googleable. It’s those hidden gems that when you work with a safari operator we can help them discover and showcase across our itineraries.”
Banda says South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania remain “perennial favourite destinations,” while the fastest growing destinations are Botswana, Rwanda, Egypt and Namibia.”
Banda notes that his company enables people to combine safaris with beach stays. Those who want to see wildlife on a vacation can also add North Africa to their holiday, visiting the likes of Egypt or Morocco.
Meanwhile, Banda says travel agents should consider sending more clients to Africa.
“When we look at global travel, Africa represents only 10% of international travel, which is a great opportunity as clients are looking for new destinations to discover,” he says. “With the increased availability of airline flights, these destinations have now become so easily accessible from all North American markets, making it a destination that has moved up in priority and for travellers looking for alternative and once-in-a-lifetime destinations.
“One of the great things about an African safari is that it is a luxury travel purchase. Travel advisors earn higher commissions and are rewarded for those big ticket item purchases for travel, working with an African safari specialist like African Travel Inc., (ATI). We not only find these amazing experiences to make it easy for advisors to sell and promote the destination, we also have a comprehensive training online training program that allows advisors to delve a little deeper into the continent and storytelling aspects of our itineraries. Advisors are never left to their own devices. Our expert teams offer three-way virtual calling which allows an advisor to engage with a clients with us. To answer those all those intricate questions that only an expert will know and advisers who use our three way service has a more than 80% closure rate. When we conclude those touch points, ATI is an award winning safari operator dedicated to growing the advisors’ resources and our commitment is 100%. Data actually shows us that more than 80% of luxury travellers will actually use a travel advisor.
“So the benefit of working with travel advisors to grow Africa and to grow luxury safaris are certainly a great value to us and that is what we are going to be focused on as we move forward for the future.”
