Holidays to Africa defying downturn
A specialist operator to Africa is seeing double digit growth to some countries with demand stronger than ever before.
Somak Holidays has seen a 12.3% year-on-year increase in bookings to Tanzania and a six per cent rise to Southern Africa, with Zanzibar showing the biggest growth.
Kenya, which suffered following civil unrest in January, has bounced back. Somak’s passenger numbers to the country are on a par with 2007. But week-on-week figures since October 1 are 15-30% higher this year than the same period in 2007.
The operator’s chief executive Ash Sofat said: “Africa represents real value at the moment due to weak currencies, particularly in South Africa where the rand has fallen to 16.36 to the pound – in January the exchange rate was around 11–12 rand to the pound.â€
Even African countries which use the dollar – which has been strengthening against sterling – are discounting holidays to compete with the value being offered by their neighbours.
“We are delighted to see that Kenya is back in demand and have also seen an increasing number of our clients insisting on taking environmentally responsible safaris here,†Sofat added.
Holidays of this nature start at £919 per person for 14 nights on an all inclusive basis, including return flights with Kenya Airways from Heathrow.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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