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African countries are seeing a surge in international travel, fueled by luxury safari experiences with repeat visitors. Returning travelers remain excited by the continent’s iconic wildlife. However, they want to mix up their experiences beyond spotting game from the back of a Jeep.
We spoke to a half-dozen operators of multi-day safari tours and safari hospitality brands to find out the latest booking data and guest preferences. We came away with seven emerging trends we expect will shape safari tourism in the year ahead.
Adventure booking platform TourRadar said Africa has a primary source market for North American and European travelers.
Its 2023 search and booking data showed that trips valued over $3,800 (€3,500) had doubled since 2019, fueled by demand for premium safari experiences. The average trip spend for safaris specifically has increased by 65%, said Aziaz Sheikh, TourRadar Head of Community.
Travellers who went on organised adventures in Africa in 2023 were up 33% from 2019, with a “huge appetite for safaris”. Travel to Tanzania increased by 48% and to Kenya by 22% overall.
“The one thing that is unique for the U.S. as a source market [for safaris] is that Tanzania is the biggest selling destination (32%), and then South Africa (20%), with Kenya a distant third (13%),” said Sheikh. “This differs from the rest of the world, which generally sees a balance between the 3 destinations.”
Philip Rendel, founder of Where It All Began, a company making plans in southern Africa, said bookings for 2024 so far have seen an increase in spending of more than 60%. Rendel said the average spending for 2023 was around $8,201 (R150,000) for two people. By 2024, the company forecasts $13,668. 34 (R250,000), based on the average trip.
Tour operator Backroads said its active African safari bookings for 2024 were nearly double those of this year, when the average spends $5,077.
“When we recently asked our travelers what destination was on their travel list, they mentioned African safaris,” said Tom Hale, founder and CEO of Backroads.
Planned travel bookings for 2024 have also shown that safari travelers will stay longer: on average, at least two days or more.
Rendel noted that the average time has increased from 14 to 20 days over the past year: Where It All Began’s advance bookings show an increase in the number of repeat customers, from 25% in 2023 to 75%.
Andre Van Kets, co-founder of plan company Discover Africa, said he’s noticed an increase in pent-up pandemic lawsuits over the past year and a half, with spending averaging $9,600 in 2023. Discover Africa has also noticed a shift from 10 days to 14 days over the next year.
While the revenge spending might be petering out heading into 2024, according to Van Kets, he expects seasonal booking trends between January and mid-March to maintain pre-pandemic levels as a new wave of repeat customers emerges.
These returning visitors are looking for more engaging experiences, with safari itineraries between countries rather than trips to a single country, according to Murielle Mignot-Vegezzi, product manager at Discover Africa.
With a repeat booking rate of 18%, the company is looking at combinations of multi-day trips such as Namibia and Botswana, with visits to Victoria Falls spread across Zambia and Zimbabwe. The integration of gorilla tracking in East Africa has also become more popular. Mignot-Vegezzi said the advancement of air links between African countries, especially Kenya, and the ability to take longer periods have contributed to this trend.
Combining other reports with classic safari itineraries has led to lesser-visited African countries, said Where It All Began’s Rendel.
New destinations are attracting travelers, in addition to the safari capitals of Kenya and Tanzania. One example is Zambia, Rendel said, stimulated through activities such as canoeing on the Zambezi River.
Similarly, Toronto-based luxury tour operator Kensington Tours sees “revisiting Africa for some other safari adventure” as a developing trend. Overall, the company saw 30% repeat visitors in 2023 and a 9% increase in spending.
“Many beginners, after just a few safaris, are seduced by the safari experience they have been dreaming of for a long time,” said Andrew Drummond, product manager for Kensington Tours.
“On upcoming visits, we will provide them with more in-depth and immersive briefings to go beyond the same old safaris of the ‘Big 5’ (rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard), providing them with explorations on foot, by canoe, by boat, and even via helicopter to give various perspectives,” Drummond said.
The Kensington, South Africa itineraries have been adapted to include a city tour in Cape Town and a safari component in the Kruger National Park. In Cape Town, you can take a cable car up to Table Mountain and ride down by mountain bike. You’ll visit the penguins of the Cape Point Peninsula and watch whales before heading to the Kruger Savannah at Sabi Sands to track the “big five” animal species.
