As the Australian market for travel to Africa strengthens and matures, travellers heading to the continent for the second or third time are looking for experiences beyond the traditional safari.
Although the countries people are visiting largely remain the same, the experiences being sought out are very different, according to Adventure World general manager Neil Rodgers.
He highlighted walking safaris as an extremely popular product for the brand such as its rhino walking safari which offers customers the chance to be a game ranger for the day and make their way across the savannahs.
“We’re seeing really great growth in a mix of styles of safaris,” Rodgers told KarryOn.
Botswana in particular has “gone through the roof”, with Rodgers highlighting a water safari in the destination which enables clients to view elephants up close but from a different perspective.
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Areas like Madagascar, Ethiopia and Uganda are also seeing strong interest, prompting the operator to work towards getting product in these destinations “market-ready”.
Meanwhile, Wildlife Safari marketing manager Terri Cordin revealed a growing trend towards multi-generational travel to the continent, with grandparents “tagging along”.
“These days it is not only the immediate family who travel to Africa, we are seeing the family group has expanded and it is now multigenerational,” she told KarryOn.
Cordin also highlighted a trend towards multi-country itineraries.
“High up on the list of destinations is a combination of Kenya or South Africa with Mauritius,” she said.
But she also pointed to Botswana as an increasingly formidable presence.
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“Botswana is taking its place spot as a must see destination with it unique offerings of delta and desert staying in small and intimate exceptional tented camps,” Cordin said. “It has become all about the journey as you take flights in small aircraft to access remote places to view immense concentrations of wildlife.”
Zambia too is climbing in the popularity stakes as clients look for a different journey travelling to the lower Zambezi and South Luangwa.
Have you gone beyond the traditional safari in Africa?