Face to face: Arno Delport, sales & marketing manager at Acacia Africa
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
What trends are they seeing in terms of UK visitors? Where are they going? What kind of experiences are they looking for?
Experiential travel is a key driver of tourism. Today’s adventurers are looking to immerse themselves in the destination and form a deeper connection with the places and people they are visiting. Earlier this year we rerouted several of our small group safaris to include Zimbabwe. A rising star on the Africa travel circuit, the country offers opportunities to go further than the game drive, the tours passing through the Matobo National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the location is renowned for its rhino conservation – clients experiencing more intimate walking safaris with knowledgeable local guides. Rich in history, the large number of brilliantly preserved rock paintings dating back 2,000 years are also a major draw card.
This month we will launch six overland tours covering Southern Africa. Ranging from four to 46 days, many of the itineraries cover Swaziland and Lesotho. Still rarely visited, even by neighbouring South Africans, both landlocked countries have realised the potential of community tourism early on and village visits are a key focus on our latest trips. We have already seen a clear demand for our new departures and with experts suggesting Swaziland is tipped to become Southern Africa’s new adventure capital we are confident about future sales growth in the kingdom.
Solo travel is on the rise and an increasing number of ‘single’ clients are opting for the overland experience. This is particularly true for women who outnumber the men on our overland tours by 3:1. Independent reviews from female influencers in the blogging community have had a definite impact on this trend.
UK families are craving more in the way of adventure, parents opting for ‘kid-scapes,’ which give their children the opportunity to experience the real Africa. A spin off from the digital detox, activities where younger safari-goers can play an active part in the trip for example, poling their own mokoro down the Okavango Delta, tracking rhinos in Zambia’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park and exploring the Townships in Cape Town are popular activities.
Ethical travel: Visiting non-profit projects as part of the safari package is also in demand. For example, the Khama Wildlife Sanctuary in Botswana where clients are able to gain a a more in-depth understanding of the poaching crisis and conservation initiatives being put in place.
Upgraded safari accommodation: A growing number of millennials are choosing to upgrade their accommodation from camping to locally owned guest houses and B&Bs while on safari. This year we are excited to introduce an accommodated option on the majority of our overland tours.
What are the most popular destinations at the moment? What are the fastest growing destinations in East & Southern Africa?
The weak Rand and favourable exchange rate has made South Africa and neighbouring countries which also accept the currency i.e. Namibia very attractive for UK travellers on a budget. Sales to Kenya are also back on track this year. The removal of FCO travel advisories and relative stability of the country over the past 12 months has had a positive impact on bookings.
We’re also seeing increased demand for travel to Mozambique. Famed for its dive haunts, the country appeals to clients who want to enjoy a crowd free safari.
What your most popular safari packages?
Our 58-day Ultimate African Overlander is still one of the most popular overland tours in our collection. Covering Southern and East Africa and running from Nairobi to Cape Town, the itinerary gives clients an insight into the people, places and wildlife of Africa in eight countries. While you might find backpackers working their way across South Africa, Namibia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world and getting from A to B in Malawi is not as easy as it might seem on a first look. In that sense, overland travel is the best alternative for clients who want to see a broader section of the continent without worrying about the logistics. Most of our core market of youth travellers are interested in seeing the real Africa as opposed to one country and with our 2016 prices costing from only £84pp (no single supplement) a day including accommodation, most meals, transport and services of a tour leader/guide, the price represents real value for the adventurous on a budget.
Our 11 day Cape Desert Safari continues to be popular with travellers. The weak rand has had a strong influence on the sale of tours which include South Africa and other countries accepting the currency.
Kenya is still making its way back up the rankings and our 13 day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure has retained its place in the top three. We would expect a rise in bookings over the summer months when the annual migration is in play and with news of British Airways increasing its seat capacity for flights between London and Nairobi from 01 July to 29 October (with 11,200 extra seats available over peak season) it can only serve to fuel the current demand.
What tips can you give UK agents looking to sell these experiences?
Africa is often billed as an expensive destination, but that’s not necessarily the case. Overland and small group tours give clients the option to safari on a budget, our 11 Cape Desert Safari costing from only £705pp (no single supplement).
Overland travel isn’t just for backpackers: If your clients are not happy campers, there are options to upgrade to accommodated overland on most of our itineraries.
Many of today’s travellers are in search of locally owned accommodation as opposed to luxury camps owned by chains. In this sense, accommodated small group safaris are a win-win for clients including millennials, families and seniors, who want to give back to the community on safari.
As an ABTA bonded operator we can ensure our clients are covered when they book their safari and we are actively promoting ABTA’s ‘Travel With Confidence,’ campaign aimed at 18-24 year olds across our social networking pages. While many travellers, especially millennials who are less risk averse, might choose to book independently, it’s important for agents to stress the pitfalls of going it alone as part of the sales process.
Are you planning a UK marketing campaign?
While we don’t have a specific campaign in place we are currently working with a number of bloggers, including most recently, Amanda Williams, Editor of ‘A Dangerous Business,’ (@Dangerousbiz) to promote our tours and destinations with our core market of 18-39 years. Forming partnerships with key influencers who review and engage with prospective clients during and post trip continues to generate a substantial amount of interest in the Acacia Africa brand and the in depth reviews are helpful marketing tools for agents selling our safaris.
Our team was recently in Swaziland and we will be confirming several blog posts in the coming months to give our trade partners an up to date viewpoint on the destination.
Comments are closed.