A multi-day excursion to Namibia combines the dunes of the Sossusvlei Desert, an ancient display of rock art at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Twyfelfontein site, with more classic tracking of desert-adapted elephants in Etosha National Park, Drummond added.
Singita, a luxury safari hospitality brand, caters to a safari traveler looking for a different experience than 25 or 30 years ago.
Its guests, mainly from North America — with 61% U.S. travelers and 35% returning visitors for 2023 — have redefined their expectation of luxury as today’s safari traveler is more eco-conscious, stated CEO Jo Bailes.
“The modern safari traveler wants to learn about other cultures and connect with nature and people,” Bailes said. “They want philanthropy, experiences that give back and lead to meaningful travel.”
Guests also showed more interest in “authentic sustainability credentials such as solar energy, food waste, plastic use, water conservation, moral food sourcing and local employment,” Bailes said.
Discover Africa’s clients also prefer activities that allow them to contribute to conservation efforts, engage in cultural exchanges and engage in more meaningful tactics beyond typical safaris, Mignot-Vegezzi added.
This has led to the development of “positive impact” or “impact safaris” that are either community-driven or conservation-driven through curated interactions with scientists, said Mignot-Vegezzi. Some of Discover Africa’s preferred partners for these types of impact safaris include Asilia Africa’s Usangu Expedition Camp in Tanzania and African Bush Camps and Sabi-Sabi in Southern Africa.
Discover Africa founder Van Ketz said they’ve seen more inquiries for families traveling together, including grandparents, aunts, and cousins. He added that this multi-gen travel trend drove a shift in accommodation offerings at luxury lodges to cater to larger groups with manor homes, villas, and family camps instead of traditional 2-bedroom stays.
Singita has also noticed a high demand for family bookings or groups of friends to have “unfiltered time and space to spend time connecting,” Bailes said.
“Singita’s villages and campgrounds are rooted in a spirit of friendship,” Bailes said. “Luxury is synonymous with privacy, personalization, and space to create meaningful reports that foster connection. “
Travelers, especially wealthy ones, are prioritizing one-of-a-kind safari reports over classic luxury amenities and facilities.
“There’s a lot less interest in the features of luxury safari accommodations, such as spas, star-studded beds and the quality of food and wine, than there has been in years,” Rendel said.
Singita’s visitors also prioritized quality over quantity, Bailes said, and hospitality remains secondary to the experience. Singita sought to incorporate mindful elements into all facets of her clients’ journey, “amplifying themes to the fullest with less opulence and more honesty. “
Finch Hattons, a luxury tented camp in western Kenya, said its visitors should also get out of the safari vehicle to establish a deeper connection to the surrounding Tsavo West National Park.
Hiking through the rainforest of the Chyulu Hills, exploring Shetani lava and practicing yoga in the Chyulu savannah are all part of a “Kenyan-influenced healing adventure” presented through the luxury camp, said Finch Hattons director Leena Gehlot.
Rendel of Where It All Began added that while safaris are combined with quintessential jeep tours to explore game reserves and get up close and personal with wildlife, there is a growing preference for safaris with other modes of transportation.
“There has been an increase in inquiries about horseback riding and safaris,” Rendel said.
Valuing local guides with extensive knowledge of indigenous culture and landscapes is another growing trend, said Where It All Began’s Rendel. In a way, some guides expand their own private brand.
“Travelers seem to have a greater preference for knowing precisely who their safari experience guides are, especially when it comes to knowing their specific experience and where they were born and raised,” Rendel said.
“Reserves are expanding for those itineraries that balance wildlife, culture and history, rather than those that only offer wildlife-related experiences,” Rendel said.
Finch Hattons recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with the opening of a network-focused culinary school. It offers education and employment opportunities for local youth while offering meaningful engagement and cultural exchange for both the network and its guests.
“There is a notable preference among travelers, but many prefer more than just a safari,” said Finch Hattons’ Gehlot. “We’ve moved from simply observing wildlife to actively protecting it. Our clients aspire to enjoy a deeper understanding of culture and self. It’s about gaining new perspectives.
Our global industry daily policy. Written through editors and analysts across all Skift brands.
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Tags: africa, botswana, note africa, eco-friendly, experiences, family travel, kenya, multi-day tours, multigenerational travel, namibia, safari, safari tourism, singita, south africa, sustainability, tanzania, tourism, visits and activities, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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