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Optimism in the Safari Business???

by | Tom's Take, What's New

I suspect it will not come as a surprise to learn that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit our travel industry harder than any other business sector. In our country alone, over eight million jobs have been lost, which is more than half of all the travel-supported jobs in the USA before the pandemic. The word I’ve seen used most often to describe this is “devastation” – a term that means complete destruction.

You might expect that the result of all this would be a lot of “doom and gloom” among travel professionals. But I can assure you that the exact opposite is true. As I talk and correspond with our many travel partners and colleagues, I find an unwavering sense of optimism in the future – and I think it’s important for you to know that.

So where does this optimism come from? It’s born from the understanding that, for many people, the desire to travel is strong and that challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic only delays taking action to plan travel itineraries. We know this is true simply by looking at the 94% of our travelers who rescheduled their 2020 safaris into 2021 and 2022. And we have begun receiving inquiries from prospective travelers asking us to assist them in planning their safari in 2021.

This optimism also comes from the ability of our travel colleagues to adapt to what are unprecedented and rapids changes in how safaris will be conducted. I’ve read several sets of safety protocols – some issued by governments – some by international organizations, such as the World Tourism Organization – and many by the owners and managers of our travel partners. In my opinion, our travel partners commitment to safety and hygiene is impressive.

Within Safari Professionals, we have always placed the health and safety of our travelers as our first priority. As our various partners and colleagues reopen for business over the next few months, we will review each of their protocols to insure that our travelers can be confident that their health and safety remains the top priority throughout their safaris.

We are grateful for everyone who moved their safari into the future and for those currently planning their safaris with Safari Professionals. Their vision of the future strengthens that optimism we hear from our partners and colleagues in Africa, Costa Rica, Ecuador and in the other wildlife destinations we offer.

Take care and travel well,
Tom

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