South Africa, Namibia offer value for Aussies` depreciated dollar

Source: Tourism Update, 08/12/2015

While the Australian dollar has depreciated some 30% against major
currencies, it has held steady against the South African rand. As a
result, both South Africa and Namibia offer great value for money to
Australian travellers who are likely to choose these destinations over
the US and Europe, as well as other African destinations with
dollar-based pricing. "People who have never thought about Africa
before will be looking at it now because America and Europe have got
expensive," he says.


This is according to Jonathon Wilson, MD at Brisbane-based Encompass
Africa, an online travel agency and tour operator. "South Africa and
Namibia are doing well because they still represent good value for
money, whereas the rest of Africa is all US dollar-based," he says
adding that the Australian dollar has depreciated against the US
dollar by nearly 30%. Wilson explains that, because of the depreciated
Australian dollar, destinations like Botswana are 30% more expensive
for Australian travellers. He also expects that Australian travel to
SA will increase as he expects the rand to depreciate further.


Wilson, whose clients consist largely of 65-plus travellers, families
and professional couples, says that many of his clients, even those
aged 65 and above, are comfortable booking travel online and via
email, while he deals directly with suppliers or through DMCs. Wilson
argues that this is because his company offers destination expertise
and customised itineraries and tailor-made safaris as opposed to
brochure package holidays.


Typically, retired Australians travelling to Southern Africa have
travelled extensively, having visited destinations including the US,
Europe and even Antarctica. He says Africa is possibly left till last
because it is seen as the "scary dark continent". However, Wilson
says, upon returning from a trip to Southern Africa, many of these
travellers describe it as the best holiday of their life.


According to Wilson, family and multigenerational travel out of
Australia is growing. He adds that a multi-generational family group
will sometimes book out a lodge for exclusive use. "Definitely the
family market is growing and growing. The typical scenario is granddad
contacts us and wants to book a safari holiday for the whole family –
living his inheritance with them rather than watching them spend
it."


Australian travellers coming to Southern Africa are looking for
wildlife, wilderness and culture and will often spend two weeks on
safari with a city break in Cape Town, says Wilson. This market is not
looking for a beach holiday, having plenty beaches of their own back
home.


Wilson says he is seeing an increase in special-interest holidays,
including gourmet-focused safaris that include chefs cooking and
interacting with guests, sharing their culinary secrets as well as
photographic safaris that are accompanied by a professional wildlife
photographer. Wilson also sells fly-in safaris for an increasing
number of guests who opt to travel with a private plane, spending more
time at destinations and less time at airports.