OPERATORS are extending their southern Africa portfolios to add more active options for clients in search of adventure. Nigel Crofton, partner at UK marketing and representation company Outposts, said walking safaris in Zambia are catching on because of the thrill of being so close to animals.
“It’s a totally different feeling to being in a vehicle. It is so much more exciting. You really get a buzz. Seeing an elephant on foot is worth 50 sightings from a jeep,” he said.
South African Airways Holidays is adding 14 pages of content to its new programme due out in August. Additions include more game lodges and a ranger training programme at Sabi Sabi reserve, near Kruger National Park, where guests sleep out in the bush and learn ranger skills such as driving and animal tracking.
Product manager Sheena Noakes said: “Our approach is to encourage more clients to go it alone. In many ways South Africa is becoming like the US in the way we sell – customers pick and choose what they want to do.”
Prices for the new South African Airways Holidays brochure are still being finalised.
Abercrombie and Kent planning manager Jayne Smith said Namibia is succeeding as a self-drive destination and is growing in popularity, while Zambia is attracting bookings from a younger, more active market. The operator has just introduced an 11-night Zambian walking and canoeing holiday selling at £3,235 and a nine-night walking and canoeing trip in Zimbabwe at £2,685 into its World brochure.
Abercrombie and Kent is also weaving these wilderness trends into a new brochure with a working title of Adventure, due out in September.
The United Touring Company has added an elephant-back safari in Zambia into its programme this year as well as canoeing tours on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. Both are to be featured in the operator’s 2000 Travel Trade Planner brochure due to be distributed to agents in August.
“We are adding more adventure, rather than concentrating on South Africa’s garden and wine routes. People are looking further afield and want something different, ” said a UTC spokeswoman.
According to Somak Holidays, travellers who have visited southern Africa before are returning with the confidence to get behind the wheel themselves and tackle a self-drive.
The company has added car hire from Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg from £33 per day in its new Africa, Indian Ocean and Middle East brochure which came out last week.
Product manager Shafique Cockar said: “Customers often want to slot a couple of days driving into the middle of a two-week holiday. They might want to drive up to Victoria Falls from South Africa.”